Things to do on Great Barrier Island – A Guide

The Barrier, as Great Barrier Island is affectionately known to locals is a well guarded secret and still sees few international visitors. In fact, I even thought twice about including it on my Top 45 Things to do in Auckland – I love a good secret destination as much as the next traveler. Below you can find info on the things to do on Great Barrier Island as well as how to get there.

Brief History of Great Barrier Island

Named Aotea in the Māori language. The island holds a special place in the indigenous Māori people’s history dating back to the very first settlement of New Zealand by the Polynesian ancestors of today’s Māori population, who trace their ancestry over many centuries to the original inhabitants.

Throughout the Polynesian migratory age, many ancestral waka (canoe) landed on the shores of Aotea, guided by the constellations. The first Polynesian wayfinder, Kupe, landed here, calling it Okupe. Over the years, this has changed to Okupu, still a name for one of the island’s settlements now.

Captain James Cook passed by in 1769 and named the island Great Barrier Island for the protection that it gives to the Hauraki Gulf: the body of water that now surrounds Auckland City. Europeans started to settle here from the 1840s. Being roughly 90 kilometres off the coast of Auckland, settlement never really took off like it did in other parts of the country.

Things to do on Great Barrier Island

These days, most people are living here off the grid. I stayed at an awesome little Bed & Breakfast with its own hydro-electric dam providing power. The owner had built it all herself. With so few residents, there is minimal light pollution. The Milky Way looks fantastic here. In fact, the whole island is a Dark Sky Sanctuary. One of only 14 in the world. The other one in New Zealand being Stewart Island.

One popular thing to do is walk the Aotea Walking Track. You can do the whole thing which takes a couple of days or just a section. If you just do one section, be sure to include Kaitoke Hot Springs. These springs are naturally occurring right in the middle of the forest. A brilliant way to relax during or after the hike. I recommend taking a route where you can finish at the springs if possible.

Great Barrier has no shortage of great beaches. A few of my favourites include Medlands Beach, Whangapoa Bay, Akapoua Bay & Palmers Beach. To be honest though, you can literally just drive anywhere and come across a great beach. One of the coolest things to do is just cruise around the island exploring with no particular place in mind. 70% of the island is a conservation park so you are never short of stunning vistas.

Where to Stay

In terms of accommodation, there a few different options to consider ranging from Backpacker Hostels to Eco Resorts. The other thing to consider is whereabouts on the island you actually wana stay. I recommend the Claris area which is quite central and not far from the airport. Tryphena is another good option and has the backpacker hostel but the downside is that it is right at the southern end of the island. If you want to explore the north, it is quite a distance away.

Getting Around Great Barrier Island

You don’t need a car to visit Great Barrier Island but it is definitely recommended so you can get the most out of your trip . The island is quite large and everything is spread out so having a vehicle makes the experience a lot more fun. Another option is to try your luck at hitchhiking. Just be aware that there are not many cars/people living here so you might be waiting a while. In saying that, people are super friendly and will pick you up if they see you. You can arrange a car hire before arriving on the island.

Getting to the Island from Auckland

There are two options from Auckland to get over here. One being flying and the other taking the ferry (boat) over.

The ferry is operated by Sealink and the voyage takes about 5 hours. Cars can be taken onboard for an extra charge.

The other option is to fly using using Barrier Air. Flights leave from the Domestic Terminal at Auckland Airport and take 40 minutes. I recommend this option as it is much quicker and more scenic at minimal extra cost.

For more in depth information on getting to and from the Island, check out my guide HERE