Full-Day Bay of Islands Tour by Vigilant Yacht Charters
Overview
Available languages
5 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Hop aboard Vigilant and enjoy a beautiful day sailing in the Bay of Islands. We only take 10 passengers, the small group allows you to lounge on the yacht comfortably and enjoy the islands privately. Our skipper lives here in Russell and knows plenty about it's history which they will be happy to share with you.
Vigilant is a beautiful traditional 42 ft Cutter rig yacht with a wineglass transom, teak decks, and a swamp kauri wooden interior. Enjoy an adventure away from the crowds of sightseers. Here, you can steer your own experience by helping the skipper at the helm, hoisting the sails or, if you prefer, just relaxing on deck while you journey from island to island. If you wish, you can swim on one of the beaches, snorkel and kayak. Comb the shores and walk around to see some great lookouts with panoramic views of the islands.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Minimum drinking age is 18 years
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What To Expect
Vigilant Yacht Charters
Departing the Russell wharf at 10am, we will raise the sails and head out to the islands! The wind decides which island we go to, always a surprise!
Explore one of our 144 islands, spend some time lounging on the beach, kayak to a small cave or go snorkelling!
What‘s Included
Local guide
Kayaks
Snorkeling gear
Lunch
Coffee & Tea
Port pickup and drop-off
Alcoholic drinks
Gratuities
Options
Shared Day sail
Away from the crowds of sightseers, you can steer your own experience by helping the skipper at the helm, hoisting the sails or, if you prefer, just relaxing on deck.
Reviews
228 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Authentic
scottsM1657MQ,Apr 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Sailing the Vigilant is authentic. Capt “Nat” is a real sailor with a wealth of knowledge of the ocean the boat and the natural environment. The boat is in ocean going trim. Beautiful water for sure. Relaxed and friendly. Good food and beverage. Be sure to visit with Natalie about South Pacific sailing adventures. Yacht racing and Coast Guard rescue ops! Thank you for a great day! With respect. Scott and Mona
Awesome experience! Tour...
Austin B,Apr 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Awesome experience! Tour guides were very informative and accommodating. My girlfriend is gluten free and they were able to still provide a delicious lunch. Sailboat has a bathroom and a place to store your belongings out of the elements. Would definitely recommend this experience to anyone!
Nice, but not great either
Willem V,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00It's not like you're visiting different islands. You sail to 1 island and stay there for 1.5 hours. Then you go back. Was sorry about this
What a great day sailing
James C,Apr 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00What’s fantastic day , well hosted good fun, plenty time to swim snorkel and walk on the island . Great lunch , and we saw dolphins which swam alongside the boat !
Day sailing
darrylc922,Mar 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great days sailing and snorkelling/kayaking.crew provided excellent info.definite recomend
There's still some sea life in 'The Old Dog' 🙂
Julian B,Mar 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We're got a full day out. Temp stop at a bay for some time ashore, followed by a lovely lunch (wrap, cookie and a cuppa). The Bay is stunning, you just don't know which way to look. Not having been back on the sea for some time, the trip was a great reminder for me on what I've been missing. Great to share some seagoing experience and related banter! Thanks ladies, really appreciated the trip.
A very special experience
H175NJjamesl,Mar 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A fantastic day on a beautiful yacht. Sailed out and anchored off a superb sandy beach where I was able to snorkel, kayak and swim in clear water. This was followed by an excellent veggie wrap and an exhilarating sail back to Russell. The skipper/owner Natalie and her crew Izzy were so friendly and all of us on board had the opportunity to steer Vigilant on the way home. A really special and memorable day.
Smaller group sailing yacht charter in Bay of Islands
Tam P,Feb 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We enjoyed our day on Vigilant with Captain Nat and first mate Dallas. There wasn’t enough wind in the morning to sail so we were motoring and weather was slightly overcast. We stopped and anchored at Motorua Island, which is very picturesque island. My husband and I did the hike around the island which was of moderate difficulty, not easy as per the signs, because although relatively short hike (took us about 1.5 hrs to complete the ~2.5m/4km) it did involve steep ascents and descents into each bay. Lunch provided was pretty tasty veggie burrito. Do BYOB and water bottle to refill on water. The sun and wind came out in the afternoon and we did get a couple hours of very nice sailing and clients were allowed to take the helm. We liked the smaller group (max 10-11 clients) of the Vigilant sailing yacht versus the larger groups on the larger motorboats and catamarans doing similar Bay of Islands charters.
Wonderfull relaxing day with Nathalie on the Vigilant.
Luk58,Jan 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00On Friday 17 October, we had a wonderfully relaxing day on the Vigilant with Nathalie (the captain). Apart from us (4), there was only one other passenger on board. The weather was beautiful (almost too beautiful, because in the morning there was too little wind to sail). Around noon, we moored at Motorua Island for a beautiful walk on this uninhabited island and bird sanctuary. Back on the boat, we were served a delicious vegetarian wrap. The wind had picked up a bit and on the way back to Russell, the sails were hoisted and we sailed back on wind power. With Nathalie's help, you can even take the helm yourself for a while. It was a bit cold for snorkelling and kayaking, but the possibilities are there. All in all, what a great day!
A sailing day to remember
nickbM8171EO,Jan 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great day! BOOK NOW! Very experienced Skipper (also a local lifeboat skipper) - Natalie - who had great knowledge not just of the sailing area, but also about local wildlife and history. We did all the “extra” activities - hiking, snorkelling, swimming, kayaking- - we saw a pod of dolphins, a bronze shark, lots of different birds - sadly not the elusive penguin this time! We’ll have to go again! Food was delicious, the company great and we would really recommend this trip.
From NZ$185.00
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