Paroa Bay folds vineyard living, seasonal dining and restorative quiet into one elegant package on New Zealand’s North Island.
A short flight north from Auckland, by light aircraft or helicopter, opens the door to one of the captivating landscapes of New Zealand. Below, the Bay of Islands reveals itself as a mosaic of emerald islands, sheltered bays, and glimmering water. Set gently into this scenery is Paroa Bay, a refined coastal retreat operated by the Lindis Group, known for its thoughtful, approach to luxury rooted firmly in nature. As such, Paroa Bay feels effortlessly removed, yet reassuringly accessible.
The estate offers three distinct accommodation styles, each responding to a different way of experiencing the landscape, but all offering the guests the sensation of feeling like home.
The Tarapunga is a generous, multi-bedroom private residence overlooking the bay, complete with a swimming pool and tennis court. Designed for families or groups, it balances space and comfort with uninterrupted views and a strong sense of privacy.
The Vineyard Cottage sits atop a beautifully landscaped garden, gazing out across the estate’s working vineyard. With its own pool and a more intimate scale, it offers a romantic and relaxed alternative, ideal for couples or smaller groups.
Both Tarapunga and Vineyard Cottage can be booked with a private chef, transforming each stay into a fully tailored experience shaped around shared meals, long evenings, and the rhythm of the surroundings.
For those seeking deeper seclusion, two off-grid cabins provide a quieter connection to nature, where coziness and simplicity in an intimate setting coexist without distraction.
Sage: Dining at the Highest Point
Crowning the estate is Sage, positioned on the highest point of the hill and commanding sweeping views across the Bay of Islands. As daylight softens into evening, the setting becomes quietly spectacular. Inside, the restaurant feels warm and grounded, defined by rich timber and a homely, inviting atmosphere. It is refined without formality, more like dining in a beautifully appointed private home than a destination restaurant.
The food at Sage is resolutely local. Ingredients are grown and sourced just down the road, reflecting the land and sea surrounding the property. Line-caught, sustainably fished seafood anchors the menu, with dishes such as pristine kingfish crudo, alongside confidently cooked sirloin and seasonal produce drawn from nearby farms. The harmony between landscape and plate feels natural rather than constructed, an expression of place rather than interpretation.
The sustainable wines grown on the slopes directly below the restaurant accompany the menu, reinforcing the connection between vineyard, kitchen, and view. The wine making at the estate embraces traditional viticulture and dry-grown vines to create low-yield wines of distinct character, shaped by white clay soils and the warm Bay of Islands climate. This setting enables the vineyard to grow the wide array of grapes in its own characteristics, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot. Together, the landscape, ingredients, and wines form something unmistakably, and uniquely, New Zealand.
Paroa Bay offers something different and increasingly rare, a refined touch with nature. Its proximity to Auckland also makes it an easy addition to any itinerary aswell, especially if travelers already have made it to the antipode of the French Riviera. Its setting delivers the sense of discovery often associated with far more remote destinations. The Bay of Islands remains one of the North Island’s most compelling natural environments, inviting exploration by water, on foot, or simply from a sunlit terrace. Paroa Bay reflects the philosophy of luxury defined by restraint, context, and authenticity. It is a place created for true relaxation, where time slows naturally and the mind settles while gazing out across some of the greenest landscapes on earth. Between rolling hills, dense native vegetation, and the ever-changing hues of the bay, the setting encourages stillness as much as exploration.
Paroa Bay feels effortlessly removed, yet reassuringly accessible. A short trip away from Auckland, yet worlds apart, Paroa Bay lingers long after departure, an elegant reminder of how restorative travel can be when nature and gastronomy are at their most generous.
