Business owner/operator Kenny McCracken first fell in love with the Eastern Bay of Plenty whilst hitch hiking around New Zealand in 1990 and returned with his family to live there in 1995. Now based on the shores of the enchanting Ohiwa Harbour close to the Maori village of Kutarere, KG Kayaks has evolved to become a mobile operation, providing the freedom to launch from a number of venues around the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Lizzy, Mark; Stacey (Freedom Hires) and Barry Cutfield complete the friendly KG team. Lizzy creates the wonderful cakes and muffins that you can expect on our Guided Tours, while Barry skippers his catamaran Centaurus on Whale Island Trips with occasional deckhand Calum. A happy crew!

Moutohorā / Whale Island, a wildlife management reserve, is 9km off the coast from Whakatane and it’s a kayaking paradise. We meet at the Whakatane Yacht Club Wharf, close to the i-Site and after a biosecurity check , we welcome you on board the boat, Centaurus, a well appointed sailing catamaran. After a safety briefing from Baz the skipper and with kayaks loaded, we head down the Whakatane River and out on to the ocean for the 45 minute trip to Whale Island.

Wildlife encounters, whether NZ fur seals, little blue penguins or gannets plunging into the ocean around us are common and the scenery is always breath taking. When the conditions are right we are able to explore the sea caves on the North West corner, but always we take time to visit the HOT WATER BEACH at Onepu on the south side of the island, where we check out the geothermal activity and toast our toes in the hot sand.

Our guides love the stretch of coastline between Ohope Beach and Whakatane and its always a delight to paddle with visitors past eternally beautiful Otarawairere Bay and through the rocky channels beyond.

This trip will energise you with a sense of freedom and love for the Bay of Plenty and of course in summer, its a wonderful place to swim.

Sunset! Moonrise! Sparkling waters! Ancient Pohutukawa trees! Romance! Adventure! Yarns around the campfire! This trips offers much more than just a kayak journey.

From fish leaping into kayaks in the dark to stunning bio luminescence (phosphorescence) in the water, we’ve had some magical adventures under the Moonlight. No two trips are ever the same, but you’ll be left with a tale to tell and an adventure to share.