Bay of Islands (Waitangi), New Zealand

Waitangi Spirit

Discover the Birthplace of Modern New Zealand Visit the Waitangi Treaty Reserve, an award-winning historic site with a museum. Here, 500 Māori chieftains and British colonial rulers signed New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, in 1840. Arrive at the wharf, where your guide will escort you along a grassy coastal path to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The site features the Museum of Waitangi, featuring many ceremonial objects, weapons, paintings and other Māori and European period artifacts. Discover the history of the treaty through fascinating multimedia displays on a self-guided museum tour. Afterward, your guide will lead you through the rest of the Treaty Grounds, where you can admire the many elaborate carvings representing the Māori tribes, a beautiful carved Māori meeting house (Whare Runanga) and a massive Māori waka taua , or war canoe. A short bushwalk leads you to the Whare Waka Café, where you will enjoy morning tea and breathtaking views over the ocean. * Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.