Top 5 North Island Cruises & Sailing Tours: Reviews & Recommendations
Planning that dream getaway to New Zealand’s North Island? One amazing way to soak it all in is by water, with quite a few incredible cruises and sailing tours available. But, let’s be real, selecting the perfect one could feel pretty overwhelming. That is why, it might be nice to make a quick scan of our curated list of top picks to help you make a great travel decision!
1. Discovering the Bay of Islands with a Luxury Catamaran Cruise
The Bay of Islands; its almost a must-see when visiting the North Island, you know? Its like, the turquoise waters and collection of islands create such a scenic playground for boaters. So, a luxury catamaran cruise definitely provides a super relaxed and deluxe way to see it all.
Many tours include yummy meals, perhaps even a chance to swim or snorkel in the calm waters, too its almost ideal for getting up close to the marine life, like dolphins, too! You’ll typically find options for both half-day and full-day adventures, so that there will probably be one that will suit your timetable. Do people want my specific suggestion for luxury cruises in this area? You should consider exploring the offerings from companies like “Sail Selina” or “The Rock Adventure Cruise”; as a matter of fact these always seem to score pretty well with travelers.
2. Auckland Harbour Sailing Experience
Fancy sailing around the “City of Sails?” Auckland Harbour is simply spectacular, it’s true! Several companies present sailing adventures perfect for both newbies and seasoned sailors; well, it really might be a memory maker!
You could participate in crewing the boat, trying your hand at the helm, or, so, just kick back and appreciate the views of the Auckland skyline, the Harbour Bridge, and maybe even a peek at the America’s Cup yachts if you’re lucky. In short, options commonly include morning, afternoon, and sunset sails, so that you will see Auckland under the spectacular light that only the sky can conjure.
Pro Tip: For a pretty cool experience, see if you can locate a tour that features Maori cultural stories or historic insights linked to the harbor. That sort of additional component will really heighten the whole memory!
3. Whale & Dolphin Watching in the Hauraki Gulf
Okay, animal lovers? I got something for you. The Hauraki Gulf that is near Auckland actually represents a marine park overflowing with life. So, a whale and dolphin watching tour; yeah that becomes just magic!
Knowledgeable guides could lead you to hotspots where you’ll very often see common dolphins, orcas, bryde’s whales, and a number of seabirds. Plus, the tour operators tend to be really dedicated to conservation, so there may be educational information to gain relating to these wonderful animals and their habitat. As I was saying the trips often run for about four to five hours, do you agree that this one gives loads of chances to view marine wildlife. You, your family or friends might not regret choosing this memory making activity! Tours run year-round, just know that species observed could change based upon the period of the year, like your family might go see something uniquely interesting!
4. Exploring the Coromandel Peninsula by Boat
Oh, have you ever pictured exploring hidden bays and stunning shorelines? You will experience this, if you happen to explore the Coromandel Peninsula by boat. Several local operators propose boat tours that present distinctive perspectives on locations such as Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove, of course depending upon weather situations.
Trips tend to be more private than bigger cruise tours, which may really be the right preference for smaller sized teams or anyone preferring a custom schedule. A number of tours add opportunities for snorkeling or swimming in a quiet cove, plus there are possibilities to witness unique seabirds. Now that is cool.
Consider going with a smaller sized, local operator, who usually are particularly familiar with the area’s very best-kept secrets and will give a far more customized experience.
5. Sailing to Great Barrier Island from Auckland
Searching for a journey? Very Well, a sailing vacation to Great Barrier Island might be exactly what one wants, as a matter of fact it’s pretty remote. Sailing right away from Auckland, you can enjoy the open water prior to landing on the island well-known for its unblemished organic beauty, maybe? Such sailing travels typically involve a couple of days.
The journeys often let you spend some time discovering the island’s trekking tracks, warm thermal springs, and uncrowded beaches. And I mean camping possibilities are often provided for an extremely close-to-nature encounter. It is not difficult to locate tours that especially focus on stargazing since Great Barrier is certainly specified as a Dark Sky Sanctuary. Anyway, so the stars out there? I can see them better than probably anywhere in the North Island.
