The Bay of Islands locals don’t want tourists to discover – 144 islands guard Māori secrets
The crystalline waters of Te Puna lap against 144 scattered islands, where Māori iwi have quietly protected their ancestral waters for generations. In July 2025, as Northern Hemisphere travelers seek subtropical refuge, local guardians face mounting pressure to preserve what tourism brochures can’t capture—the spiritual heart of Aotearoa’s most sacred marine sanctuary. What makes the … Lire plus