Chatham Islands

The Chatham Islands is an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about 680 kilometres (420 mi) southeast of New Zealand. It consists of about ten islands within a 40-kilometre (25 mi) radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island.

The Chatham Islands sit on the international date line between the South Pole and the equator. The main settlements on Chatham Island are at Waitangi, Kaingaroa, Te One, Port Hutt and Owenga. Most of the Chatham Island economy is based on fishing and Crayfishing, with only a fragment of adventure tourism.


Things to See and Do

* Chatham Islands Museum
* Flora and fauna
* Seal colonies
* Bird life
* Nunuku’s Cave – Moriori Rock Carvings

General information

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency - New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Language – English, Maori
Population – 650 approx
Land Area - 966 km2
Electricity – 2 round pins European style, two parallel flat pins Japanese style
Time - GMT plus 12 hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 64

Port Location – The main port is located at Waitangi, on Chatham Island.

Transport Links – Visitors to the Chathams usually arrive by air from Christchurch, Auckland or Wellington (around 1.5 – 2 hours from Christchurch on a Convair 580) to the airport on Chatham Island.

While freight generally arrives by ship (4–5 days' sailing time), the sea journey takes too long for many passengers, and is not always available

Port Overview

Select from all of our ports Abel Tasman National Park Acheron Passage, New Zealand Ahe, Tuamotu Islands Ailinglaplap Atoll, Marshall Islands Aitu, Cook Islands Aitutaki, Cook Islands Akaroa New Zealand Alcester Is. Papua New Guinea Alderman Islands, New Zealand Aleipata Islands, Samoa Ali Island, Papua New Guinea Alim Island, Admiralty Islands Alite Harbour, Solomons Alofi, Niue Alotau, Papua New Guinea Ambae (Bali Hai), Vanuatu Ambrym Island Vanuatu Amédée Islet, New Caledonia Amsterdam Island, PNG Anaa, French Polynesia Aneityum, Vanuatu Antipodes Island, New Zealand Anuta Island, Solomon Islands Apataki, Tuamotu Archipelago Apia, Western Samoa Apra, Guam, USA Arnavon Islands, Solomon Islands Arutua, Tuamotu Archipelago Asanvari, Vanuatu Asau, Samoa Asmat, Papua New Guinea Ataliklikun Bay, Papua New Guinea Atiu, Cook Islands Atuona (French Polynesia) Auckland Islands, New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand Aukena (Gambier Islands) Ayau Atoll, Papua New Guinea Bagabag Island, Papua New Guinea Bakawari Island, Papua New Guinea Banda Islands, Maluka Islands, Indonesia Banks Islands, Vanuatu Batanta, Indonesia Bay of Hienghene, New Caledonia Bay of Islands, New Zealand Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand Belep Island, New Caledonia Beqa, Fiji Biak, Papua New Guinea Bicari Bay, Indonesia Bird's Head Seascape, New Guinea Island Blenheim, New Zealand Bluff, New Zealand Blumine Island, New Zealand Bodulan Islands, Papua New Guinea Bona Bona Island, Papua New Guinea Bonarua Island, PNG Bora Bora, French Polynesia Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea Boulari-Havannah Passage Bounty Bay, Pitcairns Island Bounty Islands Breaksea Island, New Zealand Buka Is, Bouganville, Papua New Guinea Buliya, Fiji Buna, Papua New Guinea Calvados Chain, Louisiade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea Campbell Island, New Zealand Canala, New Caledonia Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Papua New Guinea Cape Kri, Raja Ampat, West Papua Carnley Harbour, New Zealand Caroline Islands, Micronesia Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia Champagne Bay, Vanuatu Charles Sound, New Zealand Chatham Islands Chesterfield Island, New Caledonia Christchurch (Akaroa), New Zealand Christchurch (Lyttelton), New Zealand Christmas Island, Kiribati Cobia Is, Ringgolds, Fiji Conflict Islands, Papua New Guinea Cook Bay, Moorea (French Polynesia) Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand Crown Island Crown Island, Papua New Guinea D'Entrecasteaux Islands, Papua New Guinea d'Urville Island, New Zealand Daru, Papua New Guinea Deboyne Lagoon Deka Deka Island, Papua New Guinea Divine Island, New Caledonia Dobu Island, Papua New Guinea Doini Island, Papua New Guinea Doubtful Sound, New Zealand Dravuni, Fiji Dregerhafen, Papua New Guinea Ducie Atoll, Pitcairn Islands Duke of York Is, Papua New Guinea Dunedin (Port Chalmers), New Zealand Dusky Sound, New Zealand Egum Atoll, PNG Elephant Cove, Coromandel Emae Island, Vanuatu Enderby Island Espiritu Santo Island Vanuatu Eua Island, Tonga Euaiki, Tonga Fais Island, Micronesia Fakarava, French Polynesia Fanning Isle, Rep of Kiribati Fatu Hiva, Marquesa Islands Feni Islands, PNG Fergusson Islands, Papua New Guinea Fiordland National Park, New Zealand Florida Islands, Solomon Islands Foa Island, Tonga Funafuti, Tuvalu Gaferut Atoll, Yap State, Micronesia Galoa Island, Fiji Garove Island, PNG George Sound, New Zealand Ghizo Is, Solomons Gisborne, New Zealand Gizo, Ghizo Island, Solomon Islands Golden Bay, New Zealand Great Barrier Island, New Zealand Great Mercury Island, New Zealand Green Islands, Papua New Guinea Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands Guam, USA Ha'apai, Tonga Hakahetau, Ua Pou Island Hanavave (French Polynesia) Hansa Bay, Papua New Guinea Havannah Boulari Passage Havannah Harbour, Vanuatu Havannah-Boulari Passage Havelock (South), New Zealand Hen and Chicken Islands, New Zealand Henderson, Pitcairn Islands Hidden Bay, Indonesia Hienghene, New Caledonia Hiva Oa, Marquesa Islands Hog Harbour, Vanuatu Honiara, Solomon Islands Huahine, French Polynesia Ifalik Atoll, Yap, FSM Iles de Horn, French Polynesia Iles Layoute (Loyalty Islands), New Caledonia Ilot Maitre, New Caledonia Ilot Mato, New Caledonia Ilots du Sud, New Caledonia Invercargill, New Zealand Iron Bottom Sound, Solomon Islands Isle of Pines, New Caledonia Jackson Bay, New Zealand Jacquinot Bay, PNG Kabara, Fiji Kadavu Group, Fiji Kafure, Papua New Guinea Kaikoura, New Zealand Kaimana, Papua New Guinea Kaiteriteri, New Zealand Kapingamarangi, FSM Kapiti Island, New Zealand Karumolun Island, Russell Islands, Solomon Islands Kavieng, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea Kawau Island, New Zealand Kei (Kai) Islands, Indonesia Kennedy Is, Solomons Kermadec Islands Kia Island, Fiji Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea Kioa, Fiji Kiribati Kiriwina Island, Papua New Guinea Kitava Island, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea Kitikiti Waterfall, Mommon, Indonesia Kofiau Island, Raja Ampat Kolombangara, Solomon Islands Kopar Village, Sepik River, PNG Koro Island and Savu Savu Bay, Vanua Levu Island, Fiji Kosrae, Micronesia Kouare Island, New Caledonia Koumac, New Caledonia Kri Island, Indonesia Kuiawa Island, Papua New Guinea Kwatisore, Papua New Guinea Lababia, Papua New Guinea Lae, Papua New Guinea Lakeba, Fiji Lamap, Malekula island, Vanuatu Lambassa Is, Papua New Guinea Lambom, Papua New Guinea Lamen Bay, Vanuatu Lamotrek Atoll, Caroline Islands Lata, Nendo Island Laughlan Islands, Papua New Guinea Lautoka, Fiji Lavena, Taveuni Island, Fiji Lelepa, Vanuatu Leleuvia, Fiji Lembata Island, Indonesia Levuka, Fiji Lifou, Loyalty Islands Liki Island, PNG Loh Island, Torres Islands, Vanuatu Long Island, Papua New Guinea Lopevi Island, Vanuatu Lords River, New Zealand Louisiade Archipelago Luganville, Vanuatu Lusancay Islands, PNG Macuata, Fiji Madang, Papua New Guinea Maewo Island, Vanuatu Mago Island, Fiji Maiao, French Polynesia Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands Makatea, French Polynesia Makogai Island, Fiji Makura Island, Vanuatu Malaita Island, Soloman Islands Malakula Island, Vanuatu Malden Island, Kiribati Malekula Island, Vanuatu Malolo Islands-Fiji Mamanuca Islands, Fiji Mamberamo River, Papua New Guinea Manam Island, Papua New Guinea Manava Cay, Fiji Mangalonga Island, Solomon Islands Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia Mangonui, New Zealand Manihi Island, Tuamotu Archipelago Manihiki Island, Cook Islands Manokwari, Papua New Guinea Mansinan Island, PNG Mansuar Island, Indonesia Manus Island, Papua New Guinea Mapia Atoll Marau Sound, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands Mare Island, New Caledonia Marlborough Sounds Marotiri Island, French Polynesia Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands Marsden Point, New Zealand Marshall Bennett Islands, Papua New Guinea Maskelyne Islands, Vanuatu Mata Utu, Wallis Matacawa levu-Fiji Mataiva, Tuamotu Islands Matakana, New Zealand Matuku, Laus Maupihaa, Society Islands Maupiti Mavea Island, Vanuatu Mayor Island, (Tuhua) New Zealand Mbike Island, Solomon Islands Mercury Bay, New Zealand Mesemta, Indonesia Midway Island, USA Milford Sound, New Zealand Million Dollar Point, Vanuatu Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea Mioskon Island, Papua New Guinea Moala Island, Fiji Mokohinau Islands, New Zealand Moorea, French Polynesia Mopelia, Society Islands, French Polynesia Morobe Harbour, Papua New Guinea Moto Lava, Vanuatu Motu Ceran (French Polynesia) Motu Iriru, French Polynesia Motu Iriru, Raiatea Motu Maha'ea (French Polynesia) Motu Oa and Ua Pou, Marquesas Islands Motu Ofetaro, Ra'iatea, French Polynesia Motu Piti A'au (French Polynesia) Motu Tapu (French Polynesia) Motu Tautau, French Polynesia Motu Tehutu (French Polynesia) Motu Tevairoa, French Polynesia Motu Toopua (French Polynesia) Motuara Island, New Zealand Mount Koghi, New Caledonia Mounu Island, Tonga Murik Lakes, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea Mussau Island, Papua New Guinea Mutiny On The Bounty Tonga Mystery Island, Vanuatu Naigani Island, Fiji Nalauwaki Bay-Fiji Nananu-i-Ra, Fiji Nanumea, Tuvalu Nanuya Lailai, Fiji Nanuyakoto Lailai, Fiji Napier, New Zealand Naqelelevu, Fiji Naviti Island, Fiji Neiafu and Nuku Islands, Vava’u Group, Kingdom of Tonga Nelson, New Zealand Nendo Island, Solomon Islands New Georgia Islands, Solomons New Hanover Island, PNG New Plymouth, NZ Ngulu Atoll, Micronesia Nguna Island, Vanuatu Nissan Island, Papua New Guinea Niuafo'ou (Tin Can Island), Tonga Niuatoputapu, Kingdom of Tonga Niue Island, Niue Njari Island, Solomon Islands Nomuka Island, Tonga Norfolk Island North East Island, New Zealand Northport, Marsden Point, New Zealand Noumea, New Caledonia Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands Nuku'alofa, Tonga Islands Nukufetau, Tuvalu Nukunonu, Tokelau, New Zealand Nukuoro Atoll, FSM Nukupule Island, Tonga Oban, Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island Obi Island, Maluka Islands, Indonesia Oeno Island Omoa, Fatu Hiva Oneata, Fiji Ono-i-Lau Island, Southern Lau Group, Fiji Opunohu, Moorea (French Polynesia) Oroluk Atoll, FSM Ouvea, Loyalty Islands, French Polynesia Ovaka, Tonga Padaidori Islands, PNG Pago Pago American Samoa Paihia, New Zealand Palau Island, Republic of Palau Palmerston Island, Cook Islands Palmyra Atoll, USA Panapompom Island, Papua New Guinea Pangai, Lifuka Island, Kingdom of Tonga Papeete, Tahiti Papua New Guinea Paterson Inlet, New Zealand Pavuvu Island, Solomon Islands Pele Island, Vanuatu Pelorus Sound, New Zealand Penrhyn, Cook Islands Pentecost Island Vanuatu Perseverance Harbour, New Zealand Picton, New Zealand Pingelap Atoll, Micronesia Pitcairn (Adamstown), Pitcairn Islands Pohnpei Island, FSM Pomio, Papua New Guinea Ponape, Marshall Islands Port Port Adventure, New Zealand Port Bouquet Bay New Caledonia Port Denarau (Nadi), Fiji Port Fitzroy, Great Barrier Is. Port Mary, Santa Ana Island Port Moresby PNG Port Pegasus, New Zealand Port Vila Vanuatu Poum, New Caledonia Preservation Inlet, New Zealand Prony Bay, New Caledonia Puka Puka, Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia Puka Rua, Tuamotus Islands, French Polynesia Pukapuka, Cook Islands Pulap Atoll, FSM Pulau Arborek, Papua New Guinea Pulau Ayu, Indonesia Pulau Bungin, Indonesia Pulau Gorong Pulau Hoga, Indonesia Pulau Kital, Indonesia Pulau Lamsutu, Indonesia Pulau Roon, Papua New Guinea Qamea Island, Fjiji Qilaqila, Fiji Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand Queenstown, New Zealand Ra Island, Vanuatu Rabaul, Papua New Guinea Rabi Fiji Raiatea, French Polynesia Raivavae, Austral Islands Raja Ampat Rakahanga Island, Cook Islands Rambutyo Island, Papua New Guinea Ramu River, Papua New Guinea Rangiroa, French Polynesia Ranon, Vanuatu Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands Rapa, Austral Islands Raroia (Raro-nuku), Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia Rarotonga, Cook Islands Rauhi Island, Solomon Islands Reao, French Polynesia Renard Islands, PNG Rennell Island, Solomon Islands Rikitea (Gamiber Islands) Rimatara, Austral Islands Rinca, Indonesia Ringgold Isles, Fiji Riung, Indonesia Riviere Bleue, New Caledonia Roberton (Motuarohia) Island Roderick Bay, Solomon Islands Ropa, Indonesia Rossel Island, PNG Rotorua, New Zealand Rotuma, Fiji Rurutu, Austral Islands Russell Islands, Solomon Islands Russell, New Zealand Sacred Islands, Fiji Safata Bay, Upolu Island, Samoa Saipan, Marianas Islands, Micronesia Saleia, Matautu Bay, Samoa Salisali, Fiji Samarai Island, Papua New Guinea San Cristobal, Solomon Islands Sana Island, Vanuatu Santa Ana Is, Solomons Santa Isabela Island Satawal Island, Yap, Micronesia Savai'i Island, Samoa Savo Island, Solomons Savusavu Fiji Sawa-I-Lau Island, Fiji Sepik River, PNG Ship Cove, New Zealand Shortland Islands, Solomon Islands Siau Island, Indonesia Sissano Lagoon Snares Island, New Zealand Solomon Islands Somosomo, Fiji Sorol Atoll Sorong, Papua New Guinea South West Bay, Vanuatu Spice Islands Star Harbour, Solomon Islands Starbuck Island, Republic of Kiribati Supper Cove, New Zealand Suva Fiji Suwarrow Atoll, Cook Islands Tabar Islands, PNG Tahaa, French Polynesia Tahanea, French Polynesia Tahiti Tahuata, French Polynesia Taiari (Chalky Inlet), New Zealand Taiohae (French Polynesia) Taka Bonerate National Park, Indonesia Takapoto, French Polynesia Takaroa Atoll, French Polynesia Tami Islands, Papua New Guinea Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia Tanna and Aniwa Islands, Vanuatu Tanna Island, Vanuatu Tarakohe, New Zealand Tauranga, New Zealand Tavanipupu, Solomon Islands Taveuni Island (Naselesele), Fiji Te Anau, New Zealand Tegua, Vanuatu Teluk Berau, Indonesia Ternate Island, Maluka Islands, Indonesia Tetepare, Solomon Islands Tetiaroa, Society Islands The Pyramid, New Zealand Thompson Sound, New Zealand Tikehau, Tahiti Tikihau, Tuamotu Archipelago Tikopia Is, Solomons Timaru, New Zealand Timbunke, Papua New Guinea Timika, Papua New Guinea Tingwon Island, Papua New Guinea Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand Tivua Island, Fiji Toau, French Polynesia Tomman Island, Vanuatu Tongatapu, Tonga Tonoas Island, Chuuk, Micronesia Torres Islands, Vanuatu Tory Channel, New Zealand Toyota Island, Fiji Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea Truk (Chuuk), Micronesia Tsoi Island, Papua New Guinea Tsoilik Island, Solomon Islands Tuam Island, Papua New Guinea Tuamotu Atolls, French Polynesia Tubuai Islands, French Polynesia Tufi Harbour, Papua New Guinea Tulagi, Solomons Turtle Island, Fiji Ua Huka, Marquesa Islands, French Polynesia Ua Pou, Marquesa Islands, French Polynesia Uepi Island, Solomon Islands Ulithi Atoll Ulva Island, New Zealand Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea Uoleva Island, Tonga Uratu, Papua New Guinea Ureparapara Island, Vanuatu Urupukapuka Island, New Zealand Utupua Is, Solomons Vairao, Tahiti Iti Vanikoro, Solomon Islands Vanimo Island, PNG Vanua Balavu, Lau Islands, Fiji Vanua Levu, Fiji Vanua Vatu, Fiji Vatu Vara, Fiji Vatu-i-Ra, Fiji Vavau, Tonga Vella Lavella Is. Solomons Vila, Vanuatu Vitu (Witu) Islands, Papua New Guinea Vona Vona Lagoon, Solomon Islands Vuaqava, Fiji Vulaga Island, Southern Lau Group, Fiji Wagifa Island, PNG Waigeo Island, Papua New Guinea Waiheke Island, New Zealand Wailagilala Island, Fiji Waisisi, Tanna Island, Vanuatu Waitangi, New Zealand Wakatobi National Marine Park, Indonesia Wala, Vanuatu Wallis & Futuna Islands Watam, Papua New Guinea Waya Islands-Fiji Wayag Island, Indonesia Wellington, New Zealand Western Samoa Westport, New Zealand Wewak, Papua New Guinea Whangamumu Harbour, New Zealand Whangarei, New Zealand Whangaroa Harbour, New Zealand White Island, New Zealand Whitianga, New Zealand Woleai Island, French Polynesia Woodlark Island, PNG Wuvulu Island, Papua New Guinea Yadua Tabu, Fiji Yagasa, Fiji Yalobi Village - Fiji Yanuca (Yanutha) Island, Fiji Yap Islands, Micronesia Yasawa Islands, Fiji Yasawa-I-Rara Island, Fiji Yenwaupnor, Raja Ampat, Indonesia

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