Paihia and the bay of islands

Part of the Bay of Islands, viewed from Paihia

"whare runanga" Maori meeting house constructed between 1934 and 1940

We travelled north, from Auckland, to a place called Paihia, in the bay of islands. It was pretty wet the first 2 nights, but cleared up on the 3rd day. Our campsite was right on one of the many beaches and when the sun came out, it was white sand and turquoise water.

Beside Paihia is Waitangi, where the "treaty of Whaitangi" was signed, by the Maori chiefs in 1840, to give them "protection" by the British Government against the French. This effectively gave the British control in New Zealand (we'll let you decide, if this is true or not). Around the grounds, we visited the treaty house, the worlds largest Maori war canoe (reconstruction) and the Maori meeting house (above). The meeting house is amazing, since it is covered with loads of Maori carvings.