4 Snorkelling Trips in New Zealand That Repay the Detour

1.Cathedral Cove Cruise with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 109 reviews · from $82Our pick

Join Captain Brian aboard the open Cave Cruzer for a two-hour trip from Whitianga to Cathedral Cove, Shakespeare Cliff, Lonely Bay, and Hahei. Expect fast runs, cave entrances, blowholes, music inside Orua Sea Cave, local stories, and about 10 minutes of optional snorkeling or rock jumping. Snorkel gear is included.

“It was a fantastic experience. Captain Brian was excellent, explaining everything and giving us local information, taking pictures. Felt very safe at all times. Would defined recommend this experience to see the wonderful features of the coastline.”

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2.Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve: Snorkeling Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 52 reviews · 2 hours · from $85

From Hahei Beach, a small boat carries you past Cathedral Cove to sheltered snorkel sites around the Coromandel Peninsula. Your English-speaking skipper is a scuba instructor, and the two-hour trip includes a warm wetsuit, quality gear, flotation aids, one hour in the water, and a Cathedral Cove photo stop.

“Great, the guides know where to see the most fish!!!”

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3.Guided Snorkeling and Island Exploration in Auckland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $93Top rated

Meet your guide at Tiritiri Matangi Wharf for a four-hour outing that pairs cold-water snorkeling with a guided walk through a protected wildlife sanctuary. You receive a warm wetsuit and snorkeling gear, while your guide points out marine life, native plants, and rare birds. Book your ferry separately before tour day.

“Our experience was wonderful and we had an awesome guide. He was super friendly and informative, and he dragged all of our gear around. The water was chilly, but we got wetsuits, which was nice. After the snorkeling, we got a little hike/tour around the island and he pointed out multiple different plant and bird species. All in all it was a great experience.”

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4.Guided Snorkeling and Island Exploration Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3 reviews · from $88

Meet your English-speaking guide at Tiritiri Matangi’s wharf for a four-hour outing that pairs guided snorkeling with an Eco-Walk. You’ll use supplied fins, mask, and warm wetsuit, then follow island trails toward the lighthouse and rare native birds such as takahē and North Island kōkako. Ferry tickets, food, and drinks are extra.

“Was really fun & our guide Legend was very informative. Wouldn’t recommend for those who easily get motion sickness, besides that it was a great experience! Got to see a sea lion, sting rays, large sea snails & heaps of colourful fish. Afterwards we walked to the lighthouse & had an amazing view of the island, it was breathtaking!”

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