Explore Auckland

The City of Auckland is situated in New Zealand’s North Island and is the country’s largest and most populated city. Just like the cities size, dive trips are offered over a vast area of New Zealand, covering most of the dive sites found on the North Island including the web of caves and arches found at Poor Knights Islands, several of the North Island’s marine reserves, and the best wrecks of the area.

With many of the sites bathed by the East Auckland Current, there is a combination of temperate and tropical fish found while exploring. At the Poor Knights Islands, it is possible to see orca whales and large congregations of the largest ray in the world, the short-tail ray, while at the Bay of Islands, sea turtles, manta rays, and whale sharks are spotted.

Scuba diving in Auckland is possible by several dive centres located in the city who take day and weekend trips as well as week-long liveaboards to sites situated around the North Island. Dive courses range from taking your first dip to becoming a professional Divemaster or Instructor.

Places to Explore

Warkworth

6 Divesites 1 Center

Warkworth, a town on the Northland Peninsula of the North Island, offers dive charters to some of the best dive locations in New Zealand. While scuba diving in Warkworth it is possible to explore several marine reserves including the Poor Knights Islands – noted by Jacques Costeau as one of the top 10 dive sites in the world – as well as several wrecks. Impenetrable walls of schooling fish, manta rays, hammerhead sharks as well as orca can be witnessed!

Upcoming Events

Diver Level Programs / Courses

NZ DIVE SCHOOL

Wreck Diving

15 Nov 2025

Many of the ocean’s best dive sites are wrecks. These impressive structures attract unusually high densities of marine life and give you the chance to immerse in living history as you dive. There is nothing quite like wreck diving and the SSI Wreck Diving specialty will give you all the skills and knowledge you need to become a safe and confident wreck diver. With a combination of academic and confined water sessions, you will be taught how to safely conduct non-penetration dives around wrecks and artificial reefs, up to a depth of 30 meters. You will also get to practice your wreck diving skills during open water training dives. All of which will ensure you can enjoy wreck diving with confidence and get the most out of every dive. Upon completion of this program, you will earn your SSI Wreck Diving specialty certification. Continue your adventures and become a wreck diver. Get started online today!

Diver Level Programs / Courses

NZ DIVE SCHOOL

Deep Diving

15 Nov 2025

The SSI Deep Diving Specialty will teach you all you need to dive to depths between 18 and 40 meters, through a mixture of academic sessions and open water dives. You will learn to plan and safely complete your deep diving adventures and use computers and gas consumption calculations to get the most from your deep dives. Upon completion, you will earn your SSI Deep Diving Specialty certification and be able to explore beautiful deep dive sites wherever you choose. This SSI Specialty is also a prerequisite for some advanced training, making it the next logical step to take in your dive education.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

NZ DIVE SCHOOL

Dry Suit Diving

29 Nov 2025

Drysuit diving opens up a world of opportunities, including diving remote Arctic destinations and exploring cold-water dive sites teeming with life. Dry suit diving also keeps you warm on multi-dive days when you do not want to spend your time getting in and out of a cold wetsuit. The SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty program is the best way to become a dry suit diver and teaches you all the knowledge and techniques you need to dive safely and comfortably in a dry suit. You will learn how to use specialized equipment, like dry suits and BCs, the benefits of dry suits and how to deal with dry suit emergencies – which are unique to this type of diving. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty certification.

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★☆ Goat Island

Goat Island is a marine reserve located near Cape Rodney in the Hauraki Gulf. The reserve offers a range of marine landscapes, from sandy flats to rocky reef systems.

3,850
Logs
1,217
Divers
7.0 m
⌀ Depth
7.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Yellow Sponge Garden

Yellow Sponge Garden is found by heading in a West to North Westerly direction from the shore of the reserve. The sponges are first spotted at around the 8-9m depth mark. The tall kelp stalks leading up to the site are dusty and the ledges will drop off onto sponge bearing sandy patches.

78
Logs
40
Divers
10.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ ABC Bay

Located on the left hand side of the island, marked with a white letter B on the cliff face. Depth of 5-6m with a sandy bottom and a kelp wall. Over the wall and into the bay itself it becomes very shallow 2-3m

165
Logs
79
Divers
7.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Gem Cave

Best dove during high tide - best snorkeled during the lower tides. Located on the right side of the island. The gem cave has two entries and they merge together in the back. It doesn’t go far back and there is a slight space between the surface and the cave ceiling. Very dim lights - bring a torch!

20
Logs
13
Divers
8.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Mathesons Bay

Mathesons Bay is a sheltered bay that is perfect for diving! Divers can easily enter and exit the water via the beach or over the rock platform if the tide is right.

3,104
Logs
1,058
Divers
7.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★☆☆ The Pump House

Lake Pupuke is a lake on the North Shore. It provides consistent and reliable dive conditions year-round. The Pump House has a rock pad that is around 8m - 10m and provides an opportunity for dive training. Off the pad, the depth drops quickly to 40m+, providing a great opportunity for depth if required.

2,245
Logs
722
Divers
12.0 m
⌀ Depth
4.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Jones Bay

Jones Bay is fantastic for learning to dive. It has a sandy sloping bottom with plenty of shellfish. There is also a significant reef structure that provides shelter from the current.

2,383
Logs
844
Divers
7.0 m
⌀ Depth
5.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Tabletop Reef

Tabletop Reef is a beautiful dive site that has quite a range of features the inner part of the reef system features steep bommies that drop down to the sandy bottom at around 10 meters. As you follow the reef North it flattens out to a kelp and sponge garden eventually reaching a sand flat at roughly 20 meters.

43
Logs
37
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
17.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Shag Rock

This site is located just out from the main beach of the reserve. The rock itself is visible during low tide but not at high tide. Depth ranges between 3-5m (depending on the tide) with sandy pathways filled with kelp forests behind them.

398
Logs
218
Divers
8.0 m
⌀ Depth
9.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ AUT Millennium Centre

This is a public pool that is used for confined water sessions. The pool is avaliable seven days a week with parking avaliable on the street or in the designated carpark.

263
Logs
110
Divers
4.0 m
⌀ Depth
29.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Ti Point Wharf

Ti Point is a great beginners dive site! It is an easy site to access with a concrete ramp and wharf that can be used to enter and exit the water.

620
Logs
257
Divers
7.0 m
⌀ Depth
5.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Hammerhead

The reef is laid out as a series of fingers running from shallow water 10m to approximately 22 m at their deepest. Comprising of a rocky face in the shallows and turning into large kelp beds as it deepens. There are several swim through and a small arch at the end of the reef on one finger.

60
Logs
35
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
9.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Janez Kranjc

★★★★☆ North Shore Canoe Club

Entry / Exit off the docks of the Canoe / Rowing Club. Aquatic reeds in the shallows on top of ridge of rock. Slopes off to over 30 meters over muddy bottom. Bad visibility is likely, thermoclines likely especially in summer. Caution is advised diving here.

28
Logs
11
Divers
13.0 m
⌀ Depth
5.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Janez Kranjc

★★★★☆ Matiatia Bay - Wharf

Waiheke Ferry Terminal Wharf and the surrounding area North of the Wharf. Bad visibility, lots of boat traffic and hazards. This dive is only for experienced divers and only with permission from the harbourmaster. For example, clean up dives only.

13
Logs
10
Divers
11.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★☆ Sylvan Park

Typical Lake Pupuke dive site. Walk down boat ramps from car park. Less sloping than other dive sites on the Lake. Shallow towards the bay to the East, deep towards the lake center.

20
Logs
11
Divers
12.0 m
⌀ Depth
3.0 m
⌀ Visibility

Diving in Auckland

Situated off the Leigh Coast, the Goat Island Marine Reserve is one of the key locations for training dives in dive courses while 3-hours south of Auckland, the Waikato River awaits. Hidden beneath the surface of the river, among the kelp and rocks, is a fantastic drift dive. Head out to the Poor Knights Islands to enter into the southern hemisphere’s largest sea cave or explore the incredible biodiversity of the Great Barrier Island, with incredible volcanic landscapes found beneath the water’s surface.

While shore diving from Auckland, divers will discover rocky reefs, walls and relaxed bays. At many of these sites, it is possible to go diving for your next meal - a feast of scallops! All of the North Island’s most popular wrecks can be explored - with the HMNZS Waikato and Tui explored while on daily trips and the Canterbury and Rainbow Warrior dived on a weekend trip.

The best Months to Dive in Auckland

Auckland diving takes place year-round with the only adjustment needed across the seasons being the thickness of your exposure suit. As Auckland is located in the North Island, the water temperatures are some of the highest found in New Zealand. In the summer, between November and April, the water temperature can reach 20°C–23°C/68°F–73°F while in winter, from May and September, the water temperature drops as low as 14°C–16°C/57°F–61°F.

Trips to the Poor Knights Islands in the summer months provide the best chance to see pods of orcas, manta rays, and large congregations of stingray gathering to mate. At the Bay of Islands, the summer months increase the chance of spotting sea turtles and the majestic manta ray.

Statistics

Historical data and trends

Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions

Centers Map

SSI NEW ZEALAND

11 Stonehill Drive, 2104 Auckland, NZL

Global Dive

52 Remuera Road, 1050 Auckland, NZL

NZ DIVE SCHOOL

20r Sylvia Park Road, 1060 Auckland, NZL

Epic SCUBA

Epic Scuba Ltd, 2012 Auckland, NZL

GOAT ISLAND DIVE and SNORKEL

142A Pakiri Road, 0985 Leigh, NZL

Performance Diver

74 Barrys Point Road, 0622 Auckland, NZL

NEW ZEALAND DIVING

Unit 2, 9/23 Morrison Drive, 0910 Warkworth, NZL