Hole in the Rock Cruise & Bay of Islands Tour

Escape the crowds on our small group cruise ship excursion, exploring 144 remote subtropical islands. Enjoy scenic cruising, island stopovers, wildlife spotting, bush walks, and snorkeling.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Island Getaway Tours - Check-in is at PIER 10 on the Paihia wharf. Please arrive 15 minutes before your departure time.
  • Bay of Islands - This cruise and island tour offers an unforgettable experience, featuring an island stopover and a visit to the renowned “Hole in the Rock,” along with scenic cruising through the 144 islands.
    Marvel at the…
What's Included
  • Smaller Group Tours (49 Guests Max)
  • Visit the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’ and Cape Brett Lighthouse
  • Remote island stopover (Roberton Island)
  • Scenic Cruise among 144 Islands
  • Wildlife spotting, commentary and information throughout the day
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Lunch
  • Alcoholic beverages
Additional Information

Discover the Bay of Islands, and take a scenic boat cruise through the 144 subtropical islands.
Visit the famous “Hole in the Rock” and Cape Brett Lighthouse.
Stopover on Roberton Island to take a short walk to the lookout point over the Twin Lagoons
Keep an eye out for our unique New Zealand sea birds and marine life, take a short walk along some of the…

Location
Paihia Wharf
Check-in at Pier 10, on the Paihia Wharf at least 20 minutes before your departure. Arriving on a cruiseship? Cruise ships will tender you into Waitangi Wharf, or Paihia Wharf. FREE shuttle buses are provided by the cruiseship company to transfer you from Waitangi to Paihia Wharf. (5 minutes)
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(150 Ratings)
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1 star
Jeff_n
Mar 25, 2026
We had Blair and Audrey... - We had Blair and Audrey as our tour guides. Both were wonderful!! Blair did his best to give us views of wildlife and provide history and information about the area. He even drove the boat through the hole! Audrey made sure we were all comfortable and was on the look out for wildlife. She was eager to share her knowledge and information. Highly recommend this tour, request Blair and Audrey for a very fun adventure.
Review provided by Viator
Kristine_s
Mar 24, 2026
Awesome. - What an awesome experience. Would love to do this again. Ocean wildlife. Beautiful caves that we backed into and adrenaline racing as we went through the hole. Great day.
Review provided by Viator
Bernadette_c
Mar 21, 2026
Go on this trip - Definitely recommend you go on this trip, it was a fabulous experience, skipper kept us informed and Audrey you are a star x
Review provided by Viator
Russell_e
Mar 18, 2026
Great trip - well worth... - Great trip - well worth the time and cost, especially since the 3hr was bumped up to a 4.5hr boat trip. Saw a couple of islands on the trip to/from the “hole”, went for a walk up to lookout, and had lunch on the way back.
Review provided by Viator
268annmariea
Mar 17, 2026
The Hole in the Rock cruise - We had a wonderful experience on this tour. Our captain Zac and Seketa were amazing. They were knowledgeable and professional. We were extremely lucky with the weather and the sea was calm. A great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rutlandjill
Mar 14, 2026
Great trip! - Really good trip, we enjoyed every minute. Staff were great. We stopped on two islands and we visited the hole in the rock. Good commentary throughout.
Review provided by Viator
Janetcs1421al
Mar 13, 2026
A trip to remember - We appreciated an upgrade from the three hour trip which was cancelled due to few passengers. Blair and Audrey were a great team, competent and caring. The commentary was informative and interesting. The peek into Cathedral Cave was beautiful and the passage through the Hole in the Rock was exciting. Seeing Blair feeding the snapper was a bonus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amandam24bd
Mar 8, 2026
Great boat trip! Secure your hats and take a hoodie. - Great trip out to the bay. All the guys on the boat were friendly and informative. Stopped for a walk up to the top of the hill, great views definitely worth doing. Do take a hoodie or jacket as it can be chilly out on the boat. And make sure you take a tight fitting cap, we managed to save two hats but someone lost theirs to the ocean! Great way to spend 3 hours. Highly recommend. .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christopher_b
Mar 6, 2026
Excellent trip around Bay of Islands - Very informative and close up views of cliffs and islands in the Bay. . Accompanied by dolphins for a part of the trip. Nick, the captain, could even namecheck one of them. The actual rock was stunning and the weather was good enough for us to cruise through the tunnel. A relaxed visit to another of the islands completed the day. Excellent trip and good value too.
Review provided by Viator
Jeb62
Mar 10, 2026
Beautiful Bay of Island tour - Pro. Bay of islands cruise was beautiful with a 1.5 hr stop late afternoon at a beach with a restaurant. Neutral. Can be windy on the upper deck of the boat. Availability to sit in covered deck. Not much direction regarding lunch but can grab a snack in Paihia, on the boat or early dinner at the island restaurant. Bad. We were the last on the bus and had to sit in the back of the van. It was crowded seating and not at all pleasant for the long trip. I complained and the company who reached out to let me know they personally sat in the back for the tour and agreed it was uncomfortable for a long trip. They plan to change the seats to improve comfort and legroom resulting in less people but more pleasant seating. I appreciate this feedback
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $85
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).