Poor Knights, Great Days at Tutukaka New Zealand

Waterfront cafes, fresh seafood, and nautical scenery makeup the marine gateway to world class fishing, diving, and snorkeling at Tutukaka New Zealand, a port listed on the auto associations’ “101 Must-Do’s For Kiwis” list.

What’s to do? Activities encompass surfing the Pacific ocean paradise, kayaking through clear blue subtropical Northland waters and pristine beaches, pinnacle dive adventures, marine reserve boat charters, sightseeing tours, and great dining options, such as Schnappa Rock Restaurant in Tutukaka New Zealand.

The Tututaka Coast port town leads to Poor Knights Islands, perched atop a marine reserve with incredible topography and biodiversity, and its world’s largest sea cave, Riko Riko, Awesome acoustics are a special treat heard on a speedboat ride through the cavern. A recent cave survey measured almost 8 million cubic feet with over a hectare of sea surface within its walls.

Diving Poor Knights provides a once-in-a-lifetime experience to observe amazing diversity in turbulent sunlight waters, kelp forests, mammoth underwater caverns, archways, dark water sea caves, rock and sand gardens.

Sea currents and visibility up to 30 meters allow divers to see highly populated underwater environment. Black stingrays and a microcosm of sponges, bryozoans, and cridarians gather in thick kelp. The island was rated by Jacques Cousteau as one of the world’s ten best dive sites. The New Zealand outdoor activities to be had here are abundant and unforgettable.

Scenic highlights on the Tututaka New Zealand Coast include a beautiful natural harbor and the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve. On land, Poor Knights has unique abundance of birds, reptiles, flora, and fauna for active birding experiences.

The islands are thought to be remains of large lava domes running from the Coromandel Peninsula to the east coast of Northland. Sheer cliffs plunge to 90 meters with many caves and archways above and below the water.

Rich Maori history accompanies the islands. Tutukaka’s more recent developments include a new hotel and apartment complex and a wild adventure company. Kayaking is one of the highlight area attractions. Alternative New Zealand vacation activities include fishing, surfing, animal farms, and tropical gardens.

Tututaka Coast lies a half hour northeast of Whangarei on the New Zealand touring map. Some of the best beaches found anywhere dot this area. A picturesque drive through the bay coast reveals fertile volcanic farmland, orchards, and stonewalls.

The holiday resort of Ngunguru and deep sea fishing headquarters at Tutukaka New Zealand are also here. The Tututaka Coast beach road continues on to Whale Bay and Matapouri, two of NZ’s finest beaches, and surf famous Sandy Bay.