this was an well worth it experience definitely be going on this again next time with the children

Best skipper and crew ever!

We covered all tracks, beautiful sceneries and some were easy walks, very quiet and calm.while on the beaches, some were grey sand some were yellow, the ride was quick and comfortable, great to have a cafe to dine, drink and relax while waiting for our return trip. We're lucky to see some dolphins while cruising!

Great expeeience with good commentary onboard and astounding scenery on the cruise including the famous hole in the rock and conditions permitting even going through it. Guaranteed chane of seeing marine mammals if not you get a voucher for another cruise.

So glad we booked this tour. Worth every dollar. The 3 crew looked after us extremely well, very knowledgeable. Sea was a bit choppy so decision was made not to go through the rock , did not spoil the trip and and safety is paramount. Seeing the wild bottle nose dolphins playing was amazing. Lovely lunch stop and spectacular views if you fancy a stroll up the hills, or take a towel and go for a swim , water was a little chilly but it is Autumn. If we get a chance to go back to the Bay would definitely go again

Awesome trip out. Had a funny captain with good commentary, saw dolphins playing and it was pretty neat that the crew knew so much about them and could identify individuals. The bbq lunch was pretty good and the options to extend your stay on either the island or at Russell would have been neat if I'd had the time. Thinking of making a repeat visit at some point, well worth the money.

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip, great weather helped. Awesome trip around the Bay of Islands and out to the hole in the rock, couldn't go thru as waters too choppy, but great view anyway. Stop off at Otehei bay was a good break off the boat and much needed dip in the water. Saw plenty of dolphins. Totally recommend trip with Explore.

Views were amazing and staff were so lovely. Would recommend

My group loved this activity. The boat ride around the Bay of Islands was amazing. We lazed in the sun and took in the stunning views all around. Then the excitement when our boat actually went through the Hole in the Rock. It was a perfect day of fun and relaxation with a little history of the area thrown in. Highly recommend this experience.

What a lovely way to spend half a day - boat trip, wander around the island and a swim and drink before pick-up - just idyllic.

Dolphins, penguins, hole in the rock, light house, and the stunning Otehei Bay, plus more all in one great tour - no big crowds on boat, great staff and perfect weather too ☺ could not wish for a better day - highly recommend Discover the Bay with explore!!!!

hilarious and informative commentary and just an overall great half day trip. The bbq was great, it had lots of vegetarian options. Stunning views and getting to see the dolphins so close was awesome! Highly recommended.

We were lucky to get wonderful weather! It was a very pleasant cruise. The boat is smaller than the other tours so fewer people. We enjoyed seeing dolphins along the way. A big plus was a delicious barbecue lunch we had at an island after we went through hole in the rock. It was definitely one of our highlights of our time in New Zealand!

Was a beautiful experience. All the member are really nice and friendly. During the tour you will many explanations interesting about the islands, maori legend and wild life. The stop on Urupukapuka island is great for a walk before to come back. I really enjoyed this cruise.

Our experience of the ‘Hole in the Rock Cruise’ is best summed up in one word - WOW! Andy and his crew made the entire experience fun, informative and exhilarating. The scenery is incredible and Andy’s commentary is excellent throughout. It was also wonderful to have opportunity to visit one of the islands and to be given enough time to explore and view the stunning scenery. We would thoroughly recommend this cruise to anyone visiting the wonderful Bay of Islands.

Enough time to do all hikes in 3hours.

Russell and Karen provide the perfect way to see the beautiful Bay of Islands. From the moment you join them on their yacht it feels like a relaxed day out with friends, who do all the sailing work so you can just relax ..or if you have the knowledge they are happy to let you take a turn at the sails. The food was simply delicious, great coffee and fresh danish when you board,a succulent lamb lunch was cooked to perfection and served with a yummy charred vegetable salad and crusty bread.You can BYO or they provide drinks and afternoon tea was a tasty treat of fresh blueberries waffles,and cream. We sailed through the beautiful turquoise waters saw dolphins, penguins and learnt a lot of interesting local history. We had time to swim and walk .. you can choose how to spend your time ... so much better than a being in a large group on a strict timetable. We had a wonderful day ,way beyond our expectations I would definitely recommend this cruise it was magical.

It was such a lovely day with dolphins ;) our guides looked really knowledgeable about dolphins! Thank you!

Mike is a very experienced mariner, he clearly knows the Bay like the back of his hand and he is a great host. The day was absolutely fantastic in all respects, faultless. Thank you Mike

We had a beautiful day! The crew was very friendly and totally caring. We were very lucky and the dolphins followed us a while. Thanks for this experience.

The sun was shining The waters so blue Many sights to enjoy On the Gungha II! Thanks Mike and Melissa for such an enjoyable day!

Best sailing experience ever!! Would do it again and again!

We visit Paihia yearly. But this is the first time we have enjoyed the bay by sail. Swimming to shore and enjoying everything close up. We will surely repeat this experience in years to come. Mike is a credit to the small operators that have New Zealand's long term biosecurity and sustainability of our wonderful resources at the top of their priorities.

Amazing experience. Recommend to everyone :)

Do not hesitate to book this sailing trip! The service, lunch and snacks are really nice, the boat is beautiful and Mike the captain is a great storyteller! We had an awesome day, thanks again!!

Very exciting adventure. Lucky to have amazing weather that enabled us to go through the stunning hole in the rock. All topped off with a surprise visit from dolphins.

This year we travelled Australia and New Zealand for 4 months. At the end of our trip and at the last minute we booked in on Gunga II after being dumped by another operator. Lucky break! We had the most epic day with Mike with stories which were fascinating and memories of dolphins, penguins and tiny islands which delighted us. The snacks and lunch were healthy, tasty and spot on. We didn't want to leave the boat. Back in London now, a piece of our hearts are still there...

Highly recommend everyone to go on Gungha II Bay of islands cruise. A beautiful sailing boat own & operate by Michael & his wife. Michael & his crew gave us a magnificent tour on his boat. We felt like we had a private boat tour to ourselves with a private skipper . Michael is such a fun friendly and accommodating Skipper. 5Star + for our experience. Thank you Mike & Rob!

Had the best time on the Gungha II in the beautiful bay of islands! Such a relaxed, calm vibe to the trip. I really enjoyed the friendly hosts, hospitality and knowledge provided by the crew. 100% recommend this experience - it’s incredible! We even saw a penguin and were lucky enough to have a pod of dolphins join us in revelry swimming, leaping and playing in the water beside the boat. Thanks for a spectacular day! :)

What a great day! Pick up was on time from Russell pier, and from the moment we stepped on board it was a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. It's a family crew who make you feel at home and being processed. Tea, coffee, warm scones, amazing fresh buffet lunch (we had green shell muscles, salad, chicken, rice, daal & sweetcorn), afternoon tea with chocolate cake and fresh fruit. Gordon the skipper and his wife also shared some of history of the Bay as we went, and we stopped in a couple of bays to snorkel, kayak & swim (all included). Great day out on the water!

We saw dolphins, whales, and seals. The Bay of Islands is stunning, the crew and commentary are awesome, the island stopover is lovely, we highly recommend this trip!!

Great cruise, loved that we could get off the boat and stay longer if we wanted at the island we had lunch. The free ferry ticket back to Russell was another lovely bonus. You can really make this a full day excursion. Would happily recommend.

We got to see penguins and a pod of 6 dolphins. Mike and Rob are great hosts. We got to hear some really cool stories as well. Definitely recommend. Thank you guys for one of the most amazing day ever!

Whole day was fantastic. We had dolphins playing on the bow and the hosts are lovely - feels like you are sailing with friends. Islands are beautiful and the lunch was delicious (albeit a bit small - take snacks!)

Great way to spend a day in one of New Zealand’s wonderful scenic areas. The bus was very comfortable and left on time. The bus driver (Kenny) was very informative and comical at times. He made the trip fly by but still pointed out interesting scenes and historical sights. The cruise was equally interesting with the captain keeping everyone interested in the points of interest including the famous hole in the rock saving the best for last. You won’t believe where the ship will fit until you see it. I would recommend this day trip to anyone wanting to see more of the NZ ocean coast.

Was a shame that we weren't able to go out to the hole in the rock due to the cyclone but we were able to see dolphins! Staff and captain were great. No complaints. Highly recommend it. Looking forward to coming back to New Zealand and doing the cruise again.

We booked the winter eco experience aboard the Albatross V. Having the dolphins swim alongside our boat for 20 minutes was an amazing experience. Our skipper had a great personality, very knowledgeable and shared lots of stories and information with us. We had a wonderful day out and enjoyed the muffins. Great fun. We would highly recommend this experience.

Great way to spend an afternoon! Beautiful scenery, knowledgeable and friendly staff and great food. Don't miss the best way to see the bay of islands.