Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9am and 1.30pm, heading to the Hole in the Rock and stopping at Urupukapuka Island.
There are also combo options available including a bus trip along Ninety Mile Beach.
Another option (December to March only) is a day sail on
Lion NZ
(adult/child $110/
70), the 80ft maxi yacht used by the late Sir Peter Blake in racing around the world and
from Sydney to Hobart.
Fullers Great Sights
CRUISES
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
( 0800 653 339;
www.dolphincruises.co.nz
;
Paihia Wharf)
The four-hour Dolphin Cruise
(adult/child $95/50) departs daily at 9am and 1.30pm, actively seeking out dolphins en
route to the Hole in the Rock, and stopping at Urupukapuka Island on the way back. You
won't visit the Hole in the Rock on the four-hour Dolphin Eco Experience (adult/child
$109/55, departs 8am and 12.30pm); the focus is finding dolphins to swim with.
The full-day Cream Trip (adult/child $119/60) follows the mail route around the bay
and includes dolphin swimming. A glamorous option for an overnight cruise from
September to April is on the launch
Ipipiri
, with accommodation in en-suite state rooms
from $299 per person. Meals and kayaking, snorkelling and island walks are included.
R Tucker Thompson
SAILING
( 09-402 8430;
www.tucker.co.nz
)
Run by a charitable trust with an education focus,
the
Tucker
is a majestic tall ship offering day sails (adult/child $145/73, including a bar-
becue lunch) and late-afternoon cruises (adult/child $59/30).
Rock
CRUISE
( 0800 762 527;
www.rocktheboat.co.nz
;
dm/s/d from $158/346/376)
A former vehicle
ferry that's now a floating hostel, the
Rock
has dorms, private rooms and a bar. The
cruise departs at 5pm and includes a barbecue and seafood dinner with live music, then
time spent island-hopping, fishing, kayaking, snorkelling and swimming the following
day. Day cruises only are $98 per person.
Carino
SAILING, DOLPHIN SWIMMING
( 09-402 8040;
www.sailingdolphins.co.nz
; adult/child $114/69)
This 50ft catamaran is
the only yacht licensed for swimming with dolphins. A barbecue lunch is available for
$6.
Ecocruz
SAILING
