Tutukaka Travel Guide

 Robdaz Says:  I have never heard of Matapouri before but what a place . It is the most beautiful bay along the coasts. We have a great day here on the white sandy beach and although there we plenty of other people around it never felt crowded. 

 Robdaz Says:  It may be December but this is the southern hemisphere so it's long summer days on the beautiful white sandy beach and blue water. 

 Robdaz Says:  Another great little bay with a stretch of white sandy beach fringed by shady pohutukawa trees.You have to walk about 10-15 minutes from the carpark on the main road to reach it but it is well worth it.Unfortunately ,I don't have a good pic of it as it was too cloudy on the... 

 Robdaz Says:

 Dodo22 Says:  Tutukaka is the gateway to the Poor Knights Islands 14 miles off the coast. The waters off the Poor Knights are famous for big game fishing and the Poor Knights themselves are a marine sanctuary.In addition there is an artificial reef that has been created by the sinking of... 

 Dodo22 Says:  Tutukaka is the gateway to the Poor Knights Islands 14 miles off the coast. The waters off the Poor Knights are famous for big game fishing. Visit The Whangerei Deep Sea Anglers Club where you can see a display of trophies for some of their world record catches.The latest... 

 kenmerk Says:  No shortage of fish out here... Big packs of them wandering through the forest of kelp that covers the walls at Poor Knights Island..... 

 kenmerk Says:  I have to say that this big one did get my attention..... Smile for the camera, you big green bastid... 

 kenmerk Says:  No shortage of morays out here... Seems like their heads were poking out of most every hole..This marine park is protected.... 

 kenmerk Says:  A large natural archway at Poor Knights Marine Reserve... (large enough for the dive boat to just cruise right through...) 

 kenmerk Says:  The black fish is protecting its eggs, and isn't giving any ground.. (The diver was the dive master on this dive....). 

 kenmerk Says:  Being from warmer climes, diving at Poor Knights was quite different that what I had experienced before... I'm more used to a coral jungle, but here it is more of a rocky terrain encrusted in kelp... 

 kenmerk Says:  Huge natural cave in one of the islands. It is rumoured that Japanese subs used to hide in this particular cave during WW2 to avoid detection... 

 kenmerk Says:  The well camouflaged scorpion (or rock) fish can be hard to see as they tend to blend themselves in with the rocks around them. Careful not to touch though as the spine on their backs is poisonous and if touch can be quite painful... 

 kenmerk Says:  At one site there was an underwater cave that led to an air pocket where you could surface. Although the top of this cave is full of air, you depth gage will read about 30 feet deep... 

 kenmerk Says:  Its about a 50 minute ride out to the islands.. It was kinda a cloudy, windy day when I went out diving here, though the sun did come out for about 5 minutes... (everyone grab your cameras...)