The small seaside town of Paihia is the main tourist centre of the Bay of Islands which lies on the east coast of New Zealand’s Northland region and is located just 260 kilometres north of Auckland. Standing on the inner reaches of the bay, Paihia lies immediately across the water from the historic town of Russell, which is the site of one of New Zealand’s first European settlements, and just south of Waitangi, which is famous for being the location of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where New Zealand’s founding document was signed. Home to approximately 1,800 residents, Paihia is centrally located within the bay and offers visitors many opportunities to enjoy this beautiful marine park which is scattered with over 140 spectacular islands, tranquil bays, protected golden beaches and historic locations.
Known as the ‘Jewel of the Bay of Islands’, Paihia is the gateway to the bay and an ideal location from which to explore this delightful northern bay area including Piercy Island which is located off Cape Brett and is home to the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’ and the ‘Cathedral Cave’. The town offers visitors an extensive waterfront and a full range of accommodation from hotels, motels and B&B’s to backpackers and holiday parks. Plus an extensive range of eateries, bars and restaurants, a full range of retail outlets, post office, banks, hairdressers, plus arts and craft galleries from which to buy any local souvenirs. The town links via ferry with Russell and stands just over 2 kilometres south of Waitangi. Leisure activities revolve around its ideal location on the bay and include swimming, diving, water skiing, wind surfing, game fishing, sailing and cruising, with additional activities which include beautiful coastal walks, horse riding, golfing, skydiving and parasailing.
The history of the town dates from 1823, when Henry Williams established a mission here for the Church Missionary Society. Henry Williams’ house was located where the big Norfolk Pine tree, opposite the beach, now stands. The mission became a considerable village by 1829 and housed carpenters, teachers and blacksmiths, and by 1834 was notable for operating the first printing press in New Zealand which produced the first Bible in the Maori language. In 1840 the town witnessed the signing of the Waitangi Treaty, and became the location of New Zealand’s first game of cricket. It was a difficult location to access and the mission was closed in 1850 and by 1890 the settlement had shrunk to five houses and a church. By the 1930’s, with the advent of road access, Paihia coalesced into a small holiday destination and from this point on, established itself as the most popular seaside resort in the north, becoming as it is today, the main tourist centre of the Bay of Islands. Places of interest include the old stone church of St. Paul’s, which was built in 1925 to replace earlier churches which were constructed of timber, the remains of the original wharf which was built around 1915, and Action World, where you can try the trapeze, bungee run or play mini golf. From Paihia there are several walks which are worth a little investigation such as the Opua Forest Paihia Lookout Track (1 hour return) and the Paihia–Opua Coastal Walk (2.5 hours one way) and a longer walk to the beautiful cascading Haruru Falls.
Paihia is known for its proximity to the Waitangi National Reserve which is New Zealand’s pre-eminent historic site and location of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The grounds are comprised of 506 manicured hectares, the restored Treaty House which was built for the first British Resident, the Te Whare Runanga or Maori Meeting House, the Ngatokimatawhaorua one of the largest Maori ceremonial canoes, the Naval Flagstaff which marks the place where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed and the Visitors Centre. New Zealand celebrates February 6th as a national public holiday, as on this day in 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between Maori and the British Crown, thereby creating the independent nation of New Zealand.
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