Cape Kidnappers

Castlepoint (Wairarapa)

HMNZS Kahu Wreck

Napier Artificial Reefs

Palliser Bay Shipwrecks

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.

The Crown Hotel Napier

Navigate Seaside Hotel

Martinborough Hotel

Gateway Motor Inn Masterton

Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa offer a growing diving scene centred on artificial reefs, navy wrecks, and rugged limestone coastlines along the eastern seaboard of the North Island. The highlight is the HMNZS Kahu, a decommissioned Navy inshore patrol boat scuttled in 2018 off Napier at 15 to 20 metres, which has rapidly developed into an excellent artificial reef covered in marine growth with frogfish, moray eels, and abundant macro life. The Napier artificial reef system of concrete modules provides additional structure attracting crayfish, morays, and nudibranchs. Cape Kidnappers offers rocky reef diving with stingrays, kingfish, and seasonal bronze whaler sharks, complemented by the famous gannet colony on land. Further south, the Wairarapa coast features the rugged limestone reefs of Castlepoint with crayfish, paua, and nudibranchs, while Palliser Bay holds several historical shipwrecks including the Zuleika and Aotea. The region is also one of New Zealand's premier wine destinations, making it an excellent choice for divers who appreciate fine dining and vineyard visits alongside their underwater explorations. While less famous than northern dive destinations, Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa reward exploration with uncrowded sites and authentic coastal experiences.

Hawke's Bay & Wairarapa

Drive from Wellington approximately 1 hour to Wairarapa or 4 hours to Napier

Dive Sites in Hawke's Bay & Wairarapa

Cape Kidnappers

Castlepoint (Wairarapa)

HMNZS Kahu Wreck

Napier Artificial Reefs

Palliser Bay Shipwrecks