Day trip · Snorkel and sightseeing
Perfect Day Cruise
The islands without diving: snorkelling, caves and the arch.
| Adult | NZ$289.35 |
|---|---|
| Child | NZ$173.61 |
Editorial spotlight · Tutukaka, Northland
2026 Southern Cross Awards nomineeBest Dive Operator
Dive! Tutukaka
Twenty-three kilometres offshore sit the Poor Knights Islands, a fully protected marine reserve since 1998 and the place Jacques Cousteau called the best subtropical diving in the world. Warm water off the East Auckland Current, archways and caves, and more than a hundred and twenty-five fish species. A PADI 5-Star IDC centre and Qualmark Gold operator running the trip since 1998.
- Snorkel cruise
- NZ$289.35
- Two dives, full gear
- NZ$419.82
- Tripadvisor
- 4.7
- Reviews
- 614
Editorial spotlight. Dive! Tutukaka is a nominee in the 2026 Southern Cross Awards. They did not pay for this page and had no say in it. We earn a commission when you book through the links here; your price is the same.
The operation
A reserve that has been left alone since 1998
The Poor Knights are the eroded remains of ancient volcanoes, ringed by sheer walls that drop away into clear water. The islands have been a fully protected marine reserve since 1998 and nobody is permitted to land on them, which is a large part of why the diving is what it is. The East Auckland Current pushes subtropical water down the coast, so the fish life runs well outside what the latitude would suggest.
Dive! Tutukaka has been running the trip since 1998, the same year the reserve came into full protection. It is a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Centre and holds Qualmark Gold, New Zealand tourism’s highest sustainability grade. The day trip is built so divers and snorkellers travel on the same boat, which makes it workable for a group where not everyone dives.
“Best subtropical diving in the World.”
- M
Dive leader
Matt
- W
Dive guide
Will
- C
Skipper
Carole
Crew named repeatedly by reviewers. The company has not yet confirmed which names and roles it wants printed.
The one to book
Poor Knights Islands Diving
Two dives at the reserve, with guiding and hot drinks between them. Full gear hire includes BCD, regulator with computer, wetsuit, fins, mask and two tanks with weights, so you can arrive with nothing.
Bring your own kit and the tanks-and-weights rate drops it to NZ$356.69. Weather closes the trip some days; the archways and caves give the skipper somewhere sheltered to work when the swell is up.
| Full gear included | NZ$419.82 |
|---|---|
| Tanks and weights | NZ$356.69 |
Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026.
Check AvailabilityThe reserve
Why the Poor Knights are different
Per the company and the reserve’s protection status.
Fully protected
- Since
- 1998
- Landing
- Not permitted
Subtropical water
- Current
- East Auckland
- Species
- 125+ fish
The terrain
- Features
- Archways, caves, walls
- Distance
- 23 km offshore
Book it
Dives, courses and cruises
Checked against FareHarbor on October 2, 2026. Trips are weather dependent.
Day trip · Two dives
Poor Knights Islands Diving
Two dives at the reserve with guiding and hot drinks.
| Full gear | NZ$419.82 |
|---|---|
| Own gear | NZ$356.69 |
Day trip · No certification
Discover Scuba Dive
A first dive at the Poor Knights, full gear included.
| Per diver | NZ$525.03 |
|---|
eLearning + pool + 4 dives
PADI Open Water Course
Entry-level certification, finishing at the Poor Knights.
| Per student | NZ$735.47 |
|---|
Two days · Five dives
Advanced Open Water
Five dives and full gear hire available.
| Per student | NZ$789.13 |
|---|
Specialty course
Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver
Longer bottom times on the same sites.
| Per student | NZ$315.65 |
|---|
Before you go
Know before you go
Departure
Tutukaka Marina, about thirty minutes from Whangārei.
Weather
The crossing is open water and trips are cancelled when the swell is up. Build a spare day into your plans.
Gear
Full hire is included on the top dive rate; bring your own and the price drops.
If you are newly certified
One reviewer with few dives logged reported a short dive because of cylinder sizing. Discuss your air consumption and preferred cylinder when you book.
Reviews
What guests say
- 4.7Tripadvisor614 reviews as of October 2, 2026
- 1998Operating sinceThe year the reserve was fully protected
- 5-StarPADI IDCQualmark Gold rated
Reviewers praise the organisation, the safety briefings and the crew by name, and describe the site as world class. The recurring soft spots are weather cancellations and days when swell keeps the boat in the caves rather than out at the walls; one newly qualified diver reported a short dive over cylinder sizing.
Questions
Good to know
Where does it leave from?
Tutukaka Marina, about thirty minutes from Whangārei.
What does it cost?
NZ$419.82 for two dives with full gear, or NZ$289.35 to come as a snorkeller. Checked October 2, 2026.
Can non-divers come?
Yes. The Perfect Day Cruise puts snorkellers on the same boat.
Why are the Poor Knights so good?
A fully protected reserve since 1998, warm subtropical water off the East Auckland Current, and no landing permitted on the islands.
Twenty-three kilometres out, left alone since 1998
Snorkel the reserve from NZ$289.35, or dive it from NZ$419.82.
Check Availability