Paihia Sundowner Sailing Cruise: 2-Hour Bay of Islands Sail
Two hours on the water when the day goes quiet and the light turns gold
The Sundowner is a two-hour sailing cruise departing at 5pm from Paihia beachfront, where the boat meets you on the sand so you step aboard without a wharf or queue. You sail to a sheltered anchorage for a swim stop in calm water, then set the sails and drift the inner Bay of Islands as the sun drops, passing the Waitangi Treaty Grounds from the sea before returning to Paihia around 7pm. Maximum 20 guests keeps the boat intimate. A complimentary drink is included.
Step-by-step itinerary
Evening sailing and swim stop
- Board boat from Paihia beach
- Sail to sheltered swim stop
- Swim or relax on board
- Sail through Bay of Islands
- View Waitangi from the sea
- Sail back to Paihia harbor
- Return to Paihia beach by 7pm
What’s included
- Departure from Paihia beachfront with beach boarding (no wharf).
- two-hour sailing cruise through the inner Bay of Islands.
- sheltered anchorage swim stop in calm water.
- complimentary non-alcoholic drink.
- live English-speaking guide.
- return to Paihia around 7pm.
Times
- Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 17:00
Before you book
Operated by Barefoot Sailing Adventures
Prices and times updated 14 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The boat arrives at the Paihia beach at 5pm and you board straight from the shoreline: no walk through a busy marina, no waiting in line. You step from the sand into shallow water, then climb the boarding ladder onto the catamaran. The crew pushes off and heads for the swim destination, a sheltered anchorage at the entrance to the Opua inlet where the water goes glassy and the bush comes down to the shoreline. The crew drops a ladder off the back and you can jump in from the deck or climb down. The water through summer sits around 20–22°C. If you'd rather stay on board with a drink and watch, that works just as well.
After the swim, the engines go off and the sails fill. That's when the real magic begins. You sail the Bay of Islands inlet, meander past quaint anchorages, then track north into the wider bay along the Russell peninsula and the Tapeka coastline with the outer islands opening up ahead. Depending on the wind and swell that evening, the skipper picks the best line: sometimes out towards Moturoa Island, sometimes tucking in closer to the mainland cliffs at Waitangi where you'll see the Treaty Grounds flag post from the sea. No two evenings run exactly the same route. The run back towards Paihia harbor happens on the evening sea breeze at golden hour, when the hills go gold and the water turns that deep blue you only get after five o'clock. You're back on the beach around 7pm, in time for dinner.
This is a premium cruise with a maximum of 20 guests, which means you actually feel part of the sailing rather than lost in a crowd. A complimentary non-alcoholic drink is included. The boat is a catamaran, and boarding requires you to be steady on your feet and able to manage the boarding ladder without physical assistance. In some conditions such as very low tide, a dinghy may be used to ferry you from shore to the boat. To participate in the swim, you must be able to swim competently unassisted as it is a deep water swim from the boat. Non-swimmers are very welcome onboard and lifejackets are available if you wish to wear one during the sailing time. Children are welcome and must be accompanied by an adult. Children under 5 require a ticket to board.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want a small group evening sail: maximum 20 people means you're not packed in, and the 5pm departure gets you back in time for dinner without eating into your whole evening. The beach boarding saves you a trip to a marina, and the swim stop in a sheltered bay is the kind of moment that stays with you after a day of sightseeing.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4).
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
Can I swim at the swim stop if I'm not a strong swimmer?
To jump in from the boat, you need to be a competent unassisted swimmer since it's a deep water swim. Non-swimmers are very welcome to stay on board with a drink and watch the others swim. Lifejackets are available if you'd like to wear one during the sailing portion of the cruise.
What time do we leave Paihia and when are we back?
The boat departs from Paihia beachfront at 5pm and returns around 7pm, giving you time for dinner afterward. The entire cruise is two hours.
What is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and will we see it?
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds is a historic site on the mainland cliffs at Waitangi where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. Depending on the skipper's chosen route that evening, you may see the flag post at the Treaty Grounds from the sea as you sail along the Tapeka coastline.
How many people will be on the boat?
The Sundowner carries a maximum of 20 guests, which keeps the experience intimate so you feel part of the sailing rather than lost in a crowd.
What's included in the ticket price?
The ticket includes the two-hour sailing cruise, the swim stop, and a complimentary non-alcoholic drink. You board directly from Paihia beach with no additional wharf fees or entry charges.
Do I need to be fit or have sailing experience?
The cruise is suitable for all physical fitness levels. No sailing experience is needed. You're a passenger on the boat. Boarding does require you to be steady on your feet and able to use the boarding ladder without physical assistance, and in some conditions a dinghy may ferry you from shore to the boat instead.
Paihia Sundowner Sailing Cruise: 2-Hour Bay of Islands Sail
2h · EN
from NZ$ 99 per person
≈ US$ 57 in your currency
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