BIG BAY

★★★★☆ (76)

It is as it sounds, a big bay with diving spots everywhere around the bay. deeper as you head towards the middle, white sand patches on the western edge.

Big kelpie Forest, usually a good spot to see lots of butterfish, John Dory and kingies, often spear fished with a couple of resident bronzies

Dive Activity

Courses and Events

Open Water Diver

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

May 5, 2026 +54 More
$443.45
NZ$750.00

Weekend Dive Trips

Whitianga Dive Weekend Escape for an action-packed weekend of diving in Whitianga, one of New Zealand’s most scenic and marine-rich destinations. This weekend trip is perfect for divers of all levels who want to explore rocky reefs, wrecks, and abundant marine life in a relaxed, social setting.Over the weekend, we’ll take you to some of the best local dive sites, including colourful reef gardens, kelp forests, and historic wrecks. Keep your eyes peeled for stingrays, crayfish, schools of snapper, and playful fish life that make Mercury Bay a diver’s paradise.When you’re not underwater, enjoy the stunning coastal scenery, beaches, and charming Whitianga town, with plenty of opportunities to relax, enjoy local food, or swap dive stories with fellow divers.Weekend Highlights2 days of guided dives at Whitianga’s top spotsExplore reefs, wrecks, and kelp forestsAbundant marine life including stingrays, crayfish, and snapperRelaxing coastal accommodation and downtimePerfect for both certified divers and adventurous beginnersWhether you’re looking to tick off local dive sites or just get a weekend fix of saltwater adventure, this Whitianga dive weekend is the perfect way to recharge, dive, and connect with the ocean.

May 9, 2026 +23 More
$236.50
NZ$400.00

Diving course

ADVANCED OPEN WATERIf you cannot decide which specialty programs are the best choice for you, join the SSI Advanced Open Water Diver program! You will try Deep Diving and Navigation plus a variety of 3 more specialty areas of choice before committing to full specialty training. It is a great way to experience what advanced diver training is all about and how valuable it can be to your diving adventures.During the Advanced Open Water Diver Program, you will experience 5 different specialties by completing one open water training dive per specialty after a comprehensive briefing with your SSI Instructor.By taking this program you will have total freedom to explore. You can complete the full Specialty trainings any time in the future and credit your Advanced Open Water Diver training towards them.

June 2, 2026 +4 More
$443.45
NZ$750.00

Potential Wildlife Sightings

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
4 Sightings
J
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M
1
A
1
M
0
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0
S
1
O
1
N
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 300

Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl

Octopus
3 Sightings
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M
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J
2
J
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1
O
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Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography

Green Turtle
2 Sightings
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J
1
J
1
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 600

iStock/ultramarinfoto

Wrasse
2 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
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1
M
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J
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J
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

iStock/Dimitrios Stefanidis

Sand Tiger Shark
1 Sightings
J
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0
M
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A
0
M
0
J
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J
1
A
0
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0
O
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N
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

iStock/Juliosanjuan

Eagle Ray
1 Sightings
J
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F
0
M
0
A
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M
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J
1
J
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A
0
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0
O
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N
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0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 27

iStock-Global_Pics

Barracuda
1 Sightings
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0
M
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A
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M
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J
1
J
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A
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O
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N
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Spiny Lobster
5 Sightings
J
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F
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M
1
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3
iStock-Nigel Marsh

Wobbegong
2 Sightings
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J
1
J
1
A
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O
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N
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0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
2 Sightings
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1
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Show More
AdobeStock-Nikolai Sorokin

Blacktip Reef Shark
1 Sightings
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M
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J
0
J
1
A
0
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0
O
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N
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 80

iStock/Extreme-Photographer

Stingrays
1 Sightings
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N
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 20

Shutterstock-Lewis Burnett

Guitarfish
1 Sightings
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M
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A
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M
0
J
1
J
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A
0
S
0
O
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N
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker

Grouper/Basslets
1 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
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M
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J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
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N
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D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp

Jackfish
1 Sightings
J
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0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
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D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 12

iStock/cinoby

Lionfish
1 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
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D
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis

Snapper
1 Sightings
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F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
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D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Soldierfish
1 Sightings
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F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
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A
0
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0
O
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N
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal

Damselfish
1 Sightings
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A
1
M
0
J
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A
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O
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N
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Shutterstock-Levent Konuk

Goatfish
1 Sightings
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0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
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0
O
0
N
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0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 20

iStock-stephankerkhofs

Porcupinefish
1 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
1 Sightings
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0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
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0
O
0
N
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0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 7000

iStock-Michael Zeigler

Crab
1 Sightings
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0
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
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A
0
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0
O
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N
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0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 20

Shutterstock_Astridlike

Sea Nettle
1 Sightings
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0
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0
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0
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1
O
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N
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D
0
Shutterstock-Damir Zurub

John Dory
1 Sightings
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0
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1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 22

Shutterstock-andrzej_67

Cod
1 Sightings
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0

Dive Centers Catering This Dive Site

GET WET, Get Wet Waikato Dive

451 TE RAPA ROAD, 3200 HAMILTON, New Zealand

GET WET, Get Wet Waikato Dive

451 TE RAPA ROAD, 3200 HAMILTON, New Zealand

Dive Sites Nearby

Mares

Wood Group Training Center (★4.9)

This is an indoor pool at Wood Group Training in New Plymouth. The pool is used for a variety of training courses related to the wider marine industry and is often used for both SCUBA and freediving training.
Mares

Seal Rock / Waikaranga (★3.6)

Tapuae Marine Reserve - Great for beginners through to advanced divers, starting off shallow close into the rocks dropping off down to 30 meters+ to the south.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Lee Breakwater (★4.1)

Lee Breakwater in Port Taranaki offers lots of variety of fish and diving opportunities and is easily accessible from the port boat ramp car park. This is a shore dive.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Five Mile Bay (★4.4)

Good parking, onsite toilets, grass area to set up. Easy shore entry on sand extending for 50mtr off shore leading to a gentle slope extending down to 27mtr+. Water clarity generally good on sand area, some silt on drop off. Easy site to Navigate.
Mares, Predrag Vuckovic

Wharewaka Point (★3.7)

Good parking, onsite toilets, changing rooms, BBQ facilities. Grass area to set up. Easy shore entry on sand/stone extending down to 30mtr+.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

4 mile reef (★4.0)

Good parking, onsite toilets, changing rooms, BBQ facilities. Grass area to set up. Easy shore entry on sand/stone extending down to 30mtr+. Water clarity generally good on sand area, some silt on dropoff. Easy site to Navigate. Best wind conditions are less than 8knts and easterly (offshore) direction.
NZ DIVE SCHOOL, 1060 Auckland

Acacia Bay (★3.9)

Great site for training, has some great cliff faces and a circular rock structure made by divers as a reference point. Bottom topography can be silted if disturbed, good buoyancy is a must at this site.
NZ DIVE SCHOOL, 1060 Auckland

Cherry Island, Taupo (★3.8)

This is a drift dive with high current and back eddies. You will need to be with someone who has done this dive before, as the exit must not be missed. There is a natural hot spring halfway through dive.
GET WET WAIKATO, 3200 HAMILTON

Kinloch (★4.4)

This dive site is in Lake Taupo, and is a great dive site for training or those wanting to experience lake diving. Temperatures are general cold but can warm up during summer. From the beach the bottom slopes down to around 7m then drops to over 20m
NZ DIVE SCHOOL, 1060 Auckland

Lake Rotoma (★4.2)

Great training site and suitable to dive year round. A sunken dingy at 11m is a good objective for the dive. Lake Rotoma was formed within the Rotoma caldera when lava flows from a large crater explosion blocked its outlet 9,500 years ago.
Dive Whakatane, 3121 Ohope

Anemone Boulders (★4.9)

Reef dive over kelp extending down to 21M. Easy site to navigate along edge of reef. Swim throughs and overhangs, Best wind conditions are Southerly, avoid Easterly wind and Northerly swell.
GET WET WAIKATO, 3200 HAMILTON

Get Wet Waikato (★4.7)

This is a heated indoor diving swimming pool at Get Wet Waikato. The pool is three meters deep and around nine meters long. There is a changing room and shower on site
Scubapro

Rena (Wreck) (★4.3)

The Rena Wreck is located on the Astrolabe Reef, 12 nautical miles from the entranced of Tauranga Harbour. The wreck lies between 18-70m of water and is only to be dived in calm conditions with swells under 1m. The current can also be strong depending on the tide.
Scubapro

Aldermens- Mooring Bay (★4.6)

Mooring Bay is one of the more common spots for those who want to experience the Alderman’s without the depth and current. Ideal training bay with a shallow anchoring area with sand.
Mares

Aldermens- Fish Factory (★4.4)

Fish Factory is one of the many magnificent dive sites in the alderman group offering up a nice wall to cruise along and also offers us a pinnacle just off from the wall. More suited for the more experienced and expert divers as it can become a deep dive quite easily.
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Aldermens-Middle Middle (★4.0)

Middle middle is situated in the middle of the middle alderman island. This dive site is one not to be missed. If you are after a very scenic dive this is ideal
Aqualung

Aldermens- HoneyComb (★4.6)

Honeycomb dive site offers a range of underwater exploring from going up into the honeycomb like caves to follow a steep and deep wall on the southern side of the rock.
Aqualung

Aldermens- Bishops Hat (★4.7)

This dive site the Bishop’s Hat offers a bit of everything as here we have a cave, wall and a magnitude of species that frequent here. Bishop’s Hat is exposed to weather from the east, and south east
Mares, Janez Kranjc

Orca Bay (★4.3)

Orca Bay is a sheltered bay with a deep wall that drops to 20m+ it then slopes down to 35m+ further into the bay. There are small pinnacles dotted around the bay that provide shelter to a large variety of sea life!
Mares

The Golf ball/ Car Park (★4.4)

Boat Harbour is a very popular place to park up but diving around waipapa island can be good fun, sandy bay in the middle and the further around the island you go the deeper and steeper the drop off.
Aqualung

Rarotonga Bay (★4.7)

Rarotonga Bay is one of those places that doesn’t disappoint, the water here on a good day can sometimes be mistaken for a day in the tropics hence the name.
GET WET WAIKATO, 3200 HAMILTON

Champagne Rock (★4.8)

The northern side of champagne rock is a great starting area for you dive. Out in champagne bay is 10m with big open reef. Swimming along side the rock itself is a wall that is littered with sealife.
Mares

GEM STONE BAY (★4.6)

Gemstone bay is INSIDE THE HAHEI MARINE RESERVE so its a no touch or take dive site. Some of the biggest snapper and crayfish on the coromandel its a great place to dive and view what a marine reserve can do for an area
Aqualung

MAHURANGI IS/ GOAT IS (★4.4)

2 tractors were sunk here to make an artificial reef Many moons ago. This is a sandy bottom with small broken reef that borders on the Hahei marine reserve. Great for beginners and OW1 and 2. Easy navigation and is protected from most weather.