Feb 19, 2026 Stay in Opua
We moved a few miles to Opua, the small community near Paihia, known for the Opua Marina and being the northernmost international port of entry for cruising yachts after crossing the South Pacific. The harbor here is full of sailboats and cabin cruisers and the marina is busy with boat repairs and refitting. It’s also the start (or end) of the Paihia to Opua Coastal Walkway which we love and walked many times in October, 2023.
One small harbor, away from the Marina, with a variety of sailboats, including the yellow ‘banana boat’ we saw back in 2023!
We hiked into Paihia, 4.5 miles, and had lunch. The tide was in when we left and out when we returned, as can be seen in these pictures of a creek flowing into English Bay.