I am planning a trip to visit New Zealand.I like doing adventurous activities & i also like doing diving can anyone please suggest me that what are the best places in New Zealand for doing diving.
working in new zealand
Hi- diving in NZ is great and various. From the extreme south around Stewart Isl with huge kelp beds, and big "natives", the majesty of Milford Sound with it's unique combination of Glacial Valleys, a fresh water halocline, where you can see deep water species in 15m of water (rare red coral/ white coral/ spiny sea dragons), up the east coast to Kaikoura with seal colonies, chance encounters with dolphins, Picton with the famous Lermantov Wreck (Spelling?)etc. There is club diving around most major cities, and also tourist diving in the coastal towns.
In the Waikato there is a drift dive in Waikato River, in the Bay of Plenty there is White isl (an active pyroclastic volcanoe 50km from the mainland.
Heading north there is the Coromandel and then north north is the Bay of Islands with it's many wrecks as well as the famed Poor Knight Isls.
Note that there is a massive seasonal swing in the water temperatures in the north. The south is generally more stable in water temp (14-18 degrees) but the air temp can be bitter in winter. Seasonal waters brings seasonal visitors and breeding seasons for sharks and rays and the predators that eat them ie. orca.
So it really depends on what you like. Summer is the most comfortable time for diving anywhere (especially in the south). A good 5mm in summer is fine but consider a 7mm or drysuit outside these months. NZ diving is not tropical but can be very interesting with a good guide who can explain things topside and below.
One of the big things with diving in NZ is the atmosphere. It is pretty comfortable and easygoing. Expect to put some effort in to the dives- sometimes the conditions are challenging with surf, surge, current and viz. The Pacific can be a bit of a beast.
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