Rurima Island

Rurima Island is a small island in the Bay of Plenty in the same region as that of the North Island of New Zealand.  It lies about ten kilometers northwest off the mouth of the Rangitaiki River and nine kilometers west of the larger island of Moutohora Island.

The island is an uninhabited nature reserve, with forests of Pohutukawa trees growing.  Tuatara, a reptile that resembles lizards, lives on the island.  The closest inhabited place is Thornton, about 10 km away.

The island is the largest of three islands; the three as a group are called the Rurima Rocks.  The two smaller islands are Island Moutoki, one kilometer to the west and Tokata, one kilometer east. Rurima Island is owned by the iwi of Ngati Awa from Whakatane.
The island has a length of about five hundred meters and has two bays and sandy beaches on the northeast side.  There is a cliff with a lagoon on the north side.

The area around the island, often used for snorkeling and kayaking, has volcanic activity.  When watching from a boat, one can see the volcanic gases bubbling up from the sea.

Whakatane can be reached by boat in forty minutes.