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NEW ZEALAND: Unique scuba diving opportunities
NEW ZEALAND
Situated halfway between the equator and the South Pole, New Zealand is a beautiful country, with diverse landscapes and rich ecosystems. There really is something for everyone in this outdoor-lover’s paradise, and visitors will be rewarded with some of the most magnificent scenery in the world. As a dive destination, New Zealand offers some world class dive sites, including sub tropical reefs, shipwrecks, alpine fiords, kelp forests and underwater volcanic rock formations. The country has 15,000km of coastline, and enjoys well preserved marine reserves and lots of offshore islands, which offer unique diving experiences. Aside from diving, the country is famed for its adventure sports, and visitors will have many opportunities to hurl themselves off bridges, leap out of planes, roll themselves down hills in giant inflatable balls, climb up mountains, and much, much more. The country is teeming with unusual wildlife, and the sea is no exception. The waters around the islands are home to whales, dolphins, seals and 66 types of sharks- ranging from the tiny 27cm long pygmy shark to the 12 metre long whale shark.
New Zealand Highlights
Fiordland is one of the most beautiful areas of New Zealand. The dramatic landscape is home to some wonderful walking trails, including Milford Track, Routeburn Track and Kepler Track. Ornithologists will not be disappointed, as there is a huge range of impressive bird species to be seen. The Te Anau caves accommodate thousands of glowworms, and visitors can take guided tours underground to admire the strange rock formations. Perhaps the most famous fiord in the area is the magnificent Milford Sound. A boat trip is a great way to take in the wonderful scenery and the views of the spectacular Mitre Peak. One of the highlights of a trip to Milford Sound is going diving in the fiord. Here the fresh water from the forests, which is stained dark by plants, runs into the saltwater fiord. The dark fresh water does not mix with the seawater, but instead sits on top of it, and blocks out the light from above. As a result, many light-sensitive species that are usually only found in deeper water can be enjoyed by divers at shallower depths. Divers can see rare black and red corals, spiny sea dragons and maybe even a Fiordland Crested penguin. Though the water is dark, the visibility for diving here is very good.
The Bay of Islands, off the North Island, is one of the most frequently visited tourist destinations in the country. It has a lovely climate and stunning coastal scenery, lending itself well to boat cruises around the pretty islands. It is a very popular area to go on dolphin tours, as the animals are in abundance in the waters here. Other popular activities include kayaking, fishing and sailing. This is a great place to come for a diving holiday in New Zealand, as two of the best shipwrecks in the country are situated just off the coast. The Rainbow Warrior and the HMS Canterbury both offer excellent sub tropical diving, and scuba divers can expect to see a huge range of species, including scorpion fish, mackerel and snapper.
Whangarei is a very pretty area of the North Island, which has excellent walking trails, outdoor activities and lovely beaches. It is best known for the nearby Poor Knights Islands, which are consistently voted as being one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. The whole area is a Marine Reserve, and boasts both sub tropical and temperate conditions, which have led to a diverse and exciting range of marine life for divers to explore. The islands have a warm current that sweeps down from the Coral Sea, which provides excellent visibility and interesting species. There are unusual arches and underwater sea caves that provide an exciting marine landscape. Scuba divers can expect to see a huge range of fish, as well as whales and dolphins.
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand. Here, adrenaline junkies gather in their masses to partake in bunjy jumping, jet boating, canyoning, sky diving, snow boarding, and many other activities. Set amid spectacular mountainous scenery, this town has a fun, party atmosphere, and is somewhere that tourists to New Zealand have to visit.
Auckland is a fantastic city, where the traditional meets the modern, the outdoor meets the indoor, and the urban meets the rural. Auckland is well positioned in New Zealand to be able to profit from a huge range of activities. Visitors to the town can travel just half an hour to find themselves sailing to an idyllic island, trekking through a rainforest, climbing up a volcano, wine tasting on a vineyard or surfing on a black sand beach. The Sky Tower, in the centre of the city, is the tallest tower in the Southern hemisphere, and offers unparalleled views of the area. There are some good dive locations not far from Auckland, including the excellent Goat Island.
Situated halfway between the equator and the South Pole, New Zealand is a beautiful country, with diverse landscapes and rich ecosystems. There really is something for everyone in this outdoor-lover’s paradise, and visitors will be rewarded with some of the most magnificent scenery in the world. As a dive destination, New Zealand offers some world class dive sites, including sub tropical reefs, shipwrecks, alpine fiords, kelp forests and underwater volcanic rock formations. The country has 15,000km of coastline, and enjoys well preserved marine reserves and lots of offshore islands, which offer unique diving experiences. Aside from diving, the country is famed for its adventure sports, and visitors will have many opportunities to hurl themselves off bridges, leap out of planes, roll themselves down hills in giant inflatable balls, climb up mountains, and much, much more. The country is teeming with unusual wildlife, and the sea is no exception. The waters around the islands are home to whales, dolphins, seals and 66 types of sharks- ranging from the tiny 27cm long pygmy shark to the 12 metre long whale shark.
New Zealand Highlights
Fiordland is one of the most beautiful areas of New Zealand. The dramatic landscape is home to some wonderful walking trails, including Milford Track, Routeburn Track and Kepler Track. Ornithologists will not be disappointed, as there is a huge range of impressive bird species to be seen. The Te Anau caves accommodate thousands of glowworms, and visitors can take guided tours underground to admire the strange rock formations. Perhaps the most famous fiord in the area is the magnificent Milford Sound. A boat trip is a great way to take in the wonderful scenery and the views of the spectacular Mitre Peak. One of the highlights of a trip to Milford Sound is going diving in the fiord. Here the fresh water from the forests, which is stained dark by plants, runs into the saltwater fiord. The dark fresh water does not mix with the seawater, but instead sits on top of it, and blocks out the light from above. As a result, many light-sensitive species that are usually only found in deeper water can be enjoyed by divers at shallower depths. Divers can see rare black and red corals, spiny sea dragons and maybe even a Fiordland Crested penguin. Though the water is dark, the visibility for diving here is very good.
The Bay of Islands, off the North Island, is one of the most frequently visited tourist destinations in the country. It has a lovely climate and stunning coastal scenery, lending itself well to boat cruises around the pretty islands. It is a very popular area to go on dolphin tours, as the animals are in abundance in the waters here. Other popular activities include kayaking, fishing and sailing. This is a great place to come for a diving holiday in New Zealand, as two of the best shipwrecks in the country are situated just off the coast. The Rainbow Warrior and the HMS Canterbury both offer excellent sub tropical diving, and scuba divers can expect to see a huge range of species, including scorpion fish, mackerel and snapper.
Whangarei is a very pretty area of the North Island, which has excellent walking trails, outdoor activities and lovely beaches. It is best known for the nearby Poor Knights Islands, which are consistently voted as being one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. The whole area is a Marine Reserve, and boasts both sub tropical and temperate conditions, which have led to a diverse and exciting range of marine life for divers to explore. The islands have a warm current that sweeps down from the Coral Sea, which provides excellent visibility and interesting species. There are unusual arches and underwater sea caves that provide an exciting marine landscape. Scuba divers can expect to see a huge range of fish, as well as whales and dolphins.
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand. Here, adrenaline junkies gather in their masses to partake in bunjy jumping, jet boating, canyoning, sky diving, snow boarding, and many other activities. Set amid spectacular mountainous scenery, this town has a fun, party atmosphere, and is somewhere that tourists to New Zealand have to visit.
Auckland is a fantastic city, where the traditional meets the modern, the outdoor meets the indoor, and the urban meets the rural. Auckland is well positioned in New Zealand to be able to profit from a huge range of activities. Visitors to the town can travel just half an hour to find themselves sailing to an idyllic island, trekking through a rainforest, climbing up a volcano, wine tasting on a vineyard or surfing on a black sand beach. The Sky Tower, in the centre of the city, is the tallest tower in the Southern hemisphere, and offers unparalleled views of the area. There are some good dive locations not far from Auckland, including the excellent Goat Island.
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