F69 (HMNZS Southland)

HMNZS Wellington Wreck

Matiu/Somes Island

Moa Point / Lyall Bay

Taputeranga Marine Reserve

Wellington South Coast Wrecks

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.

InterContinental Wellington

QT Museum Wellington

Copthorne Hotel Wellington

Island Bay Holiday Park

Wellington and its south coast offer world-class wreck diving and diverse marine environments at the southern tip of the North Island. The HMNZS Wellington, a Leander-class frigate scuttled in 2005 off Island Bay, is the region's flagship dive site, sitting upright at 20 to 30 metres with massive schools of blue maomao, kingfish, and abundant macro life. The wreck is also one of New Zealand's best night dives when the marine life transforms with nocturnal species. The nearby F69, another frigate wreck, offers penetrable wreck diving with prolific fish life. The Taputeranga Marine Reserve protects kelp forests, crayfish, and diverse macro species, while Matiu/Somes Island delivers exceptional macro diving with horse mussel beds, seahorses, pipefish, and resident New Zealand fur seals. The south coast also holds several deeper historical wrecks including the Devon, City of Newcastle, and Oanui for advanced divers. Wellington's vibrant culture, excellent dining, and compact geography make it an ideal base for combining city life with outstanding diving.

Wellington & South Coast