The Beguiling Beauty of the Bay of Islands...

Though it's not actually in Pahia, I couldn't write a review of the Bay of Islands with out mentioning one of the weirdest little sight seeing things you are likely to come across in the area.

Because over recent years (and owing no small thanks to Billy Connolly's World Tour of New Zealand) it has gained a lot of attention, you may already have heard about the public toilets in Kawakawa. But if you haven't - then here is an odd little bit of travel tidbit for you.

On the drive north from Auckland to the Bay of Islands you will pass the little township of Kawakawa. And though it has gained some popularity over recent years due to it's strange little public display of art - it doesn't have much else to offer. So however enthusiastic you may be to see this sight, I would recommend you plan it as a stop over to or from somewhere. Seeing the public toilets is virtually all there is to do in Kawakawa.

The toilets themselves are the pet project of internationally renown artist and architect Frederick Hundertwasser. And whether you are a fan of Hundertwasser's work, or simply want to see this funky piece of art - it is actually well worth a quick stop in to see.

After making his home in the northern area of New Zealand, the township of Kawakawa was looking to upgrade the old public toilets in the town centre.
The entire toilet is made from different colored tiles, bottles, copper work and cobblestone - and is a very unique thing to see indeed. I highly recommend you pop into this remote working piece of art - and use it, if the need arises.

When my husband and I decided to sell off everything we owned and pack our bags for a year or more of travelling around the globe (this time around) and decided New Zealand would be one of our main ports of call - we naturally started asking around to everyone we knew who had visited, lived, or was from New Zealand.

Now I have to say - the majority of the information we got was vague to useless - or utter nonsense. However, one thing still shines true above all else, and this we heard from a New Zealander herself.

You can not beat Fish and Chips (and I cringe to write it, but the local dialect dictates it as 'fush and chups' ...just so that there is no confusion to the jet lagged traveller) in New Zealand.

We sat in a great little bar in Edinburgh, Scotland weeks before we set off for the other side of the planet, trying to get a feel for what that place might be like from a local. And though it was hard to make out for the most part - one thing she said was crystal clear. They do fish and chips infinitely better in New Zealand.

Coming from the US, myself, I had no real qualms with this challenge to my adopted home's local specialty. Though I did see my husband recoil with disbelief. (That is, perhaps, a slightly strong way of putting it, but I felt the indignation at the suggestion all the same...) And admittedly - we have had the same reaction from Brits since we've returned and reported our findings.

But, the very certain and rapid realization we came to (whilst sitting on the shoreline of Paihia with the meal laid out before us) was that that was the single most true bit of information we would have about New Zealand.

If you've never yet experienced the UK's staple of Fish and Chips - don't feel you've missed anything if you are headed to New Zealand to do the same. And if you are along time lover of the UK dish, then you should hop the very next flight to New Zealand to sample it - new world style.

I bring this up in this particular review, not only because this was my first experience of New Zealand's fish and chips (something I enjoyed heartily through out our visit) but also because you simply can't get a better venue than the Bay of Islands for doing so.

If you take one of the day cruises out, many of them serve lunch on board which (finger's crossed) could be fish and chips. However, if you don't come across it naturally - wander your way down to the little town centre where there are a number of options.

We stopped at a little shop facing the water (which unfortunately I can not remember the name of - however it's the only one in the town centre - next to the souvenir shops - which does face the coast, so it should be easy enough to find.) where we had a ten minute wait for freshly battered and fried local fish (there is always a good selection on the board of fishes to choose from - something no often found in the UK - and it all depends on what's coming in off the boats. A rather reassuring measure of quality.) We ordered up two big local sounding fish (again I can't remember the name, though they were glorious) and an extra large bag of chips.
I was advised by the local that 'Fanta' is the drink of choice with NZ fish and chips (as Iron Bru is in Scotland) and so getting a few cans of those as well we walked down to the beach and found a few tables to sit and enjoy the sunset with our meal.

Everything is quite pricey in New Zealand - but this is a meal you can enjoy relatively cheaply. And it is divine.

And - I strongly recommend that once you have finished your meal and managed to get most of the fishiness off your fingers - wander back up to the town centre to the little ice cream shop around the corner and sample one of New Zealand's finest offerings - Hokey-pokey ice cream.

It's something you will see a lot in your visit, and is a beautiful concoction. New Zealand ice cream - across the board - is pretty wonderful. But hokey-pokey is especially nice. It's a very creamy vanilla ice cream filled with little crunchy, melty delightful bits of honey-comb like sweets.
It's a thing not easy to describe, but that must be sampled. Have a go at their boundless selection of flavours if the hokey pokey doesn't do it for you. It's the perfect way to round off the seaside meal.

The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are a place of very important historical relevance for New Zealand.

Despite the stunning beauty of the location - on the grassy hills following the coast off Paihia in the Bay of Islands (an area in the far north of the North Island of New Zealand) this is a place that has much history, and is of great importance in the movements that made New Zealand what it is today.

This is the spot where, in 1840 the Waitangi Treaty was signed between the Maoris of New Zealand and the British crown. In many ways this is considered the birthplace of the nation of New Zealand.

I won't go too much into all the historical details of the area - as this is part of the experience in visiting the site. But it is a wonderful place to start out for anyone who is hoping to spend some time in the country - to get a real feel for how it started and how it came to be in the place it is now.

The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are now a National Trust - a rather interesting arrangement where it is not government funded, but rather was gifted by Lord Bledsoe in a Deed of Trust that laid out what he hoped to share with the people of New Zealand by making the area available to them.

In which case, it is something certainly worth taking advantage of on your visit.

There is a paid tour which you can take (free to New Zealand residents) which lasts up to two days and costs $20 - this gives you extensive access to the historic areas, the events and tours that the area offers.

However, if you are just passing through and not got an extra $20 to spend, then feel free to wander along the paths and grounds and coastal areas free of charge.

I highly recommend staying at the Copthorne Hotel Resort, which sits right on the edge of the Waitangi Treaty grounds and is only a few moments light stroll along the beach to see some of the historical areas for yourself.

Follow the coastal path (the area you can wander for free is clearly marked) and enjoy breathtaking scenes out to sea and along the coast as well as some of the grounds themselves.

You pass (for wonderful photo opportunities) the Maori meeting house which also is perched near the coast. As well as many signposting of historical significance.

There are also a number of tours and events that take place here which are priced individually (averaging about $12NZ per adult) which are very interesting. And if you happen to arrive around Waitangi Day (Feb 6) then you are in for an extra special treat, with loads of events taking place.

This is something I would highly recommend you taking a few moments to do if you are anywhere near the area. Even if it is only to stroll along the path and take a moment as the sea air hits you and the waves break along the rocky coast to feel the profoundness of the area you stand in, and all that it has affected over the years.

After arriving in Auckland to a wet and disapointing start to the New Zealand leg of our round the world journey we quickly decided to ditch the last night in our crappy hostel on Fort Street and head north.

The Scottish weather seemed determined to follow us to the southern hemisphere as we landed to a full week of torrential autumn rains that seemed to blanket most of New Zealand in what was basically tropical storm weather.

We rented a car and got out a map and the trusted Lonely Planet and weighed up the options. Rotorua in the south, or the Bay of Islands in the North? It was a difficult decision, arriving in mid April at the start of the off season and end of the beautiful summer weather we were taking our chances either way. In the end, we decided the best possible bet we had to maybe get a glimpse of sunny warmth on a beach somewhere before we were thrown into the Alpine winter of the south Island was to go North.

We booked a hotel and packed the car and headed for the little town the map called 'Paihia.'

In the end it was the perfect decision. Even though we got to experience a very, very wet and tropical drive north and a corresponding wet first day, after the storms abated in the morning we found ourselves on an enchanting little beach backed right up to the Waitaingi Treaty grounds, in a quiet little community, basking in the off season pleasantness of the area minus the tourists.

Despite the risk of less than perfect weather (which I have quickly learned in my time in New Zealand is true of any time of year) it might be well worth visiting this area in the off season.
It's a beautiful little community, with plenty of nice places to stay - all of which are expensive in the New Zealand summer but are very reasonable in the off season. There are some great little shops in the town across from the beach and waterfront, and several very nice restaurants in the area.

It's also a picture perfect spot - the drive north is a perplexing thing, going through damp farmland that could be directly from the Lord of the Rings 'shire' one minute, the Scottish borders the next - and then suddenly you are driving through an area forested with pines, Australian trees and palms. But arriving in the Bay of Islands you are in an area that rivals Maui for beauty and picturesque views, and has plenty to do whether you want to sit and enjoy the beaches in peace, or take a luxury boat out fishing into world renouned deep sea fishing waters.

Quick Tips:

If you are goingn to go in the summer, or peak season - you should probably book ahead in all things you would like to do in the area. Hotels seem to fill up quick, and the prices do go up significantly at this time of year.

I would recommend trying to visit the area just after peak season, and March and April seems to be a good time to do that. The weather can turn at any time of year, and even though we were out of the prime summer months, when the storm squall did die down it left us in beautiful, almost blistering sun that was better than the warmest Scottish summer. Be prepared for any thing where the weather in New Zealand is concerned, even at this far northern tip.

Also, research your hotel before you go. There's a large range of options in Paihia and the Bay of Islands as a whole and they seem to range greatly in what they offer, and the prices don't always reflect that. Check into them well before you go and make sure that thet location, price, and rooms are what you are looking for.

Try the fish and chips here. There is a great little fish and chip shop looking out on the water in the little town which does amazing fish and chips. I particularly recommend this to anyone from Britain - after 6 years of living in the 'fish and chip capitol of the world' I have to succumb to the fact that New Zealanders do amazing (dare I say better?) fish and chips. There is often a local catch listed on the board and the types of fish seem to change day to day. Wander up and have a look at what's on offer and have a go with it down on the beach. Get some Fanta to go with it and have a proper New Zealand meal on the beach!

It might be worth mentioning here that New Zealand (despite it's misleading reputation for being cheap which I can catagorically assure you it is not) likes to charge extra for things. If you want ketchup or any kind of sauce for you meal you're going to have to pay for it at most establishments. Even McDonalds and Burger Kings don't seem to offer it willingly. Be prepared for this and you'll find yourself less disgruntled the first time you're having to shell out 30 cents for a sachet of ketchup.

Bring a rain coat. Even though the weather here can be stunning, it seems to turn on a dime and if you've got a waterproof windbreaker or rain coat of some kind you'll find the whole experience a much mroe pleasant one.

Best Way To Get Around:

Drive, is the very simple and only logical suggestion here. There is a bus system in New Zealand that you can use if you need to - but I really don't recommend it, especially up in this area where it seems to be even more unweildy.

In my experience thus far it seems to be very expensive and the routes and times are long and uncertain. If at all possible your best option in New Zealand is to drive, not just for the distances which you will need to cover from space to space, but in all that you would like to do and see with in them.

The good news about that is that buying a car is fairly straightforward and easy in New Zealand. If you are here for any length of time then that might be your best bet. Especially if you arrive in the off season where backpackers are all selling their cars to leave and the price drops in half while the options for available cars doubles. If, however, you are arriving in the peak season this may be a bit trickier.

If you are on a short trip or don't want to go through the hassle and expense of buying a car there is always the option of renting which seems to be one of the few things in touring New Zealand which is still reasonably priced. If driving to Paihia or the Bay of Islands from Auckland I highly recommend 'Explore More' in Auckland. It's a really good company and their cars are some of the cheapest you will find in your array of flyers that seem to litter backpackers and buses around Auckland. Many of the others offer what sounds like good deals, but by the time you find out all that is actually included it's not quite as good. You can get a car for a day with Explore More, and once out of Auckland city it's a very pleasant and easy drive up the north coast to Paihia.

Once you are here, however, it's quite easy to park the car at the hotel or resort and see a lot of the area by foot. You can walk the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and the beach area surrounding it to your heart's content, and depending on how far away your hotel is located to the town it too is very easy and pleasant to walk around.

There are a number of boat and ferry options as well just off Paihia if you want to get out into the crystal blue waters or see some of the other areas such as Russell, which can only be reached by sea. If the weather is willing this is a wonderful option. Even if deep sea fishing isn't your thing, you should really experience this spot by boat if you can to get a real feel for the area and what all it has to offer!

Whenever you're on a trip around the world, and stepping in to strange lands with no real knowledge of the area and how things are done, you are bound to come across some very good and very bad surprises where things like food and accomodation are concerned.

With that in mind, the Copthorne Hotel and Resort in Paihia on the Bay of Islands must be my nicest surprise travelling to date.

It's hard for me to rave to the extent I would like to, because such a large part of the reason I am so enamored with the place and my stay was the incridble price we paid for the two nights we stayed there. However, I think it is highly possible this rate was more than a simple 'off season' rate and ranked much more along the lines of 'wonderful fluke.' We booked on line as we were trying desperately to get out of horrible Auckland hostel, prepared to pay almost anything to have a nice night's sleep after our insanely long flight and the Copthorn was one of the first reasonably priced places we found in Paihia.

I won't tell you what we paid, because I wouldn't want to get your hopes up of finding such a rate. What I can say, however, is that even what the normal off season rate was for the room we stayed in (around $140 room rate) is still Extremely good for what you get.

If you are visiting in the offseason, pay that little bit extra and stay at the Copthorne, as it's one of the single nicest hotel experiences I've ever had.

We arrived to a wet day and a beautifull little ocean town filled with seaside motels. We drove the lenght of the town and beyond waiting to see a sign leading us to ours, and hoping it was not going to be the smallest and worst of the bunch.

Our mouths did nothing short of drop to the floor as we pulled around the corner in the luxurious entrance of The Copthorne Hotel and Resort.

The drive up leads you to a luxurous reception room and plenty of parking. The large wooden building for reception and kitchen is stunningly built, as is the large glass entrance which leads you in. I hesitated walking in, certain we were going to arrive to find we were in teh wrong place.

I all but held my breath as the recptionist checked our names and pleasantly handed us our keys.

This place is immaculate, and is simply the best situated hotel in the Bay of Islands. The backdoor has a small path leading around towards the tennis courts and beach, and as you walk about 30 seconds out you see signs for the famous Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the famous treaty was signed between Maoris and white settlers in New Zealand, and is still a matter of some contention today.

A few minutes stroll finds you on Hawaiian like beaches looking directly onto the grounds and some other Maori buildings along the way.

The staff are spectacular, very pleasant and helpful - I can't think of a single complaint in that area. The rooms were fantastic, beautifully laid out and bathrooms that were a joy to spend hours in.

Somehow, amidst all this luxury, we ended up in a room with a king sized bed, beautifully laid out, and a roomy balcony. With all that there was to do in the area, it was very hard indeed to leave the room.

Sky TV was included which meant we had a number of channels on a good TV with excellent reception and more than the standard 2 basic New Zealand channels.

On our second day in the Copthorne, while having our breakfast the power suddenly went out in most of Paihia because of the tropical storms that had been battering the hotel all morning. The staff quickly and pleasantly brought out some candles and we all happily finnished our breakfast in morning candle light, and the power delightfully returned in about an hour.

There were two shining parts to the experience which over all makes one of the best hotel stays (if not the best) I have enjoyed anywhere in the world.
The first is the swimming and spa area. The entire fenced area has a magnificent view of the palms and the beach a few steps away, and the pools themselves are built of heavy stones and cascading waters to fully enjoy the feel of the place and not just sit in a standard hotel pool.
It was, however, a bit too cold for us to fully enjoy the swimming area, so instead we spent an evening under the mind bogglingly clear New Zealand stars sitting in the steamy warmth of the spa pool.

The second, and perhaps even the best bit was the included breakfast (which was, incidentally, another surprise as we didn't realize when we booked that it was included.) It would have been a bit pricey for us had we paid, but if you can get it included in the price it is my favourite hotel breakfast of all the ones I have enjoyed over the years.

In a wide and airy room which looks out on the pools and the beach you can sit and eat your choice of buffet breakfasts including cooked breakfasts and several differet types of eggs and breakfast meats, cereals, all different types of fruit beautifully prepared. And all the fruit juices you can drink from tomato to kiwi juice - (which I very highly recommend that you try)

All in all, even getting a spectacular rate on this place for our stay in the Bay of Islands, I would happily have paid more for the experience. I can not recommend it highly enough.

After making the long windy drive up from Auckland on a day that started out rainy and ended up in what verged on a tropical storm, we went into the town of Paihia looking for a meal that would warm us up as well as a nice place to get the feel of the area.

After a few minutes walk in the dark in a sprinkling warm rain that was threatening to storm any minute, we began to see that this might be more difficult than we first assumed.

Our only experience of New Zealand food thus far has been restricted to fast food in Auckland - and at this stage in the trip we hadn't quite realized that what we'd heard about the prices of food and other things in New Zealand wasn't exactly cheap.

We wandered around town for a bit - finding that the prices of a sit down meal were much more than we had planned to spend.

Soon the rain started to come down heavily, and I began to forget about the prices and would have stopped anywhere that looked dry.
Luckily we came around the corner to a sign on a second hand balcony reading 'La Scala.' The prices weren't as cheap as we'd hoped, but weren't anywhere as expensive as the other places we had passed so we hurried up the steps to find a really nice and beautiful, if empty restaurant.

The service was friendly and very good - though granted she didn’t' have a lot to take care of. I am often leery or ordering pizza from unfamiliar places as you never know what you might get in terms of size and quality.
I ordered the lasagne and my friend decided to try one of the pizzas.

Both were reasonably priced - each under $15 - and it was also then that we became acquainted with the portion size in New Zealand, which is on a par with those in the US.
We both quickly received huge portions of deliciously prepared food. We sat and enjoyed the poring rain outside the large balcony doors - enraptured by the lovely food that was the first in days that was not from a fast food chain.

We finished the meal off with one of their lovely deserts - a bailies cheese cake. It is worth mentioning that the deserts are large and very rich, and can easily be shared between two.

All in all a very pleasant evening that I would highly recommend any one visiting the area to try.