5 Night Luxury Bay of Islands Cruise

Island Passage departs the port town of Opua at 3pm. We’ll cruise up the Veronica Channel, past the historic settlement of Russell and around Tapeka Point before entering the maritime paradise known as the Bay of Islands. Our first anchorage is Te Hue Bay, which also goes by the name of Assassination Cove.

Assassination Cove: French explorer Marion du Fresne and 26 of his crew were killed and eaten in this bay - an act of utu (revenge) by the local tribe. The Frenchmen had made the mistake of fishing in tapu waters, even though they had been warned to stay away. You can relax - the tapu has long-since been lifted from Te Hue Bay.

"It was more thickly populated than those parts further south, the people more elaborately tattooed, some of their canoes more elaborately carved; the bay itself beautiful, with many good anchorages, the hills and valleys round it, forests and cultivations beautiful also. Cook called it the Bay of Islands."

Joseph Banks, 1769

After a sumptuous breakfast on deck, make yourself comfortable for the passage to Motuarohia Island, where we’ll anchor in Cooks Cove. In the Maori language, Motuarohia means ‘island to be desired’. You’ll quickly see why. From here, we can guide your explorations of this fabulous island and nearby Urupukapuka.

Motuarohia Island: Like Assassination Cove, this island has a murderous history. It was farmed by a widow, Mrs Roberton, and her farm manager Thomas Bull. Bull apparently brutally mistreated a young Maori farm worker, Maketu, who took his revenge with an axe. Mrs Roberton threatened Maketu with an English hanging, so he killed her and her two daughters, then chased her son to the top of the pa site and threw him over the 60 metres cliffs to his death.

Urupukapuka Island: The largest island in the bay, Urupukapuka has eight significant terraced pa (fortified village) sites, which you can discover on an archaeological walk that’s interpreted with signs. Located mostly on headlands, the pa allowed Maori to see enemies approaching by sea.

In a 2006 study, the Bay of Islands was found to have the second bluest sky in the world, after Rio de Janeiro.

Dumé, Belle (2 August 2006)

This morning we’ll cruise through the bay, possibly with dolphins for company, to Cape Brett Peninsula (Rakaumangamanga) . About mid-way up the peninsula is Deep Water Cove, a fantastically beautiful deep-water anchorage. From here our tenders can take you on a fishing expedition or to the Hole-in-the-Rock (Piercy Island).

Deep Water Cove:Framed by steep, forested hillsides, Deep Water Cove was the site of Zane Grey's first angling base and an early whaling station. It’s now a nature reserve, complete with idyllic waterfall. Beneath the waters of the cove lies the HMNZS Canterbury, a Leander-class frigate built in Scotland for the Royal New Zealand Navy. The ship was scuttled in 2007 to become a dive attraction.

"Rakaumangamanga is a mountain of renown standing here to the east the words spread of the ancestors from Hawaiiki comes handed down."

Maori paddling song

After breakfast, our three-night cruise passengers will depart by helicopter for Paihia. Not long later, the helicopter will return to the ship with our two-night cruise passengers. Then we’ll up anchor and set course for the sub-tropical Cavalli Islands.

Cavalli Islands:The Cavalli group consists of the island of Motukawanui and a number of smaller islets. Motukawanui has around 70 archaeological sites, including 14 pa and 36 pit and terrace complexes. It’s cared for by the Department of Conservation, who have been replanting native forest and introducing rare birds - the North Island brown kiwi is doing well here. The walking track on the island takes around two hours to complete. It follows the ridge tops, delivering outstanding views of Mahinepua Peninsula and Matauri Bay.

Rangihoua Bay on the mainland is our next destination. At Oihi in the bay, the Marsden Cross stands lonely above the sandy beach. It commemorates the site of New Zealand’s first European settlement, as well as Samuel Marsden’s first sermon on Christmas Day in 1814. From this anchorage, our tenders can take you to see Kerikeri’s historic Stone Store and Mission House.

The Stone Store: Constructed in 1832 to 1836 as a store house for the mission, the Stone Store is New Zealand’s oldest surviving stone building. Its walls are made of basalt lava from the bed of the Kerikeri River; the arches, quoins and keystones were made of imported Sydney sandstone, which was much easier to shape than Kerikeri basalt. After the mission's closure in 1848, the store was leased to a succession of retailers.

The Mission House: Also known as Kemp House, the Mission House is the oldest wooden structure in New Zealand. Like the Stone Store, it’s administered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. The house was built in 1821 by the Church Missionary Society for the Reverend John Butler.

Rewa's Village: This replica Maori village was constructed opposite the Stone Store in 1969. It represents a kainga (fishing village) from pre-European times. The village is named after Ngapuhi chief Rewa, who was one of three chiefly brothers who lived here in the 1830s.

"Move here, move there, Gaze upon the tides of Tokerau Like the shining cuckoo All is well, all is well." - Haka perfomed by chief Ruatara and his people to greet Samuel Marsden

On the final day of our Bay of Islands expedition, we’ll cruise past the Black Rocks on the way back to Opua. The remains of a basalt lava flow, these rocks are around 1.2 million years old. Expect to disembark at Opua Wharf around 12.30.

Please take the time to view our “Virtual Tour” for the 5 Night Luxury Bay of Islands Cruise or download/print the detailed “Tour Dossier”. Both can be found on the right hand column of this page. Alternatively you can simply contact us. For a comprehensive list of all activities available in each location featured in this tour, please refer to the "Destination Guide" found at the top of this page.