The Hill at Pauanui Beach - scuba diving and snorkelling

The coastline around Pauanui Beach offers some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling conditions in New Zealand. Scallops and crayfish are plentiful. Generally the visibility is excellent, especially around the outer islands (check out the Alderman islands!). This ensures spectacular underwater experiences for divers of all levels of experience.

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Training

Dive training is available through dive shops in most main centres. Open Water Scuba Certificate courses cost around $400-$500 and include 12 hours of theory and pool instruction plus two sea dive evaluations. Overseas dive tickets are recognised in New Zealand and must be presented when you fill tanks or join charter dive trips.

Dive shops in Coromandel township, Tairua, Pauanui and Hahei can arrange day trips on dive charter boats, and in Whitianga you can join dolphin-swimming cruises.

Hahei Marine Reserve

This is a high quality diving location in Mercury Bay with varied marine habitats near four offshore islands. There is good beach diving and snorkelling along the coast. Also superb weathered rock formations at Cathedral Cove just 40 minutes walk from Hahei.

Mercury Islands

These offer spectacular rock pinnacles, caves and drop-offs in 8-30m visibility, 30km out from Whitianga. Best sites are Black Rocks, Danger Rocks, Whale Rock and South Sunk Rock. The underwater terrain is exceptionally varied throughout the Islands. Never Fail Rock is a popular cave diving area with drop-offs to 37m. Scallops can be found at Opito Bay and Otama.

Tairua Area

This offers good diving 800m offshore around the Slipper and Shoe Islands (5-18m) especially at King Rock and other rocky points on the seaward side of the islands. Visibility is down to 6m in heavy ground swells. Some 12km offshore are the Alderman Islands where scenic pinnacles and walls drop off to 55m and harbour abundant marine life. Big game fish are often seen along the drop-offs. Dogger Reef, 15m below the surface has a variety of pelagic species in summer and is often visited by sharks. Tairua Reef around 22km offshore has stands of black coral and myriad schools of fish in depths ranging from 9-46m.

Pauanui & Tairua

Tairua Dive & Fishinn
The Esplanade, Paku, Tairua		0800 34 83 82
Dave & Donna are experienced divers and can offer you a variety of dive courses. Dive trips depart every Saturday and Sunday year round, and daily between 26th December - 1st February. Diving trips include: Aldermen Double Dive - from $85.00 Coastal Double Dive - from $65.00 Snorkelling / Sightseeing - from $65.00

Delphinus Divers Tairua
47A Manaia Road Tairua		07 864 7675
Get wet, catch crayfish, scallops or take photos. Trips to Aldermen & Coastal Islands also Hotwater Beach and Cathedral Cove. Steve and Brenda from Delphinus Divers Ltd have a wealth of knowledge and experience both nationally and internationally. They are both PADI Dive Instructors and have been servicing the dive industry for the past 8 years. They offer a professional efficient operation as well as having a friendly and happy Kiwi attitude.

Hahei

Cathedral Cove Dive & Snorkel
Shop 2, Grange Court, Hahei		07 866 3955
Hosts Russ Cochrane & Wendy Helms - scuba diving - sales - gear. Scuba diving and snorkelling trips - both within and outside the Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve boundaries; quality tuition.

Whitianga

Glass Bottom Boat Mercury Bay Seafaris Ltd
1132 C Purangi Road, Whitianga RD1		07 867 1962
Enjoy Cathedral Cove, marine wildlife and stunning coastal scenery: - Unique Eco adventure exploring our wonderful marine wildlife - Sensational snorkelling (equipment supplied) - Glass Bottom viewing of amazing fish life in the Marine Reserve - Our safe 23 foot Stabicraft vessel has a full cabin for your comfort - Fun commentary enriched with our local history & culture - Licensed to view magical dolphins & marine mammals - Daily trips year round departing at 10.30am & 1.30pm from Whitianga wharf.

Dive HQ
7 Blacksmith Lane, Whitianga		07 867 1580
Learn to dive - career courses - full and part time - dive trips - local and international - kayak dive - boat dive - shore dive - snorkelling - free dive - tourist and visitor packages - full back up service - gear rental.