Bay of Islands- Paihia and Russell

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From Auckland we jumped aboard the giant green Kiwi Experience bus which we had booked in advance for much of our traveling around NZ. Our first destination was 3 hours north bound into the Bay of Islands where the first European settlers arrived into the country. With around 144 islands there was plenty to see and the weather was amazing for our entire stay. We initially stayed in Paihia for three nights which was a lovely seaside town. We went out on a cruise for the afternoon around many of the islands including the famous 'hole in the rock' which is a huge rock in the middle of the ocean with (surprise, surprise) a hole in the middle big enough for boats to pass through. We also planned to go swimming with the dolphins. However, when we came across the dolphins and began getting all suited and booted the instructor informed us we couldn't enter the water as the pod contained very young dolphins and our intrusion would confuse them and may lead to their separation from their mothers. Although disappointing we had excellent, very close up views from the boat of a huge pod of dolphins (including the infants) and it was an amazing sight to see.
We took a ferry across the bay to Russell which had a lovely quaint feel to it with dainty boutique shops and waterside cafes which happened to serve what must be the best fish and chips in the southern hemisphere!

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