About Paihia and the Bay of Islands

Paihia is in the Bay of Islands in the far north of New Zealand, 420 km north of Auckland. General information on the Bay of islands may be found here, and here, and here. The Bay of islands is now considered to be one of the more picturesque spots in New Zealand, although the township of Russel, which was known as Kororareka in th 19th century, was often described as the Hell Hole of the Pacific on account of the ruffians, thieves and prostitutes that lived there. Charles Darwin visited the Bay of islands in the Beagle in December 1835, and made some interesting observations of the area and its inhabitants.
Paihia is one of the main big-game fishing centres in New Zealand. There are many fishing and cruising trips available to visitors, a large aquarium of common local fishes, superb motel accommodation adjacent to the beach at modest prices, and excellent sea food restaurants. There will be a free day in the middle of the conference to take advantage of local activities, including Scenic Flights
Paihia is a very small town, with only a few streets, so you cannot get lost. The two motels we are using are only 50 metres apart, and both are on Marsden Road, which is the foreshore. The main motel we are using is the Anchorage Motel, which is at 2 Marsden Road (PO Box 505), Paihia. Phone: (+64-9) 402-7447, Fax: (+64-9) 402-7447, E-Mail: anchorage.motel@xtra.co.nz. Some delegates will also be in the nearby Edgewater Motel.
The venue for the conference, is the Paihia Pacific Resort Hotel, and is about 200 metres away from the Motel. There are many Restaurants, all within walking distance.

Climate
The conference is being held at the beginning of the spring season in New Zealand, so it is not the hottest time of year; however, sea water temperatures in the Bay of Islands are 16-17 degrees C at this time, and many people start swimming then. The far north has a pleasant climate, and is often referred to as the `winterless north', although there could be rain at that time of year. There is good fishing, snorkling and scuba diving all year round.

This page is Maintained by Foss.Leach@University-of-Ngakuta.ac.nz