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Explore AucklandThe City of Auckland is situated in New Zealand’s North Island and is the country
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
Events and Courses
Dive Activity
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.
Dive Sites
Top Wildlife Sightings in Auckland
At the Mokohinau Islands Marine Reserve, divers can expect to see bronze whaler sharks, rays, giant schools of fish, dolphins and even the incredible hammerhead shark during the boat ride to the reserve. They are often considered the ‘Poor Knights of the Gulf’ as they sit on the tail end of the East Auckland Current which encourages a combination of tropical and temperate fish to congregate in the area.
The Poor Knights Islands have over 125 species of fish. Impenetrable shoals of blue maomao and trevally can be witnessed and there are huge aggregations of bull rays, long-tail and short-tail rays. The stingrays are thought to have taken this formation when they mate as a defence against the pods of orca whale that visit the Poor Knights Islands. Fur seals are often seen here while during the summer months, manta rays and sea turtles can occasionally be seen.
While exploring the Bay of Islands, dolphins, penguins and whale shark can be witnessed. Gold ribbon grouper and toadstool grouper join with New Zealand’s residents of moray eels and the northern scorpionfish to create an impressive dive experience.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
iStock/Juliosanjuan
Eagle Ray
762 Sightings
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110
F
51
M
150
A
40
M
78
J
3
J
34
A
29
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21
O
62
N
43
D
141
Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
Octopus
206 Sightings
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36
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15
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13
A
13
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2
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18
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14
A
15
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16
O
10
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4
D
50
iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse
177 Sightings
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58
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8
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12
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12
M
5
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3
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5
A
16
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10
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14
N
9
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25
iStock-Rainer von Brandis
Snapper
1.9k Sightings
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334
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158
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323
A
132
M
135
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65
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90
A
73
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65
O
115
N
136
D
284
Shutterstock-Levent Konuk
Goatfish
944 Sightings
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215
F
81
M
153
A
69
M
29
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25
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33
A
24
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44
O
81
N
30
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160
iStock/Extreme-Photographer
Stingrays
358 Sightings
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51
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27
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76
A
25
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17
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1
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18
A
28
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11
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17
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35
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52
iStock-jpa1999
Perch
354 Sightings
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42
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51
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42
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46
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47
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54
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12
A
8
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14
O
14
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10
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14
iStock-wrangel
Triggerfish
137 Sightings
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47
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2
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3
A
10
M
15
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8
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0
A
2
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0
O
15
N
8
D
27
SSI-Peter-Schinck
Nudibranch
132 Sightings
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4
F
4
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0
A
0
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1
J
10
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5
A
8
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24
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27
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1
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48
iStock-Michael Zeigler
Crab
117 Sightings
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6
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8
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13
A
2
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1
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2
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1
A
17
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13
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6
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16
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32
iStock-Global_Pics
Spiny Lobster
114 Sightings
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6
F
7
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22
A
18
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2
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3
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11
A
5
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0
O
27
N
5
D
8
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.
