Bay of Islands: Evening sailing cruise with swim stop

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.97 (32 reviews) 97% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/11

Duration2h

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Evening Bay of Islands sailing cruise with swim stop & guide

You’ll board straight from Paihia beach for an evening sailing cruise through the Bay of Islands, guided by locals who know every inlet. Swim off the catamaran in sheltered waters, sip a complimentary drink as dusk settles in, and catch those shifting colors you’ll remember long after the trip.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sundowner Evening Cruise

Relaxing scenic evening sail

The Experience

I didn’t expect to step right onto the boat from the sand — shoes in hand, laughing a little as the water lapped at my ankles. The Bay of Islands was quieter than I thought it’d be at 5pm, just a few locals waving from the shore. Our skipper, Tom (who’s apparently sailed these waters since he was a kid), greeted us like we were old friends. There was this salty breeze that made everything feel lighter somehow.

We drifted out past Paihia and suddenly you could hear almost nothing but the sails creaking and some distant gulls. Tom pointed out Motuarohia Island and told us about Captain Cook’s first landing here — I tried to imagine what it looked like back then, but honestly I was distracted by how gold the light got on the water. Someone asked if we’d get to swim and Tom just grinned, “That’s half the fun.” So yeah, we anchored in this sheltered spot where the water looked almost green-blue. I jumped in before I could overthink it; it was colder than I expected but in a good way.

Back on deck, wrapped in a towel and sipping that complimentary drink (I went for something local — can’t remember what it was called), I watched everyone settle into their own quiet conversations or just stare out at the horizon. There’s something about being on a catamaran at sunset that makes you want to talk less and listen more. The sun dipped behind Urupukapuka Island and for a second everything felt kind of suspended — not sure how else to put it.

What’s included

Your experience includes boarding directly from Paihia beach, guidance from a local skipper throughout your evening sail around the Bay of Islands, a swim stop at a sheltered anchorage, and one complimentary drink while you take in the scenery before returning to shore.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Barefoot Sailing Adventures