Explore/New Zealand/NZ NTL/Bay of Islands Coastal Loop — Paihia, Russell & Kerikeri
NZPaihia, New ZealandEasyPaved

Bay of Islands Coastal Loop — Paihia, Russell &Kerikeri.

Distance
90 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
500 m
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Curated by Rider · Updated Aug 2026
Overview

Bay of Islands Coastal Loop — Paihia, Russell & Kerikeri.

An easy coastal loop around the cradle of modern New Zealand. From the resort town of Paihia a short ferry crosses to historic Russell, once the lawless "hell-hole of the Pacific", before the ride swings inland to Kerikeri's 1820s mission buildings and the eccentric Hundertwasser town of Kawakawa. Gentle, sealed and rich in history.

Quick facts

SurfacePaved
Distance90 km
Days1
Total climb500 m
DifficultyEasy
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Day-by-day

The route.

ROUTE
5 stops
Start
PaihiaStart · The tourism hub of the Bay of Islands, right beside the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The passenger ferry to Russell leaves from the wharf.
Waypoint
Russell (Kororāreka)Ferry · Once the "hell-hole of the Pacific", now a genteel waterfront village. Reached by the short Paihia–Russell passenger ferry or the Opua car ferry.
Scenic
KerikeriScenic Point · The Stone Store (1832) and Kemp House (1822) are the two oldest surviving buildings in New Zealand; citrus orchards and vineyards surround the town.
Food
KawakawaRestaurant · Famous for the Hundertwasser public toilets — a working artwork — and the vintage railway that runs down the middle of the main street.
End
PaihiaEnd · Loop back to Paihia to close the circuit.

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