Alderman Islands

Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve

Goat Island Marine Reserve

Little Barrier Island

Pampero & HMNZS Tui Wrecks

Slipper Island (Whenua Hou)

SS Wairarapa Wreck

The Noises

New Zealand cuisine features fresh Pacific seafood, lamb, and dairy products with strong Maori and Pacific influences. Green-lipped mussels, Bluff oysters, crayfish, and blue cod are regional specialities. The hangi, a traditional Maori earth oven feast, is a cultural dining experience. The craft beer and wine scene is world-class, with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir among the finest globally. Farm-to-table dining and artisan food producers are abundant throughout both islands.

Delamore Lodge

Leigh Motel

Oceans Resort Whitianga

Hotel DeBrett

The Hauraki Gulf and Coromandel Peninsula offer some of the most accessible and diverse diving in New Zealand, with marine reserves, offshore islands, wrecks, and kelp forests all within easy reach of Auckland. The gulf contains several marine reserves including the famous Goat Island Marine Reserve at Leigh, where dense kelp forests shelter huge snapper, blue maomao, and stingrays in calm protected waters. The offshore islands of Little Barrier, Great Barrier, and the Alderman Islands provide world-class diving with massive kingfish schools, bronze whaler sharks, and pristine reef systems far from urban influence. The Coromandel Peninsula adds Cathedral Cove and Te Whanganui-A-Hei marine reserves with spectacular underwater caves and swim-throughs. The Noises off Kawau Island offer sheltered training reefs, while Slipper Island delivers volcanic reefs with large stingrays and eagle rays. Multiple wrecks including the SS Wairarapa and HMNZS Tui provide historical interest at various depths. The proximity to Auckland makes this region the most logistically convenient diving area in New Zealand, with numerous operators offering day trips and weekend expeditions.

Hauraki Gulf & Coromandel

Boat from Leigh, Whitianga, Auckland, or Waiheke Island; 1-2 hours drive from Auckland to Leigh

Dive Sites in Hauraki Gulf & Coromandel