Paihia Dive
35 Williams Road, 0247 Paihia, New Zealand
Explore Paihia
Paihia is the main tourist town in the beautiful Bay of Islands. With 144 islands and bays, the Bay of Islands is one of the best maritime parks in New Zealand. Located in the North Island, the underwater landscape is rooted in its volcanic origins with beautiful reefs featuring towering walls, caves, tunnels, and swim-throughs. As well as being one of New Zealand’s most alluring underwater landscapes, Paihia is also home to two historically important shipwreck sites. The unique location provides the opportunity for divers to observe both temperate and tropical fish at the same location, home to the largest stingray in the world - the short tail ray - as well as being visited by sea turtles, manta rays and even whale sharks!
There is one dive centre in Paihia that offers scuba diving in the Bay of Islands as well as dive courses that range from the first diving experience through to becoming a dive professional. Offering two dives in a day, the dive boat departs from Paihia wharf to set sail for the Bay of Islands.
The best Months to Dive in Paihia
Scuba diving in Paihia is best during the late summer and autumn when the water temperature in the Bay of Islands reaches up to 22℃ and the visibility can reach up to 40-metres. This period of time also sees the easterly winds blowing in the area, pushing open ocean water into the coastline and the arrival of sea turtles, manta rays, and further offshore, the incredible whale shark.
In the late winter and early spring, water temperature averages at around 15℃ and visibility remains at a respectable 15-20 metres. If you are packing your own wetsuit, it is recommended to bring a 7mm wetsuit and use a hood, boots and gloves in the winter while in summer, if you are thick-skinned, you can get away with a 3mm wetsuit.
Dive Centers
Top Paihia Dive Sites
1. HMNZS Canterbury
The HMNZS Canterbury is an artificial reef located in Deep Water Cove near Cape Brett. It offers an advanced scuba diving experience, featuring multiple swim-throughs and resting upright in 37 meters of water. Marine life includes anemones, sponges, and colorful fish. It's a technical dive recommended for experienced divers.
2. Rainbow Warrior
The Rainbow Warrior wreck is a historic site perfect for experienced scuba divers. Sunk off the coast of New Zealand, it serves as a refuge for diverse marine life, including schools of fish and colorful invertebrates. This site is renowned for its environmental significance and stunning underwater photography opportunities.
3. Urupukapuka Island
Urupukapuka Island offers various dive sites suitable for both beginners and advanced divers. Scuba diving here provides encounters with kingfish, nudibranchs, and banded coral shrimps. Notable sites include the deep pinnacle of West Albert Bump and Hope Reef, with its vibrant scallop beds.
4. Bird Rock
Bird Rock is ideal for macro-photography enthusiasts and accessible to advanced scuba divers. The site hosts nudibranchs and banded coral shrimps, with occasional sightings of bronze whaler sharks and marlin. Its dramatic underwater walls add an adventure element for seasoned divers.
5. Cape Brett (Freediving Possible)
Cape Brett is a site where both scuba and freediving are possible, offering dramatic underwater landscapes with caves and tunnels. The area is rich with kelp forests and a variety of fish species, making it an ecological hotspot. It provides an adventure level suitable for both intermediate and advanced divers.