Paihia, Bay of Islands, NZ

We drove an hour northwest and arrived in Paihia, Bay of Islands, which is a cosy, easy-going village in a beautiful setting.

We stayed at Seabeds Backpackers and enjoyed a great view, and a fully equipped kitchen.

A Little History

Waitangi, just outside Paihia is the birthplace of New Zealand, being where the Maori and Europeans joined in signing the Tratey of Waitangi in 1840. This region has one of the country's highest percentages of Maori people, as it has a long and proud Maori history.

The Kiwi

Kiwi are flightless birds, endemic to New Zealand, and a threatenend species. They lay the largest egg,in relation to their body size, of any species of bird in the world. At present, the greatest threat to their survival, is predation by invasive mammalian predators. We read in the newspaper about one lost dog, that killed by instinct over 500 kiwi birds, before being found. 

The kiwi is a national symbol of New Zealand, and the association is so strong that the term 'Kiwi' is used to describe New Zealanders. It is the Kiwi with the largest beak!

Motuarohia/Roberton Island

We took a boat ride 30 minutes to the island, and it was a fun ride. This is Paihia.

A Little History

Captain Cook visited Motuarohia anchoring off Cook’s Cove in 1769. In 1839, Motuarohia became known as Roberton Island. A sad story of death and retribution, surrounding Roberton’s family, ensued, and led to the first prosecution of an individual under New Zealand colonial law. It is an important part of the history of the island and the nation.

We hiked up to the view point, and you can see how small the island is.

It had three lagoons for snorkelling, and one of them had a underwater trail, with signed interpretations of fish and plants that you could read from the surface.

This oystercatcher was really noisy and aggressive, so we expect it had a nest nearby.

Back in Paihia we shared a Mussel/Fritter Stack, a local spaciality and a sophisticated version of the mussels and fries you get elsewhere in the world. Very tasty.

It is strange that you have to go north to get warmer weather, and that January is the best month of summer, but that is how it is here in the southern hemisphere. We had a wonderful time in the Bay of Islands.