The 5 Sailing and Yacht Charters in New Zealand That Earn Their Price

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 schooner R. Tucker Thompson with Captain Magnus and crew. Help raise sails, steer, climb the rigging, swing into the sea, visit a conservation island, and enjoy scones, tea, and a chicken BBQ lunch. Return ferry transport from Paihia is available.

“Wonderfully positive and inspired young crew. Instead of rushing from photo op to photo op, you truly experience a great day. Lots of participation possible, but never required. We even raced another tall ship for a bit (our crew knew the folks on it) which made for some fun sailing. Cannot recommend more highly, as this non-profit also support sailing trips for youth up north. The scenery is breathtaking.”

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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 with Barefoot Sailing Adventures exploring the Bay of Islands from Paihia. Luke and his crew guide a small catamaran among the islands, with time for snorkeling, paddleboarding, swimming, lunch, and a bush walk on a wildlife sanctuary island.

“Highly recommend this sailing excursion! We were excited to explore the Bay of Islands, and this trip exceeded our expectations. Luke and his crew were knowledgeable, professional, and a lot of fun. We enjoyed learning how to sail, and Read more”

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

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

Join Barefoot Sailing Adventures in Paihia for six hours aboard a comfortable catamaran with guides such as Luke and Sarah. Sail among the Bay of Islands, help at the tiller, then spend two hours on a wildlife sanctuary island with lunch, swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and short bush walks.

“Fabulous day sailing and cruising the Bay of Isles - Sarah & Michelle were great and gave us so much good information about the area.”

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4.Bay of Islands: Full-Day Tall Ship Sailing Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 147 reviews · 5h 30m · from $107Best value

Join the locally built R. Tucker Thompson from Russell for 330 minutes of hands-on sailing in the Bay of Islands. Help hoist sails, steer, climb the rigging, swim, or relax. The day includes ferry transfers from Paihia, fresh scones, a BBQ lunch, and support for youth sailing.

“Turned out there was only a handful of people that did the sail at the same time as we did. It was an absolutely incredible day!!”

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5.Bay of Islands: Day Sailing Cruise with Island Stop & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 122 reviews · 6 hours · from $128

Spend six hours with Brad and Monique aboard the Bayscapes catamaran, sailing from Paihia through the Bay of Islands. Settle into a beanbag, watch for wildlife, then stop for two hours of swimming, snorkelling, paddleboarding, walking, and a catered lunch.

“The guides were awesome. The catamaran was beautiful and we saw dolphins!”

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