The scuttled Rainbow Warrior under a coat of jewel anemones at 26 m
14–22°C · 57–72°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftintermediate
Country
Diving in New Zealand
6 dive destinations in New Zealand, up to 1,390 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 8–23 °C. All 6 are in season in Dec–Apr. 15 named dive sites have their own pages.
Poor Knights Islands · photo Anna Barnett
- Destinations
- 6
- Dive sites
- 15
- Water
- 8–23°C
- Most in season
- Dec–Apr
RegionAustralia & New Zealand
Where are the dive destinations in New Zealand?
- 1Bay of IslandsDec–Apr
- 2Poor Knights IslandsJan–Apr
- 3Goat IslandDec–Mar
- 4KaikōuraNov–Mar
- 5FiordlandDec–Feb
- 6Stewart IslandDec–Mar
Numbers match the table below. Land outline: Natural Earth (public domain).
How do they compare?
| # | Destination | Best months | Water | Visibility | Depth | Level | Access | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bay of Islands | Dec–Apr | 14–22°C | 10–30 m | 10–36 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 3 |
| 2 | Poor Knights Islands | Jan–Apr | 15–23°C | 10–30 m | 5–35 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 3 | Goat Island — Leigh | Dec–Mar | 14–22°C | 5–20 m | 5–25 m | Beginner | Shore, Day boat | 3 |
| 4 | Kaikōura | Nov–Mar | 10–17°C | 5–20 m | 5–25 m | Intermediate | Shore, Day boat | 1 |
| 5 | Fiordland | Dec–Feb | 8–16°C | 5–15 m | 5–30 m | Advanced | Day boat, Liveaboard | 1 |
| 6 | Stewart Island | Dec–Mar | 8–16°C | 5–20 m | 5–25 m | Advancedsites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 3 |
When is the best time to dive New Zealand?
The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in Dec–Apr: 6 of 6. Each row is one destination's own season rating.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bay of Islands | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
| 2Poor Knights Islands | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
| 3Goat Island | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
| 4Kaikōura | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime |
| 5Fiordland | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
| 6Stewart Island | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Prime |
| Good or prime | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Which destinations combine into one trip?
Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.
133 km end to end
In season together: Oct–May
All 6 destinations in New Zealand
Massive fish schools swirl through archways at one of the world's largest sea caves.
15–23°C · 59–73°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftintermediate
New Zealand's first marine reserve, and the snapper have stopped running
14–22°C · 57–72°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftbeginner
A thousand-metre canyon reaches to within metres of the shore
10–17°C · 50–63°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftintermediate
Tannin-darkened water tricks deep-water black coral into growing at diveable depths.
8–16°C · 46–61°Fvis 15 m · 50 ftadvanced
Great whites in the Foveaux Strait, cage-dived under permit at 47° south
8–16°C · 46–61°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftadvanced