- By Vanessa McKay
- /
- 3 Dec 2021
Creating respectful cruises between wildlife & people.
Discover the very best of the Bay of Islands with us!

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
Responsible tourism for us, is about creating respectful cruises between wildlife and people.
We are the only yacht licensed to view and research dolphins in the Bay of Islands, we are a small local family business, operating responsible dolphin tours for over 29 years.
We are about helping people experience the natural world and creating spaces for people to make a difference.
We are the only company in the Bay of Islands, to be awarded a Responsible Whale Watching Certificate, by international organisation World Cetacean Alliance (WCA).









Day sailing with us
Island and Wildlife Day Cruise
Highlights of our signature Island and Wildlife Day Cruise:
- Sailing on our comfortable 50ft catamaran through the blue waters of the Bay of Islands
- Lend a hand and help set the sails or simply sit back and relax as the wind does the work
- Watch and learn about wild dolphins in the Bay of Islands marine mammal sanctuary. We are the only yacht with a permit to view marine mammals.
- An island stop is included, where you can explore an historic wildlife sanctuary island, Take a nature walk amidst regenerated bush and listen to the beautiful bird songs, Enjoy a refreshing swim or indulge in some snorkeling at a tranquil beach
- Keep an eye out for our little blue penguins, the world's smallest penguin, as well as other ocean birds like our crazy diving gannets, pied cormorants, shearwaters, stormy petrels, and more in their natural habitat.
- Help us to collect information on all wildlife we encounter, to help protect the future of our marine environment.
- Enjoy a Kiwi-style BBQ lunch on board Carino NZ, complete with a bar to grab a refreshing drink
- Professional and fully trained crew and guides
- Cruising with us means contributing to marine conservation and research programs. A portion of each fare is donated to the Carino Marine Explorers Trust, which is a registered charity focused on marine education programs. Our goal is to provide opportunities for local children to become marine kaitiaki (guardians) of the beautiful Bay of Islands.
By choosing our tour, you are supporting responsible tourism practices that prioritize the well-being of the marine wildlife and their environment.
Check out what people are saying and share the experience!
We are a local family operated, marine conservation business
Meet your crew
WILDLIFE CRUISES NEWS
The Latest
- By Vanessa McKay
- /
- 24 Nov 2021
Why do we support a marine mammal sanctuary in the Bay of Islands!
- By Vanessa McKay
- /
- 19 Oct 2021
Carino Wildlife Cruises wins tourism award
- By Vanessa McKay
- /
- 25 Aug 2021