4 Days in the Bay of Islands

Welcome to Day One of your Bay of Islands itinerary!

Today, you’ll be making the 3.5-hour journey from Auckland to Paihia, the Gateway to the Bay of Islands.

If you want to make the most of your time up north, I recommend getting on the road early. I usually aim to leave around 9 am!

If you don't already have one, make sure to rent a car or campervan for this trip. My recommendation is JUCY as I've used them before and they're reasonably cheap. But there are plenty of other companies on my "Travel Tips" page.

Road Trip Stops

If you’re not in a rush and want to stretch your legs along the way, here are some places worth stopping at:

• Mangawhai Heads – A stunning beach with golden sand and great cafes.

• Piroa Falls – A short, easy walk leads to this dreamy waterfall, perfect for a quick dip.

• Tutukaka Coast – Hands down one of my favorite coastal drives, with hidden beaches and incredible coastal views.

• Whangārei Falls - This stop is included on the itinerary!

• Kawakawa - For the world-famous Hundertwasser Toilets (strange, I know. Trust me on this one!)

The first "mandatory" stop on your road trip is to Whangārei Falls. Whangārei is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the largest settlement of the Northland Region.

Note: If you ever get the chance, I would recommend driving out to Whangārei Heads and hiking the Te Whara track (but you won’t have time for that on this itinerary, unfortunately).

From Whangārei, continue driving north for 45 minutes until you reach the small town of Kawakawa.

Although the town looks unassuming, it's home to the world-famous Hundertwasser Public Toilets. Designed by the Austrian architect and visual artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

The toilets are covered in colourful mosaics and are one of the very few Hundertwasser art installations outside of Europe.

I know I said we were driving to Paihia, and that is where you're staying tonight. But, we're first stopping in Kerikeri to visit my favourite waterfall in Northland.

Rainbow Falls is picture-perfect and incredibly easy to get to. The walk only takes about 5 minutes.

I have a soft spot for Kerikeri. Not only does it have an incredible waterfall. But you'll also find shops galore and a huge range of cafes and restaurants.

After visiting Rainbow Falls, it’ll probably be way past lunchtime, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be ready for a bite to eat.

The best place to get lunch in Kerikeri is the Kerikeri Bakehouse. They sell an enormous range of baked goods, pies, sweet treats, filled rolls and even sit down meals.

Note: New Zealand has one of the best bakery cultures in the world. If you haven’t already visited a classic Kiwi bakery on your travels, you’re seriously missing out-beeline for one immediately.

Before you leave Kerikeri and drive to Paihia, drop into Makana Chocolate Factory. You'll get to see their range of chocolates made on-site. Make sure to try their Macadamia Butter Toffee Crunch - you can thank me later!

Once you arrive in Paihia, check into your accommodation. Then, decide whether to continue exploring or rest and relax, ready for a big day tomorrow.

There's lots to do in Paihia. If you want to continue exploring, I recommend wandering around the town centre and taking a walk down the waterfront.

When dinner rolls around, I highly recommend booking a table at Charlotte’s Kitchen, especially if you’re visiting during the summer months. They're a favourite among tourists and locals, so if they happen to be fully booked, don’t stress—Paihia has loads of other epic dining options, like GREENS Paihia (delish Thai food).