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Auckland (Region) Dolphin & whale watching

Our most recommended Auckland (Region) Dolphin & whale watching

Auckland: Whale and Dolphin Watching Half-Day Eco Cruise

1. Auckland: Whale and Dolphin Watching Half-Day Eco Cruise

Climb aboard a 65-foot luxury catamaran conveniently docked in the heart of Auckland. Set sail on the "Dolphin Explorer" to take in the sights and sounds of the city from the water. Enjoy a quick tour past impressive landmarks, such as the Auckland Harbour Bridge, North Head/Devonport, and Rangitoto Island. Keep a close look out for Orca and Bottlenose Dolphins that regularly visit the waters close to the city. Then explore the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Get up-close viewings of whales, dolphins, and sea birds. The "Dolphin Explorer" is able to get much closer than whale watching operations in other locations. Learn about the fauna via expert commentary from the ship's skipper, gained from 15 years of running trips daily in the area.

Little Barrier Island: Full-Day Scuba Dive Charter

2. Little Barrier Island: Full-Day Scuba Dive Charter

Enjoy a full-day scuba diving charter off Little Barrier Island. Keep a lookout for orcas, dolphins, whales, common dolphins, and sharks on your journey. Experience some of the best diving close to Auckland. Travel along the sandy sloping bottoms on the southern coast to the dramatic walls and pinnacles on the northern side, where copious fish and invertebrate life live among the kelp forests. Uncover holes and cracks that house many crayfish, red crayfish, and packhorse crayfish, which can be found occasionally. Spot large red moki and their rarer cousins, the painted moki, that often share the holes or swim through the weed above them. Swim among eagle rays and long-and short-tailed stingrays, leatherjackets, and wrasse in this marine wonderland. Discover the swarms of demoiselle and blue maomao schools over the sponge gardens and Little Barrier.

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What people are saying about Auckland (Region)

A wonderful experience from start to finish. Amazing, caring and friendly customer service. They were very knowledgeable, and there were ample opportunities to learn something new. We went in late June, and saw an amazing amount of dolphins, and a whale. There was food and drink available to purchase on board, and we were provided towels when splashed at the "wet zone" at the front of the boat! I'd recommend bringing very warm and Waterproof clothing and shoes. It especially got more cold as the day went on. Also wouldn't hurt to bring your own binoculars! The more eyes on the water to find wildlife, the better! The team were very careful to not disturb the wildlife too much, and only let the animals come to the boat rather than chase them. This experience is definitely a bucket-list item!

The whole experience was an eye-opener for my family and I. Understand that there is a chance that we may not be able to see any whales, we are still pretty lucky to see schools of dolphins almost everywhere we went! The boat ride was also very educational and the crew were very friendly. It is definitely a must go for folks who enjoy watching marine life or folks who wished to know more about whales, dolphins and even sea birds! You don't have to be a tourist to enjoy the boat ride as it is indeed a whole new experience even for the locals.

Team really friendly and happy to answer your questions and share their knowledge. Plenty of room on the boat and they also have a little cafe providing reasonably priced drinks and snacks Several hours spent in search areas looking for wildlife so good chance of finding something

Amazing experience, it was so wonderful to see whales and dolphins. Good cruise with excellent guides

Excellent. I got to see a lot of dolphins . Crew explanation on Marin live was very informative