Paihia Walking Tracks

Off the beaten path in Paihia​

You won't run out of adventurous activities when you are in New Zealand, especially when you're on a cruise in New Zealand's Bay of Islands. When you have already experienced what the sea has to offer, you still have land to explore. One of the activities you might want to experience is trekking or walking. Get to experience the Bay of Islands up close and personal and commune with nature. One of the best places to start is Paihia. Paihia is the Bay of Island's main tourist towns. Paihia is the best place to start your Bay of Islands adventure. You have a lot of options when it comes to accommodation and eating. Paihia is close to a few historic towns and settlements such as Russel, Kerikeri, and Waitangi. Carry on towards the beaten path and explore Paihia on foot.

Paihia View Point

Walking to Paihia View Point is easy. The trek is just 1.5 kilometres away from the town. You can start walking and be back in town in an hour or so. It is a pleasant and refreshing walk through the forest to the View Point. The View Point overlooks the bay. You can see as far as Opua to Waitangi, over the Russel peninsula to Urupukapuka Island and Cape Brett. 

Harrison's Bush Scenic Reserve

The walk will take you about an hour back and forth and is only around 1.4 kilometres. Though short, the walk will take you through some of the best native forests in the Bay of Islands. The walk will take you from Broadview road in Opua down through a valley to join the Paihia-Opua path. The walk's highlight is the abundance of old, large, native Puriri trees. These trees can grow to around 20 meters in height, with a stout trunk a wide-spreading canopy of green leaves. The tree is considered to be New Zealand's strongest wood. 

Paihia to Opua Walk

The walkway from Paihia to Opua is a pretty, and well-maintained coastal track. It is roughly 3 hours from end to end and just around 5.8 kilometres. The walk offers you beautiful and scenic views of the bay, a perfect picnic lunch during summer and a swim or two. 

You will not run out of things to see while on this path.

Paihia to Waitangi Walk

The walk from Paihia to Waitangi is just around 45 minutes to about an hour. You will walk along the coastline and will get to see an abundance of rocky headlands, clifftop views, and Paihia's abundant birdlife. It is best to do the walk early, on a sunny morning. Once in Waitangi, you have a lot of choices. You can visit the historic Waitangi Treaty House, the wharenui (Maori meeting house) or waka (Maori war canoe)

Waitangi to Haruru Falls Walk

From Waitangi's Treaty Grounds, you can walk to Haruru Falls. The walk is around 6 kilometres and can take up to 2 and a half hours just going there. Though it might be far, the walk is sheltered and is suitable for families.

With all these scenic places to visit, do not hesitate to ask The Rock Bay of Islands Adventure Cruise to arrange a walking tour for you. Aside from these gorgeous walking tracks in Paihia, check out our cruises available in the Bay of Islands to complete your Northland adventure.