Absolutely incredible experience. Well worth the visit up. An essential stop for any Kiwi or tourist alike. I recommend going on the guided tour (no extra cost!) as the guides are VERY knowledgeable. I'd like to thank Noah for being a great engaging guide.

We highly recommend that everyone come to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. We did their 50-minute tour, it was very informative and interesting. Thanks to CC, our amazing guide!! She's a human encyclopedia! Knowledgeable and funny! The cultural show was fantastic. We enjoyed the traditional singing and dancing, as well as their explanations. They seem to genuinely enjoy sharing their cultural traditions with us. Our lunch in the cafe was delicious!! The museums were interesting and worth the time spent. And the entire grounds is just lovely, beautifully landscaped and mostly shady. Plan to spend the whole day there.If you have the time.

Lovely calm historic park. Great gift shop and of course superb views. Not a cheap experience though especially as no interactive features.

You could spend all day here learning about the Maori culture. People where amazing, make sure you go to the treaty grounds and watch there show live.. love it and would go again.

What an amazing experience, highly recommend the guided tour, cultural experience and visiting both of their museums. It is such an important piece of heritage and was so informative and an emotional experience. The food in their cafe was delicious too!

Amazing doesn't even cut it. From the cultural dance to the guided tour. Phonemal. Such a wonderful experience for all to enjoy. Will be back to explore the grounds and gift shop!

In order to fully appreciate the historic and bicultural foundations of our nation, one must come to Waitangi. I really enjoyed walking the Treaty grounds and learning more about our history. The War memorial, the Museum and the gift shop were stand outs. A site of significance that everyone should visit

Great family friendly suitable park , uphill not very difficult, very large well built park , cafe excellent, only $10. Adult day pass .

How good! If you're in the Bay of Islands and looking to be activity this is a great option. There are trails for everyone, onsite bike hire & a cafe. Even in the warmer weather its cool amongst the trees. Great trails, great views and it's good for the body & soul!

Serendipitous and magical finding. The cruise ship made an unanticipated stop in Bay of Islands NZ. To my utter delight, a 4 km walk from the cruise port awaited a day of mountain bike paradise … in paradise. Bikes for hire (rent) are nicely spec’d full suspension high end bikes. The trails and park are fun, well marked, and offer lots of variety. And surprise: the cafe (yes there’s a cafe) offers excellent coffee, confections, and sandwiches. Make a day of it. I did and would again!

Had an absolute blast at Waitangi Mountain Bike Park! Great trails and plenty of challenges. The cafe had superb food and fabulous service. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun day out.

Class day out! There are trails for all levels of skill and fitness. Hired a marin full sus and it was more than capable at shredding down the blues and black. Great bang for your buck and a great team 👏 will be back!

Nice view of the islands, Plenty of parking even on weekends.

Was a bit nervous as a cautious beginner rider, but Abby gave me some great directions and an easy to use map. What fun! Definitely will be back.

This is a force of nature after heavy rainfall! Absolutely do not swim here if it has recently been stormy weather as it gets quite dangerous. Beautiful falls. Lovely short walk for carpark.

Just a short drive from Paihia or Waitangi, these are delightful waterfalls. There is a short, easily accessible (though not for wheelchairs) track down some steps to the viewing point. You only get a side on kind of view of the falls though. Viewing them from the front is only the privilege of those staying at the campground. This is the only downside. Otherwise, they are well worth the visit, especially after rain.

Stopped by at the spur of the moment and glad we did. Easy walk down to the falls. Wasn’t too busy when we were there but I’m sure it gets busy during the tourist season. Well worth the stop!

Easily accessible waterfall, not very tall but pretty powerful. Enjoying the sound of flowing water :)) There were heaps of chicken for some reason? lol

Follow the road signs as there are a couple of camp grounds beforehand that maybe confusing. There's a car park beside the falls. We went after heavy rain.

really cool falls, more impressive than in the pictures and just a few meters away from the car park 🥰 plus a really big family of chickens, that come really close and are incredible cute 😍🐥

Good walking, area around the falls recently upgraded.

An excellent stop when cruising. It's a short walk into town which is a very nice place to relax, have a coffee and talk with locals. You can go to the museum and gardens but they sting international tourists to get in($70 per person), if they charged less, they'd have more visitors, I saw many say "wait, how much?" and then walk away.

Absolutely beautiful place! Enjoy an ice cream in the sun 🌞

If you’re visiting the Bay of Islands, Paihia Wharf is a solid place to base yourself for a few easy activities: a scenic stroll, boat trips, dining by the water, and a relaxed feel. It offers quite a bit of charm and convenience. If you prefer something quiet or away from crowds, you might pick early morning or later in the day to visit, to avoid the busier tourist peaks.

Very nice place in Northland to spend time..lots of activities and shops to look around

Absolutely beautiful. Great food and service. Awesome atmosphere

Nice to spend a relaxation day here after a week of bustling. A short walk across the wharf and beaches and visited an old Anglican Church and the William House ended up having brunch at Zane's Grey. A good place to visit for some good food, a bit of history, and a wonderful view of the wharf and the beaches.

It takes around 20 minutes (including getting on and off the boat) from Paihia to Russell. The ferry leaves every half an hour.

What a beautiful place, the whole Paihia just beautiful 😍

Great spot. Love the coastal trail to Opua

Amazing view ❤️ Really amazing experience ❤️ Loved it 🥰

Went to catch the sunrise here for my birthday. What a stunner. Beautiful clean beach, great that they have a playground as well

A lovely beach,safe and excellent for swimming at.

Absolutely stunning beach! Paihia Beach is everything you could want from a New Zealand coastal experience. The water is crystal clear with the most beautiful blue-green color, and the golden sand is perfect for walking, sunbathing, or just relaxing with a book. The setting is breathtaking - surrounded by rolling green hills and native bush, with fantastic views across the Bay of Islands. You can see the historic Waitangi Treaty Grounds nearby, which adds to the cultural significance of the area. Perfect spot for swimming when the weather's warm, and the water is surprisingly gentle. What makes this beach special is how it combines natural beauty with convenience. There are great cafes and restaurants within walking distance, plus shops and accommodation if you want to stay longer. The wharf area is lovely for a stroll, and you can catch ferries to Russell or join dolphin watching tours right from here. Fantastic for families - the beach slopes gently and there are usually lifeguards during busy periods. Plenty of parking nearby too, though it can get busy during peak season. Whether you're here for a day trip or staying in Paihia, this beach is an absolute must-visit. Pure New Zealand magic!

It's a small beach having mix of rocky and plain surface. It's cleaner and kids friendly beach in thread where there are no rocks. Also waves are not too high so it is safe too. Good walking track across. One can find family walking around from very early morning to late night. Wharf is near by from where boar is available for Russel. Overall a good place but avoid comparing with few of the most famous beaches of New Zealand

Loved it!!! Julie was an exceptional guide. She makes leather from sheep from her family farm. The printing press still works beautifully nearly 200 years on. I highly recommend this tour!

I am so grateful that I got to do a guided tour with the amazing Dawn! She shared all of her knowledge with a very special energy that made this visit so insightful and interesting, I absolutely loved it and would recommend anyone who goes to visit Russell to stop at Pompallier house.

Excellent visit here when we were staying in Russell at the beginning of March. Very informative and interesting guided tour. Nice cafe and gardens. Would definitely recommend.

On the boat across to Russell from Paihia we were recommended to go to Pompellier Mission and Printery and we’re so glad we did. It is such an interesting place with beautiful gardens and the guided tour which was led by the amazing Dawn was so interesting. Would really recommend it if you’re going to Kororāreka.

What a wonderful experience!! I entered without any knowledge and I left with my mind full of history and not empty handed either! I did a tour and I had the chance to be by myself with the guide. She was so nice, she took her time to explain everything to me with passion and a big smile. I even got the chance to do my own first print with her help. Thank you so much you know how to share your aroha for this history with us! Hope to come back in the future, Pauline

Pompallier Mission was the highlight of our trip to Northland. We did the guided tour and it was worth every penny. Our tour guide was a fantastic story teller and made the whole thing fun and interactive. The cafe on site is lovely as well. Highly recommend for anyone visiting Russell!

Run by Heritage NZ, the guided tour tells the amazing story of this place and the French connections! The building and grounds are beautifully restored. Great morning tea and lunch too!

Wonderful views. Food just okay. Service certainly not the friendliest in the world. We had 2 drinks and shared calamari. (Small portion and rather pricey for the size). Still an overall pleasant experience given the location and again, views. Wifi was strong and fast.

Fish n chips were cold and the batter was raw inside. The service was poor. It's was lunchtime and jazz weekend I should have realized from the lack of people

Exceptional food! The fish was perfectly cooked and presented amazing. Location is gorgeous, right on the water! Amazing staff very friendly, will definitely be returning to see the aquarium once refurbishment is done!

Fabulous location featuring an outdoor seating area on a pier and breathtaking views of the bay of islands. Indoor seating with similar views also available. The music they played was totally matching with the vibes. This could have changed radically when a live singer set her equipment, but in fact it was neither too loud nor annoying. It was great so I eventually stayed! The food we ordered was bistro style, tasted good, fresh and was nicely presented. Good drinks menu too. Was very glad to mainly being served by Dyah, but also experienced that not all waiters were as friendly or efficient 🙊

This is my first time in New Zealand, and it's truly stunning to enjoy a meal and create wonderful memories here at Zane Grey’s! Luciana was an exceptional waitress. She helped us take lovely photos and made sure we didn’t double order, checking in on our food choices to ensure nothing was missed. The food was delightful and fresh, and the sea is remarkable! It's a pleasure to be here!

Great spot to relax and enjoy the sea views. Grab a table or couch with a cold beverage on a sunny day and soak it in. Pleasant atmosphere. Location is superb. Within walking distance to many other restaurants and eateries.

Fish in batter was fresh but a bit greasy and when meal got to us was nearly cold. Sign said it was happy hour 3 to 5 but got charged full price on our drinks. As visitors to the area far from happy the local fish and chip shop may have been better.

Lovely atmosphere & beautiful views of the bay meet delicious seafood cuisine & cocktails. Our fish platter was super fresh, diverse and absolutely scrumptious! The Fish burger is a must as well! Chester and the entire team are great! DOGS ALLOWED :)

Came here for the highly spoke of fish and chips. The highest rate restaurant in town. I wondered how much the fish and chips are, and the prices for today's local fish are on the board. Three selections ranging from NZD28-34. If you're like me and have no idea what those fish are on the board, there's a guide to help you. The staff were helpful and friendly, bringing out a jug of chilled water and glasses to go with my meal. The outside garden is simple, aromatic, and the atmosphere is relaxed. The fish was fresh and I enjoyed it. The chips are thick cut potato chips with coarse salt and a pinch of parsley sprinkled on it. I would recommend it too.

We visited on a very stormy and rainy evening and we were very warmly welcomed! The food was delightful and one of the best Fish&Chips I‘ve ever had! We ordered the seafood platter where you can find all the specialities of the food. It was simply delicious. The also have a great selection of craft beer and local icecream!

Seafood Platter We ordered the special seafood platter ($138) and it was more than enough for two people — even had fish and chips left over to take home. The chowder was absolutely delicious; we could have easily finished a large one. The baguette topping was a bit too salty and slightly fishy, but everything else was fresh and well-prepared. Great variety overall — very satisfying meal!

Absolutely spectacular. Highly recommend the fish burger! Beautiful venue and wonderful 5 star service. If I lived here this would definitely be a regular haunt!

Excellente service! People at the front of house they did an amazing job. Sometimes is hard to find places like these. Good food, good vibes

Delicious!! We have eaten here before and a return visit did not disappoint. The mussel chowder was tasty and hearty - more of a mild curry flavour than a white wine or chowder taste. It partnered very well with a Pinot rose. My husband had the fish and chips which were perfectly cooked. We will be coming back for sure 😀

Stunning location, fabulous service and exceptional fish. I am not usually one to order fish and it was my intention to indulge in a pasta this evening but when the FOD was Sole - it’s my favourite - we both ordered! It was sensational - perfection in every aspect. We are so happy that the best meal of our stay in NZ was here at Gables. We loved our stay in Russell and this just capped off a wonderful experience.

Top level service, environment and food. Could feel the excellent passion and attitude from the chef. The liver cooked Very creamy and just alright seasoned. Foccacia well toasted. Pasta well cooked and nice ingredients use. Oyster fresh and tasty as well. Highly suggest.

Fantastic location! Was there at the end of Sep from Aus, great weather on Friday, miserable on Saturday, BUT..... We took a gloomy ride to Russell from Paihia, as we had booked the wine tasting and found we were the only shows on a wet night. Michael was terrific, said he would do the tasting for the 2 of us and showed some awesome local wines. Being a wine collector for 45 years, his choices, you could not fault. Stayed for dinner and the Whole Lemon Sole was amazing, actually all the food was 5 star including the lunch the previous day. Highly recommend, you cannot beat the location or food, hats off to the chef! (who had just ducked across to Paihia for weight training but back to cook an awesome meal) All round 5 star place!

Imagine having a pre-wedding dinner booked for 50 people from all over the world - and with an hour and a half to go there's a power cut across Northland!! Well that was us last week. Michael Tully kept us informed - walked down to meet us to look at alternatives - and was clearly very stressed but his focus was on ensuring we had a great evening - and then the power came back on about 10 minutes before we were going to have to make a decision ... which was epic!! we were able to have the most fabulous night - the food was perfect - all delicious (my personal favourite was the gnocchi) - the whole fish, the bruschetta, the beef ragu - all the vegetarian food too - all just perfect. The drinks flowed, the service was outstanding. Turned into an absolutely wonderful night - thanks Michael and the Gables!! (all you might see on the photo is empty plates).

Best place to eat in Russell hands down!! Had a lovely dinner at The Gables and fell in love with the amazing flavors of the food and the great hospitality we received. The service was also outstanding (shoutout to Ellie) and we felt very well taken care of. Make sure to get the bruschetta (so tasty and unique), the gnocchi (homemade) and the ragu (the flavors were melting in our mouths!). One word: DELICIOUS! 10/10 recommend dining here, you won't regret it!!

Highly impressive, went on a whim with my partner and parents and frankly didn’t have much in the way of expectations but can gladly say was probably one of the nicer dining experiences I’ve had in a couple of years. The food was done really well, the service was great, varied wine selection with a nice explanation by the waiter, it was all just really pleasant. I would recommend to my friends and family so anyone in Russell looking for a great dinner out…look no further!

Nice Italian restaurant with a great view over the bay. The food was good with a decent selection of dishes including some good pasta mains. There’s outside seating on the water otherwise if you can get a table by the window it’s a great place to watch the sun go down.

Decided to have lunch here, on advice from one of the locals. Totally glad we did. Pork burrittos with a Corona hit the spot. (Was so beautiful I didn't get a chance to photograph it). The Chefs was gracious enough to tell us about his dish. This place has a great vibe, great service and delicious food. The decor is really modern and I love the spaces where patrons of all ages can hang out, play a game and eat and drink. We'll be back during Christmas holidays.

For a place that promotes to be family friendly… I would not recommend this pub. Bar girls can’t control local drinkers. I’m surprised they have a license still. We had the lovely experience of watching one local get so drunk, she fell over and split her lip and gave her self a black eye. Just over 2 years ago this place was great. Friendly, no issues and had a great time. Now it’s just run down and trashy. Holes in the bath room walls, dim/broken lighting, tables falling apart. Bar staff/girls need to pull their head in(rude). Such a shame… what once was a great and Nostalgic pub, now lost… won’t be returning

We had a meal here last week and absolutely loved our experience, we had traveled from Christchurch and our son said we must try it out. What a cool environment, could have spent hours there if we didn't have to leave to meet friends. I had the Portuguese burger and without a doubt this was the BEST burger I have ever had, now I wish you guys had a bar in CHCH. Thank you so much for delicious food, great beer and a cool vibe, our kids loved the pool table and we well entertained meaning us parents got a lovely break. I have told so many people already that this is a MUST stop if visiting Russell.

When visiting Russell, we always pop in to Nauti Penguin for a drink or two and a game of pool. The pool table is free! Cocktails & snacks are 10/10 and BONUS, THEY HAD A PUPPY! Great for dog loving customers like myself! They have a great sheltered area at the back with lots of grass. Overall love the colours & vibe in the place, makes it feel cool and chill.

Good experience, the live music was great. We ordered the 2 different chicken burgers and they were so delicious. The cocktails are on the pricey side however worth it in my opinion. I ordered the proper twelve peach ice tea as pictured below. If you are looking for a refreshing drink I would recommend giving it a try

Fantastic food, great service and the best part - delicious cocktails!!! We had the beef habits beef quesadillas full of aged wagyu beef and tangy pickled salsa. Two dons chicken tacos are tasty too. Popcorn chicken is delish! And if you like a perfectly balanced sours - grab a honey bunny :-)

Visited the Nauti Penguin recently during the off-season, expecting a laid-back, welcoming vibe that matches the charm of Russell. Unfortunately, it was the complete opposite. Despite the place being nearly empty, service was slow and dismissive. Staff seemed more interested in chatting amongst themselves than acknowledging customers — no greeting, no eye contact, just a general feeling that we were an inconvenience. Not what you’d expect in a small town during quiet season, when hospitality should be at its best. The overall vibe was rough and uninviting. Loud, inappropriate music blaring into an empty room, and a few locals at the bar being crude while the staff just laughed along. It felt more like walking into a dive in the middle of nowhere than a waterfront venue in the Bay of Islands. It’s clear this place has lost its way — there’s no pride in the service or experience anymore. Russell deserves better.