Chatham Islands
The Chatham Islands consists of two main islands which are inhabited, Chatham & Pitt, located approximately 800 kilometres east of N.Z. Chatham is the largest island and almost a quarter of it is covered by lagoons and lakes.
PROXIMITY
Chatham Island is just a two-hour flight from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports with domestic airline Air Chathams operating regular weekday flights to Chatham Island Airport (Tuuta Airport). Air Chathams also operates flights from Chatham Island to Pitt Island ( a flight of 20 minutes )
STAY
- Like most destinations, the Chatham Islands offers a range of accommodation. Some of our recommended places to stay include:
- Hotel Chatham
- Chatham Rise Motel
- Awarakau Lodge
- The Black Robin Homestay
- The outlying villages of Owenga, Kaingaroa and Port Hutt also have baches that are able to be rented. For those wanting to spend some time on Pitt Island , Flowerpot Lodge is recommended.
SEE + DO
- You'll find outdoor activities aplenty on the Chatham Islands.
- Discover genuinely unique plant and bird life such as the Chatham Islands Forget-me-not which grows in clumps in the most barren terrains.
- Relax on deserted beaches.
- Hike through wild landscapes.
- Wander along the lagoon shores and you'll likely find ancient fossils.
- Visit the Go Wild nursery and taste the island’s special freeze-dry honey.
- A short journey to neighbouring Pitt Island is a must-do as you'll be visiting the first inhabited place on the planet to see the sunrise from Mt Hakepa.
- While on Pitt take in historic Glory Bay and Glory Cottage and the unusual rock formations at Kokowai and the Mars Lookout with a view to the nature reserve of Mangere Island.
- Explore the fascinating geology of the basalt columns, the many impressive volcanic cone vistas, Splatter Rock and the red tuff cliffs.
- Visit the Taiko Trust and Gap Sanctuary and view the site and work of protecting some of the world’s rarest seabirds.
- Take a trip to the abundant seal colony at the remote Conservation Covenant site of Point Munning and the remains of the first German mission settlement at Mission Bay.
- Enjoy a fishing charter for the Chathams renowned blue cod and hapuka.
- Tour the Chatham Island Food fish processing plan, view paua, kina and other species in the live wells.
- Visit Admiral Garden, created for birds, bees and butterflies.
- Enjoy picturesque Port Hutt where the wreck of the Thomas Currell (a WW2 mine sweeper turned fish freezer) lies. Journeying to the historic Maunganui Stone Cottage.
- View the restoration of the Sunderland Flying Boat