Bay of Islands - dolphins
The Bay of Islands contains some 150 islands, several of which are nature reserves in their own right. However many people join one of the sailing boats or motor yachts for a tour of the bay, and most will see the resident Bottlenose dolphins. There is also a chance of seeing Orca which ofetn come into the bay, and occasionally some larger whales too.
The boat tours will usually visit 1-2 of the islands, and there is some decent snorkelling to de had - we saw a large octopus just a few yards off the beach - and there is plenty of birdlife in the area.
Highlights: Bottlenose dolphins, Orca, Blue penguins, gannets, shag, dotterel and Reef heron.
Location: On the west coast of Nortland, about 300kms north of Auckland.
Accommodation & tours: There are several towns in and around the bay and on the islands, Paihia, Russel and Waitangi are the main ones. Most tours start from Paihia.
These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.
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