Paihia - No Kiwi, but Dolphins!
Published: 02.02.2025
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On the early morning of the second-to-last day of January, I set off very early to Paihia after some intense cat petting, just 20 minutes away from Kerikeri. Paihia is also a popular vacation destination in New Zealand and has significant cultural and historical importance.
Two things stand out to me this morning:
1. How incredibly open and friendly the New Zealanders are. Before 9:30 AM, I have had 4 lovely conversations that make my heart shine (the bus driver, a New Zealand woman on a hiking trip, a coffee apprentice, and a walker resting on a viewpoint bench).
2. How everything starts later here than I’m used to from Australia. When I stand in front of my hostel doors just before 8, there isn’t a soul in sight, and the reception will remain unstaffed for over an hour...
Since I have wonderful weather, I stroll along the coast this day, take ferries twice to complete my loop, spot a weka instead of a kiwi in the bushes, try Hokey Pokey ice cream (vanilla with caramel pieces) for the first time, hike through mangroves and over shells. The sun does its best, and the last 2 km of the total 20 km feel like half the distance, but the view makes up for everything.
On the last day of January, I then board a ship that takes me and other visitors far into the bay and out onto the open sea. Marty, our captain, shares fascinating stories about the various islands, of which there are many, as the name 'Bay of Islands' suggests (a total of 144). From a distance, we soon spot the first dolphins, but we cannot change course yet, so we first head to the famous 'Hole in the Rock', a well-known rock formation at the end of the bay - of course, we also pass through this rock. After we are incredibly lucky to watch a manta ray doing flips in the water, we continue our search for dolphins and succeed. At least seven large bottlenose dolphins swim in front and beside us, jumping out of the water as if they were being paid for a little show. I have never seen them this close before.
On the largest island (Urupukapuka), we take a lunch break, and time flies by far too quickly with eating, dozing, hiking to the viewpoint, and swimming. On the way back, we don't find any more dolphins, but we get to go into the water ourselves: for the first time in my life, I try 'Boom Netting,' where a net is stretched out from the side of the ship into which you jump and are then pulled along while the boat moves. It feels like a mix of a hot tub and riding a roller coaster, and I have a lot of fun. After I warm up again and want to sit in dry clothes in one of the seats, our captain waves me over and offers me the seat next to him ('Talk to me!'). We chat the entire way back, and in the end, I even go for a beer with the crew. I tell you, New Zealanders are nice. And this place is even more so!
Two things stand out to me this morning:
1. How incredibly open and friendly the New Zealanders are. Before 9:30 AM, I have had 4 lovely conversations that make my heart shine (the bus driver, a New Zealand woman on a hiking trip, a coffee apprentice, and a walker resting on a viewpoint bench).
2. How everything starts later here than I’m used to from Australia. When I stand in front of my hostel doors just before 8, there isn’t a soul in sight, and the reception will remain unstaffed for over an hour...
Since I have wonderful weather, I stroll along the coast this day, take ferries twice to complete my loop, spot a weka instead of a kiwi in the bushes, try Hokey Pokey ice cream (vanilla with caramel pieces) for the first time, hike through mangroves and over shells. The sun does its best, and the last 2 km of the total 20 km feel like half the distance, but the view makes up for everything.
On the last day of January, I then board a ship that takes me and other visitors far into the bay and out onto the open sea. Marty, our captain, shares fascinating stories about the various islands, of which there are many, as the name 'Bay of Islands' suggests (a total of 144). From a distance, we soon spot the first dolphins, but we cannot change course yet, so we first head to the famous 'Hole in the Rock', a well-known rock formation at the end of the bay - of course, we also pass through this rock. After we are incredibly lucky to watch a manta ray doing flips in the water, we continue our search for dolphins and succeed. At least seven large bottlenose dolphins swim in front and beside us, jumping out of the water as if they were being paid for a little show. I have never seen them this close before.
On the largest island (Urupukapuka), we take a lunch break, and time flies by far too quickly with eating, dozing, hiking to the viewpoint, and swimming. On the way back, we don't find any more dolphins, but we get to go into the water ourselves: for the first time in my life, I try 'Boom Netting,' where a net is stretched out from the side of the ship into which you jump and are then pulled along while the boat moves. It feels like a mix of a hot tub and riding a roller coaster, and I have a lot of fun. After I warm up again and want to sit in dry clothes in one of the seats, our captain waves me over and offers me the seat next to him ('Talk to me!'). We chat the entire way back, and in the end, I even go for a beer with the crew. I tell you, New Zealanders are nice. And this place is even more so!
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