Bus excursion to Bay of Islands from Auckland
August 28, 2011

The North Island of New Zealand is featured by many sheltered bays interesting for the nature, the flora and the endemic fauna. During the summer months these bays are one of the favorite holiday places also for New Zealanders. With a tourist bus from Auckland, I take a short day trip in Paihia and Waitangi.

(Click on a picture to see an enlarged version)

Kauri
The first stop during the trip from Auckland to Bay of Islands, is at the Parry Kauri Park, home to some Kauri trees hundreds of years old.

 

Giant kauri tree Giant tree
Kauri Photo: this huge Kauri tree (the black bag in the photo on the right is 50cm wide) has an estimated age of over 800 years, a height of 125 meters and a trunk circumference of 25 meters at the base.

 

Another magnificent Kauri tree in the park.

 

Waitangi Treaty Grounds Maori Treaty signature
The tour along the North Island of New Zealand, continues with an excursion to the museum at Waitangi (Waitangi Treaty Grounds), the place where it was signed the peace treaty between Maori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) and the European settlers.

 

Treaty of Waitangi signature Old book
Treaty of Waitangi
Inside the Museum of Waitangi there preserved books and artifacts from the colonial era, in addition to the original text of the Treaty of Waitangi.

 

Treaty of Waitangi fac simile
A facsimile of the Treaty of Waitangi.

 

Te Whare Runanga Waitangi
This meeting room (Te Whare Runanga) in Maori style was inaugurated during the centenary of the Treaty of Waitangi signing. It contains wooden statues representing some Maori tribal groups from New Zealand's north island.

 

Maori Waka Ngatokimatawhaorua Kauri wood
The reproduction of a 35 meter long canoe (Waka Maori Ngatokimatawhaorua) that, according to studies, has been used by early Indians who colonized New Zealand, migrating from other islands of the Pacific Ocean. In the right photo, the remains of the kauri tree used for the construction of the canoe.

 

Catamaran Pahia
The trip to Bay of Islands continues boarding a catamaran in Pahia

 

Dolphin
Dolphins Soon the catamaran is surrounded by lot of dolphins that swim, play and jump out of the water.

 

Little blue penguin
I see a little blue penguin, one of the smallest penguin species exsiting, endemic to New Zealand.

 

 

Bay of Islands Bay of Islands - New Zealand
The catamaran continues along the rugged coast of this bay.

 

Hole in the Rock
The catamaran excursion end at the "Hole in the Rock", a rock with a curious hole in the middle.

 

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NEW ZEALAND PICTURES

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