The 5 Best Sailing in Paihia

1.Bay of Islands Tall Ship Sailing on R. Tucker Thompson Including BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 361 reviews · from $111Our pick

Spend 5.5 hours aboard the working tall ship R. Tucker Thompson with Captain Magnus and crew. Help raise sails, steer, climb the rigging, swim, or relax. Morning tea, fresh scones, chicken BBQ lunch, and a Russell to Paihia ferry ticket are included when selected.

“My partner and I recently went on the R. Tucker Thompson Bay of Islands Tall Ship tour, and it was amazing! The crew were friendly, and great immersing their guests in an interactive sailing experience. Every step of the way the crew made Read more”

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2.Island Hopper Day Cruise – sailing to wildlife sanctuary island – 6 hr cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 301 reviews · from $139

Spend six hours sailing from Paihia among the Bay of Islands’ 144 islands. Barefoot Sailing Adventures combines a small-group catamaran trip with a two-hour stop at a wildlife sanctuary island, where you can snorkel, paddleboard, swim, hike, or relax. Luke and his crew provide local stories, lunch, tea, and equipment.

“Awesome day on the catamaran with knowledgeable, helpful staff. Luke and Nero were great. Encourage anyone do do this tour.”

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3.Full-Day Bay of Islands Tour by Vigilant Yacht Charters

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 219 reviews · from $114

Set sail from Russell at 10am aboard Vigilant, a comfortable yacht limited to 10 people. Captain Nat, Dallas, Anita, or Nick may invite you to help with the sails or take the helm. Expect a wind-led route, island time for swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and walking, plus lunch, hot drinks, and return transport to Russell.

“We enjoyed a lovely day aboard Vigilant. The captain and her first mate were knowledgeable sailors and made the day quite enjoyable. They made us feel welcome and shared their knowledge and history of the area. We spent 1.5 hours on an island that allowed us to hike, swim, and kayak followed by a freshly made lunch and a leisurely sail. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed our time getting to know the captain, first mate and our fellow passengers. We highly recommend this tour.”

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4.Phantom Sailing Bay of Islands

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 177 reviews · from $121

Spend about 5.5 hours aboard the Phantom, a live-aboard yacht sailing from Russell through the Bay of Islands. Rick and Robyn host up to 10 people, sharing local stories, sailing tips, and a homemade lunch. You can swim, snorkel, relax on deck, or walk to an island viewpoint before sailing back.

“A pure sailing trip, a day at sea, let the wind carry you . Expect to be on deck most of the day with an hour on an island.”

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5.Bay of Islands: Catamaran Sail, Wildlife Island & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 173 reviews · 6 hours · from $134

Spend six hours with Barefoot Sailing Adventures aboard a comfortable catamaran from Paihia. You can help sail with guides such as Luke, relax on beanbags, watch seabirds and penguins, then spend two hours on a wildlife sanctuary island with lunch, snorkeling, paddleboarding, swimming, and a short forest walk.

“This was an amazing experience! We had the best day out the boat taking in the beautiful surroundings of the bay of islands. Was so nice to have a stopover at Moreton Island for just over 2hrs. Plenty of time from swim, snorkeling and paddle boarding!”

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