First LIght

Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Perfectly situated above the gorgeous historic village of Russell, First Light enjoys epic panoramic views over the Bay of Islands.

First Light is one of five secluded luxury private villas nestled within the seventy five spectacular acres of the award-winning Eagles Nest retreat. Serene views abound over the Bay of Islands, whilst a mix of natural materials and walls of glass ensures that the estate’s villas and gardens blend into the natural topography and foliage.

First Light is the ultimate nest for two. A mezzanine bedroom enjoys spectacular views with a floor to ceiling glass shower in the ensuite and a skylight over the bed. The main floor boasts indoor and outdoor fireplaces and walls of glass bifold doors opening onto a stunning balcony on three sides. First Light is also equipped with a fabulous gourmet kitchen and an additional full bathroom, outdoor shower and a hot tub to soak away in under the starlit sky.

Private chefs complete the stay at First Light, organising anything from a five course sit-down meal, to a do-it-yourself BBQ pack.

We have traveled all over the world and we highly recommend Southern Crossing as your travel advisor for New Zealand. Their personal knowledge, attention to detail, and execution of our travel plans were exceptional…from selecting exceptional properties, even down to the specific suites. All drivers were very professional, as well as tour guides and heli pilots. Sarah and Gabrielle will ensure that every aspect of your trip will create wonderful memories that will last a lifetime

As a travel advisor dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences for my clients, I rely on trusted partners who can meet the highest standards of luxury and service. I am pleased to say that Southern Crossings has consistently exceeded my expectations in providing ultraluxe travel experiences for even my most discerning clients. I know that I can count on them to deliver professionalism, attention to detail, and dedication to creating bespoke travel experiences. They have succeeded in crafting one-of-a-kind journeys that are tailored to each client’s unique preferences.

We spent a glorious month in Australia to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary, thanks to the impeccable planning and care of Stuart and Jacki’s team. They were able to incorporate all of our wish list destinations, no small feat in a country that size! ..From premier rooms, to chefs table seatings at restaurants, to champagne greetings and surprise turn-in treats, we felt like we were VIPs the entire trip…It was truly a unique and unparalleled trip for us.

My husband and I just returned from an amazing 3-week trip to New Zealand, thanks in large part to the tireless help of Sara and Sarah. They listened closely to the way we like to travel, our interests, and what we were hoping for on this special trip to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, and curated an itinerary that ended up exceeding all of our expectations. It is clear to us, as we reflect back on our trip, what a benefit it was to use a travel agency that was actually located in New Zealand. Sara and Sarah were very easy to work with, and always responsive to emails, questions, and changes. And it turns out they also keep track of how everything is going while you are on your trip, checking with drivers and accommodations to make sure everything is perfect.

Thank you for arranging a truly memorable holiday … we had the most incredible time in Australia, and we know we will be back for more again in the not so distant future, so lovely was our visit. So many memorable moments: Saffire Freycinet, start to finish, was perfection. The food in Tasmania knocked our socks off. Our spa services at qualia were some of the best we’ve had anywhere in the world. Capella Sydney was top class, .. and our charter in the Whitsundays was magnificent .. Thanks again – we were just so thrilled.

We just wanted to take a moment and say a HUGE thank you for all your advice and support as we planned our trip to AUS/NZ. For us, it was a trip of a lifetime and that would not have been possible without Southern Crossings. We were able to explore, laugh, eat yummy food, see amazing animals, kayak and meet so many nice people along the way. Our guides and drivers were excellent .. and took us off the beaten path to find truly unique experiences... We could see your local knowledge throughout the trip!!! .. it was a 11 out 10!!

I just wanted to let you know what an amazing time (my clients) had on their trip to Australia and New Zealand, and I wanted to thank you SO much for all of your incredible efforts to make it happen. You went above and beyond to arrange the adventure of a lifetime, and most importantly you gave Spencer the opportunity to do everything and anything that he could imagine. That is truly a gift!!

I have worked with several DMCs in the past and you are by far the best one I have ever worked with! ..I could write a list that would keep me here until tomorrow! You are absolutely magnificent!

I can not thank you enough your assistance in planning a great trip to NZ & Australia. The accommodations were fantastic throughout, the itinerary was flawless, it was just so well choreographed, like a successful Broadway show. And we fell in love with both countries; how can you not!!

Best of all, at about every stop we’ve been treated to some form of special hospitality, which has not gone unnoticed. Safe to say this trip has met and exceeded our expectations.

I can’t begin to tell you how appreciative I am to be working with you. Thank you for all the assistance from the beginning and of course the last minute changes with the floods. Southern Crossings have made it seamless

I just wanted to tell you that our Australia trip was probably The best trip we have Ever taken!!!!!! Not only has it been in our Bucket List forever, but because of all the planning and selected vendors you and Southern Crossing chose to make it all happen, it was incredible!!!!!! Based on all the moving parts of this trip that was almost a full month of events, there was not ONE mess up… A huge thank you for doing an Outstanding job in making everything work out, and making this trip, truly amazing and magical ..
many many many thanks!!!!!!

We came thinking it would be the trip of a lifetime. Bottom line is it was better.
We have been blown away by everything - hotels, food, people, golf, wine - the list is endless. You did an amazing job

Thank you ALL for the most wonderful Australia/New Zealand adventure.
Planning a 7 week trip is daunting enough without the complications of COVID cancellations, rebookings, and closures. Yet every connection, every transportation detail, every accommodation, every meal, everything was flawless.

From our arrival in Sydney .. to our last stop in Queenstown .. we will carry with us the best memories of our trip and all of your efforts. The incredible private boat tours .. the bespoke wine tours with the best guides .. our accommodations .. and the excellent itinerary and pacing, made for a perfect trip.

We can't thank Southern Crossings enough for making this trip all, and more, than we had imagined. You allowed us to see the best of your countries: the people, the beauty, the culture. Five stars, a blue ribbon, and a gold medal to everyone at Southern Crossings!

I cannot recommend Southern Crossings more highly! Fiona worked closely with us to design an itinerary that was perfectly catered to our needs, price-point and preferences. Everything they booked felt extremely authentic and unique. The itinerary was well-balanced in terms of activity, travel and accommodation. They were available and communicative in the months leading up to the trip as well as in real time during the trip. If anything went wrong I took comfort in knowing they were only a phone call away but luckily everything went extremely smoothly. The behind-the-scenes coordination made everything feel seamless and resulted in the trip of a lifetime for us

I had a call with (my client) last night and she was telling me all about their FABULOUS trip!! … They loved everything … I made a few notes to share with you as I always feel that compliments are very important… the same goes for constructive criticism, but they were thrilled with EVERYTHING! … Once again, I truly appreciate all your hard work and thank you for planning a trip that made my client SO HAPPY!!

Where to begin?! We cannot thank you enough for making our dream honeymoon come true. From start to finish it was absolutely perfect and so much more than we ever could have imagined. We still cannot believe how much you were able to fit in and each stop along our itinerary just got better and better. Working with Southern Crossings was - without a doubt - the best decision we made in planning this trip and we know, for sure, that it would not have been nearly the same without your brilliant expertise. … We are so grateful for your support around this trip and hope to work with you all again in the future as soon as we can make it back.

Just completed three weeks of travel in Australia and New Zealand with our 5 kids. Southern Crossing took great care of us by selecting properties that were worth visiting, finding local guides to help us see the sites, and recommending fine dining establishments that were superb. Well done. We would highly recommend their team.

If I could give Southern Crossings 10 stars I would! .. I found Southern Crossings through Town and Country Magazine and my hopes for a 5-star vacation became reality .. once we had our Zoom with Paul, we knew that we would be in good hands. .. Paul tailored EVERY SINGLE detail of what we were looking for in our trip to our needs. The itinerary was amazing, .. I expressed interest after hearing about a restaurant while in Sydney, and he helped push to get us off the extremely long waitlist. He made sure we had the BEST rooms at each hotel we stayed at .. they seriously are the best of the best.