Bay of Islands and the layers around Paihia

Bay of Islands in Northland is an irregular harbour system off Paihia, where islands, inlets and sheltered water make the shape of the coastline easy to read. Captain James Cook gave the bay its English name in 1769, and the place still carries that layered coastal history.English name in 1769

Cook, Cook Strait? No, Cook and the bay

The bay belongs to the Far North of the North Island, where the coast breaks into headlands, coves and several named inlets. Te Ara describes the wider Northland region as a narrow peninsula with a coastline rich in harbours and islands, and the Bay of Islands as a bay named for its scattering of islands.narrow peninsula

James Cook’s 1769 naming places the bay within the first European mapping of this part of New Zealand. The bay also appears in historical map records held by the National Library of New Zealand, which underline its long-established place in the cartographic record.historical map records

Waitangi and the historic shoreline

Waitangi lies on the north side of the Waitangi River, just north of Paihia, and the Waitangi Treaty Grounds sit there as a major historic precinct. The site is tied to the signing of He Whakaputanga in 1835 and the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, both central to New Zealand’s constitutional history.Waitangi Treaty Grounds

That same shoreline also connects to earlier colonial milestones. James Busby lived at Waitangi as the first British Resident, and the area links Paihia, Waitangi and Russell in a compact sequence of historic places.first British Resident

Paihia as a mission settlement

Paihia itself entered New Zealand’s written history through the Church Missionary Society mission established in 1823. Henry Williams and Marianne Williams settled there, and the settlement became associated with one of the earliest European mission communities in the country.Church Missionary Society mission

The place keeps that period visible in its name and setting. Paihia remains part of the Bay of Islands landscape of water, settlement and historic association, with Waitangi and Russell close by across the bay.Henry Williams and Marianne

Visiting Bay of Islands: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The bay lies in Northland, with Paihia on its shore and Waitangi just to the north. Ferries and road access connect the settlements across the harbour area.
• The landscape is maritime rather than mountainous, with islands, inlets and low coastal land. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds sit beside the Waitangi River, close to Paihia.
• Russell, Waitangi and Kerikeri belong to the same historic coastal network. Each place adds a different layer to the story of the bay.
• The official language is English and the currency is the New Zealand dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

Searching for Bay of Islands on social platforms

These links open searches for Bay of Islands on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Bay of Islands

Where is Bay of Islands?

It is a bay in Northland on the North Island of New Zealand, with Paihia on its shore and Waitangi nearby. The coastline includes islands, inlets and sheltered water.

What does a visit involve?

The setting combines a maritime landscape with historic places linked to early European settlement and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Paihia, Waitangi and Russell form the most recognisable cluster.

What makes it distinctive?

The bay is named for its many islands, and that geography remains the clearest feature at a glance. Its shoreline also holds some of New Zealand’s most important historic sites.