Sailing to New Zealand from the Pacific: arriving at Opua

Every spring, as the cyclone season approaches, hundreds of cruising yachts leave Tonga, Fiji and New Caledonia and head south to New Zealand. Most of them make landfall in the Bay of Islands and clear in at Opua. If that is your plan this season, this guide covers how arrival works, what the marinas will ask for before you can berth, and where to stay once you are in.

Where do yachts clear in when they arrive in New Zealand?

Your first stop has to be a port approved to receive yachts from overseas. Opua, in the Bay of Islands, is the busiest of them for small craft, and the one most Pacific cruisers use. Opua Marina describes itself as New Zealand's northernmost port of entry, with Customs and biosecurity officers working on site and a quarantine area inside the outer breakwater.

Other ports of entry include Whangarei, Auckland, Picton and Lyttelton. Whichever you choose, check the current rules on the New Zealand Customs and Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) websites before you sail, because they change.

What happens when you arrive at Opua?

You come alongside the quarantine berth and stay aboard until Customs and MPI have cleared you. Expect biosecurity to look at food, rubbish, plants and anything else on the restricted list. Opua has a free disposal point for food you are not allowed to bring ashore.

Once you are cleared, the marina asks you to visit the office and complete a short rental form, if you have not booked ahead.

What do the Bay of Islands marinas ask for before you berth?

This is the part that catches people out. Opua Marina's berth request form asks for:

• Third party liability insurance, with a minimum cover of NZD 5 million.
• A holding tank. The Bay of Islands has a no discharge policy.
• A current electrical safety certificate if you plug into shore power.
• Proof of a clean hull if you are arriving from overseas.

Kerikeri's marina has similar rules, including the same NZD 5 million insurance and a recent antifoul or a washdown. Gather these documents before you leave, not on the dock.

Where can you berth in the Bay of Islands?

Opua Marina is the obvious base. It has around 420 berths for boats from 10.5 to 40 metres, a boatyard, a fuel dock and more than 35 marine businesses on site, which matters if the passage left you with a list of jobs. Its cruiser rates get cheaper the longer you stay.

Kerikeri Marina, run by the Kerikeri Cruising Club, is quieter and about 15 minutes' drive from Kerikeri town. It has 193 floating berths from 10 to 25 metres and rents berths casually, for a few nights or longer, subject to space. Its clubhouse restaurant and bar welcomes visitors.

Russell and Paihia are lovely places to be, but we could not confirm visitor berths at either from their own websites. The practical plan is to clear in at Opua, berth there, and ask locally about a mooring.

You can see every Northland marina we list on our Northland page.

Should you book a berth before you arrive?

Yes, if you can. The marinas ask you to book ahead, and the busiest weeks of the arrival season fill up. Opua's online form lets you request a berth before you leave, with your boat's length, beam and draught and your dates.

Where next after the Bay of Islands?

Many cruisers spend the summer working south towards Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf, or haul out for the cyclone season. Our guide to visitor berths in Auckland covers which Auckland marinas take visiting boats.

Ask the Bay of Islands marinas at once

Tell us your boat once on our request form, with your expected arrival dates, and we will ask the marinas that fit and pass their answers back to you.

Quick answers

Where do Pacific yachts clear in to New Zealand? Most use Opua in the Bay of Islands. Whangarei, Auckland, Picton and Lyttelton are also ports of entry.

What insurance do I need to berth in the Bay of Islands? Opua and Kerikeri both ask for third party liability cover of at least NZD 5 million.

Do I need a holding tank? Yes, for Opua. The Bay of Islands has a no discharge policy.

Can I berth in Russell or Paihia? We could not confirm visitor berths at either. Most people berth at Opua and arrange a mooring locally.