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With more than 20,000 miles of coastline, New Zealand
offs hundreds of world class dive sites. The country abounds with sub-tropical reefs, wrecks, clear water springs,
and alpine fiords. And New Zealand waters are among the few virgin wonders left in diving today. The wealth and
density of marine life is exhilarating.
Lying exactly halfway between the equator and the South Pole, the water and weather in New Zealand are both temperate
- benign even. Below, there's a wild mixture of marine life and ecosystems. Coral reef crinoids exist with forests
of kelp, and volcanic rock formations are covered with hard corals and seafans.
Many of New Zealand's best diving locations are just offshore. Of those, one of the most unique spots is the crystal-clear
waters of the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve. With its incredible range of fish, including many tropical species,
it was considered by the late Jacques Cousteau to be one of the world's top diving locations.
Among the other great diving areas are the sheltered Bay of Islands, the dramatic fiords of Fiordland, and Stewart
Island with its breathtaking kelp forests and huge paua (abalone). Many easily accessible wrecks off the New Zealand
coast also provide special diving opportunities, as do the great variety of fresh water dives. |
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