We had general admission and saw the show rather than the tour. The times of the tour and the show overlap so to do both you'd need to be there a good few hours. The experience starts with a video which is a good way of learning the background.The place is very well kept and the information boards are clean, educational and easy to find. We saw the show which I found to be a lot of fun and the team seemed really passionate about what they do. There are Kiwis. But sadly we didn't see one.
This is a beautiful part of the world and with its museum and cultural displays is a great place to spend a few hours. It's a fascinating trip back in time to the signing of the Waitangi Treaty without the commercialism of many tourist attractions. You can take a tour or like us, or make your own way around. Well worth the entry fee.
Loved the history and the buzz, the stalls at the markets were interesting however I did witness someone get mugged so keep hold of your belongings!
What an amazing place on a day where the sea was sparkling. Everything resplendent ! The calibre of the tour guide was top notch. Informative , proud , humorous when appropriate. Coming from the world view and perspective of a proud Maori person . This was engaging and personally moving. The cultural section was top notch as well. not "a show" as seen in other places ... A heartfelt sharing of culture and practice ... Just amazing. Felt uplifted that this Maori culture is proud to share their past as well as their now with pakeha and tourists . Indeed not a trite overview but an engaging cultural experience. Expensive but not to be missed . Wow !
If you don't know much about New Zealand history (I didn't), the treaty grounds provided a great explanation.
As part of our entrance fee we received a guided tour of Waitangi. This was a bit shorter than anticipated but gave an brief overview of the history of the Treaty of Waitangi and while a bit brief for us, the overseas people in our group seemed to appreciate it. The tour guide, Denise, was excellent and had a great sense of humour. The grounds are beautiful and abound with native birds. View is fabulous. Well worth a visit.
Well worth visitng even with the entry fee. New Zealander must show proof of status to get cheaper entry. I live in Australia so had to go back and get my passport. Very historic and a vey well maintained site. We took a picnic to have on the lawn.
This is wonderful. It gives you all the information about the beginning of New Zealand and how it has developed to what it is today. A must if you are in or around the Bay of Islands area.
If you visit New Zealand, or indeed a resident you should come here. A sense of the history of modern New Zealand, the relationship between it's peoples can be better understood here. Take the guided tour or self guide. Do not miss the cultural show, it's explanation of custom and practice was excellent. The performers were entertaining, their interaction with a group of school children was wonderful. Don't miss it.