Cruising New Zealand

Some of the best cruising grounds on earth

From Fiordland in the south, one of the last truly wild cruising grounds on earth, to the sheltered, forested waterways of the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand rewards those who take their time.

Further north, the Hauraki Gulf wraps around Auckland with more islands than you could visit in a season, and the Bay of Islands offers sub-tropical, island-studded cruising within easy reach of international flights. Distances are gentle, harbours are uncrowded, and a well-found boat opens all of it.

Aerial view of a sheltered bay in the Bay of Islands with yachts at anchor
Bay of Islands

Sub-tropical, island-studded cruising within easy reach of international flights — over 150 islands to explore.

Crystal-clear anchorage at Aotea Great Barrier Island
Aotea · Great Barrier Island

Gin-clear water, empty beaches, and off-grid stillness — a world away, four hours from Auckland.

A sheltered beach in the Hauraki Gulf framed by pohutukawa
Hauraki Gulf

Auckland's back garden — more islands than you could visit in a season, all within easy reach.

Cathedral Cove, Coromandel Peninsula, from the air
The Coromandel

White cliffs, sea caves, and Cathedral Cove — best arrived at by water, before the day-trippers.

Boats at anchor in a secluded Marlborough Sounds bay
Marlborough Sounds

Sheltered, forested waterways and quiet anchorages — a cruising ground built for taking your time.

Milford Sound, Fiordland, reflected in still water at dawn
Fiordland

Sheer cliffs, mirror-calm water, and some of the last truly wild cruising grounds on earth.

A quiet beach and anchored boat off Stewart Island
Stewart Island

New Zealand's wild south — remote anchorages, native bush to the water's edge, and hardly another boat in sight.

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