Bay WATCH

Tucking into perfectly cooked fish and chips on the black-pebbled Russell beach, two Dutch tourists sit watching the orange sun sink slowly into the ocean. “This is paradise,” one of them sighs. The comment reminds us that, as Kiwis, we often take the beauty of our country for granted. In the Bay of Islands, however, it’s hard to ignore that paradise really is right here on our doorstep.

And when you’re in such a breathtaking natural setting, you don’t want to be wasting time scrolling down your phone screen to find the best places to visit, eat and sleep. Which is why we’ve highlighted our top picks for you – so you can focus on enjoying the eye-wateringly lovely surrounds and soaking up