What a great way to spend a day out on the water! Carino Sailing and Dolphin Adventures takes you…read moreout on the water for about 6 hours exploring the Bay of Islands and they are actually licensed to interact with the wild dolphins. For only $120 per person ( from Paihia docks), you board this family run business catamaran and sail out to sea. At lunch time, they drop anchor at one of the islands where you can swim, hike, snorkel or just relax. A BBQ lunch is served on board and then you return to the docks. Tours begin around 9:30 and return to the dock at 3:30. There are only about 20 people on board and the staff goes out of their way to make you more knowledgeable about not only the area, but also the wildlife that you see along the way. On the day I went, the Dolphins were not cooperating so we didn't get to swim with them but that is more the exception than the norm. We did see a shark ( didn't swim with THAT!), a penguin and a variety of local birds. But I have it on good authority that they see Dolphins about 95% of the time and that you actually get into the water with wild Dolphins! How cool is that?? You do need to be a good swimmer if you plan to swim with the Dolphins so you are asked about your swimming level when you board and on some paperwork you fill out. Also, bring a range of clothing as the weather changes quickly out there. For sure you will need a swim suit, towel, sunblock, and a warm jacket like a windbreaker. A hat is probably a good idea too although the winds are strong so being one that stays on your head! All in all a great way to spend the day when you are in the Bay of Islands!

We would highly recommend Carino Sailing. Even though the morning weather did not promise a good…read more5-6 hour sail, Captain Vanessa's knowledge of the Bay of Islands along with her sailing experience, our day turned out to be quite memorable! There was only only one dolphin sited that day and only by our boat! Vanessa and her crew, Rhonda and Phil did a great job making us feel welcome spending the time to sit and casually chat. They were a wealth of information about the bay and its islands along with the marine and bird life. After stopping at bay midway through our sail and short hike, we were treated to delicious bbq lunch. All in all it was a great time making our first trip to New Zealand extra special. Mahalo Carino Sailing and Dolphin Adventures! Ken & Carolyn, Maui

My wife and I were on a week long vacation to Auckland and we saw many good reviews for this tour…read more We boarded and took a 40 minute trip to Waiheke Island for some scientific readings and then it was off to see some dolphins and birds and whales. They told us if you find these cool Gannett birds, it should tell you where the dolphins are. They divebomb the fish as the dolphins rile them up. We saw at least 400 dolphins on this trip and then we saw a whale, and they kept us out for an extra hour to check out a dolphin in the harbor. Great crew, that was very fun and you can order beer on the trip. Plus!

We had the most fabulous time today! We saw manta rays, wholes, dolphins and even a shark! Zara…read moretaught us a few things about phytoplankton, tiny plants living near the surface of the ocean, that are responsible for producing the oxygen we breathe for 3 of 5 breaths ! If we do Ty take care of our oceans, we'll have a hard time breathing! My 5 yo and 8 yo said it was a great day that they will never forget.

what a wonderful day! Darryl Digs did a wonderful showing us the CHOICE places. we limited on…read moreSnapper within the first HOUR! IF and ONLY IF you are looking #1 enjoy a scenic boat tour #2 camaraderie #3 Catch a BUNCH of Fish! #3 ) have a great time! Call Darryl! MegaBites Fishing Charter. -Joe McMurray

From the owner: Auckland's leading fishing charter company that provides fishing trips for individuals and groups…read moreoperating from Z Pier, Westhaven Marina in Auckland. We fish for Snapper and kingfish and for the more adventurous we can also organize marlin and Hapuka trips. Our fishing charters in Auckland run on quality charter boats that are fast, clean and comfortable and designed to get you to the best fishing locations and spots quickly. We do not take more than 8 persons on the boat on our fishing trips to give everyone enough space to fish unless specifically requested. Come aboard and join us for an action packed day or evening fishing trip. it does not matter whether you have fished before or have no experience in fishing, Our friendly and professional skippers will give you all the help required to ensure that you have a great day on the water.

As a group of six (6) we walked up and asked if there was any room on the jet boat for us. Luck was…read moreon our side as with no booking and a bit of a discount as we were from the cruise ship we were given front row seats on the last ride of the day. Sometimes the best laid plans are no plans. Our jet boat driver was a crack up and a pretty good photographer when it came to taking pics and movies with a gopro. We paid an extra $20 for the digital versions and these were uploaded to a dropbox so we could download them when we got back home. The thrill of 360s was good fun; watching and cheering the bungee jumpers from the bridge was crazy and seeing the harbour from water level was excellent for a change. You will get wet but your laughter will dry you off pretty quickly!

Eleven of us did a thrilling jet boat excursion in the South Island last Christmas and it's…read morereminded me to look into doing this amazing fun activity in my own town. Auckland Jet Boat Tours would be the place I'd book. I passed by their offices at Auckland Viaduct last week and witnessed a boat load of satisfied passengers, grins as proof, stepping off "Ruby Red Lips" the vessel having just been out on the glistening Waitemata Harbour for a ride of a lifetime. Great value if you book the Jet Boat Bungy combo.

We are so lucky to have this amazing walkway in our neighbourhood! I'm actually a bit hesitant to…read morewrite a review for it, because it is pretty well hidden and is one of those 'local knowledge' specialities. The walkway across the water from the Meadowbank Train Station to the Orakei Train Station is a lovely easy walk (it's straight and flat, so good for kids), and follows the train line. Very handy for all the times that the trains are cancelled and you can walk to Orakei to get the rail bus. Both ends of this bridge link up with the Orakei Basin loop walk, that goes around the whole water area. It is a beautiful walk or run, and is mostly flat apart from some areas with very steep stairs.

Orakei Basin is a nice little area in Remuera to go for a walk. The council have recently given it…read morea revamp putting in a walk way across the water next to the train line. This connects it to Meadowbank and continues back through into Remuera via Lucerne Road area. This little walk way is great because it's hidden with a lot of bush making it a nice get away from the city. It is also an off-leash dog area and a water ski area all managed by the Auckland City Council. One thing to watch out for is that there are quite a few stairs along this track, not really making it ideal if you're planning on taking a push chair.

I ran a training course here. Great location. Great venue. Great staff. They offered for us to dine…read morein the restaurant and what a smart decision to do so. I ordered a burger with limited expectations but I'd be hard pressed to think of a better burger I've had in recent memory. Similar reports from the rest of my trainees. Highly recommended!

I've been going to RNZYS since I was a wee tike. My parents are sailing enthusiasts and…read moreconsequently some of my earliest memories are hanging out in the member's lounge drinking raspberry lemonades and modeling the kid's clothes in the Line 7 fashion show! These days the squadron is a lot fancier - there's a full service restaurant upstairs (you can make reservations on their website) and a members only bar that has fantastic views of the harbour. There's a trophy room, where the America's Cup once was, and a huuuge hall appropriately decorated with nautical knick-knacks. Definitely worth considering if you're organizing an event - there's rooms of every size and they have a specific event coordinator.

VISIT: end of February 2020 COMPANY: Great Sights…read moreTOUR: Full-Day Bay of Islands Dolphin Cruise with Hole in the Rock Visit Overall this cruise was beautiful and cool to see this side of New Zealand and we had a GREAT time. They DO recommend sunscreen and even offer it for free on the ship because of the ozone layer you will get burnt. I hardly ever burn and tan easily and I was definitely red the next day! I recommend lining up early, there is limited seating towards the front of the boat and was a bit of a bum rush to get those seats. I also wouldn't sit at the absolute FRONT of the boat as we got seats to the side and the boat turns around often, so you'll get close to all the sights you need to see. ON THE BOAT: there are plenty of bathrooms and snacks/drinks to order. There are also several restaurants nearby the port to stop before the cruise starts One of the major disadvantages of our trip is that it was a WHOLE day tour and the cruise itself doesn't take that long. The way Great Sights structures it is that they pick up from Auckland and some people have an earlier tour, so we get to Paihia and had 2.5 hours to kill, which was fine, but we hadn't really planned for this. So, we stopped at a restaurant to eat, but you get there so early that they're not yet ready for serving lunch, so it was a small bit of a scrambling, as you don't want to go too far, as they start lining up for the cruise soon We both LOVED this tour and it was WORTH it, but to save on travel time, it would have been nicer to stay in Paihia. You have to be at the port for pickup from Auckland so early and it takes 2 hours to get to Paihia...so we had to leave our hotel before 7am for a tour that started at 1:15-1:30pm.

We had a great tour with this company - I highly recommend!…read more We booked our reservation through our timeshare office a couple of days in advance. We were picked up at the condo, which was convenient, and were happy to see that we were the only four people on the tour this time - lucky! Our guide was knowledgeable and tailored the trip to our needs. He was just funny enough without being annoying (you know that can drive you NUTS). The van was clean, comfortable and safe, and we were driven to the places listed on the itinerary. We got a lot of history and info along the way and the guy answered lots of questions (even the weird and random ones), which was super cool. This was definitely worth the money and I would use this company again! We

We were heading out for a snorkel at Goat Island Marine Reserve. Mask - check. Flippers - check…read more Wetsuit? Oops... I could have manned up and just battled the cold, but decided instead to drop in at Goat Island Dive and see if I could hire a wetsuit. Of course I could! They were friendly and efficient. Within minutes I was zipped up and for $15 I had the suit for the day. Little sis started chatting to them about doing her Padi. While I slowly melted in the corner, she was given loads of info and advice about their up-coming courses. She got so excited that she booked then and there. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. If you have any questions about snorkeling or diving before heading to Goat Island, it's a good place to stop.

Goat Island Marine Reserve is an absolute diving mecca, so on a good day up there you'll find many…read morehundreds of people of all ages in wet suits and snorkels checking out/marvelling at the local marine life. While some of these folk are pretty hardcore and have their own stuff, you can bet that a fair chunk of them have hired their gear from Goat Island Dive, a snorkel shop which is set up a few minutes up the road from the reserve itself. They have everything you need for a good day in the water, and are full of helpful tips and hints on where to go and what to do - it couldn't be easier. Apparently they also do guided tours out to the outer Gulf which I'm yet to try - certainly on my list of things to do though!