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Dive! Tutukaka is New Zealand’s premier dive operator, exploring the Poor Knights Islands from their base in the beautiful coastal town of Tutukaka. Dive! Tutukaka’s aim is to deliver a total underwater experience, catering to every type of guest from snorkelers and beginners, to wreck explorers, professional photographers and everyone in between. In the words of Dive! Tutukaka, they deliver ‘Diving worth crossing the world for’.
The award-winning Dive! Tutukaka is New Zealand’s largest full-service dive charter company and was founded in 1999 by two diving friends with a love for the sea - Aussie Malcolm and Jeroen Jongejans. Their vision then – to be the best dive operator in New Zealand - still holds true. Today, Dive! Tutukaka’s five ocean-going vessels take over 12,000 people to the Poor Knights Islands every year. Operating for over two decades, Dive! Tutukaka has grown into a Five Star PADI IDC Centre, offering training from Open Water through to Instructor rating and their instructing staff include marine biologists, naturalists, tech and wreck specialists, and award-winning photographers.
Dive! Tutukaka is perfectly positioned to explore some of the finest sub-tropical diving on the planet, centred around the Poor Knights Islands. The islands' stunning volcanic landscape of arches, sea caves and towering cliffs, combined with clear water and remarkably abundant marine life, make them a mecca for divers from across the globe. Huge populations of mao mao fill the underwater caves, scorpionfish hide amongst the kelp, giant stingrays gather in their hundreds and even that ultimate predator of the seas, the Orca, can often be encountered around the Poor Knights. Throw in the nearby wrecks of the Tui and Waikato, and divers have everything they need for an incredible dive experience.
Lodge 9 has two Midships rooms, each with a super king, and a king single, accommodating a maximum of three people – the rooms can also be made up as three singles. One has a disabled wet room, and the other has a private ensuite. Nespresso, heat pump, pure filtered water and Ecoya toiletries are all included, as well as plenty of charge points. Breakfast and afternoon tapas and wine are complimentary for every room.
Appropriately located, the two forward rooms are found at the front of the building, with super king beds and private ensuite bathrooms. Each room features original artworks, Nespresso machine, heat pump, filtered water, and Ecoya toiletries. The rooms can be made up as two king singles and include complimentary breakfast and afternoon tapas and wine.
The upstairs super king rooms each boast a private balcony, as well as sun loungers on the Gin Deck and a protected table and chairs on the Beer Deck. The rooms come with a heat pump, Nespresso machine, filtered water, and Ecoya toiletries, and can be made up as two king singles. Breakfast and afternoon tapas and wine are complimentary for every room.
Dive! Tutukaka’s Lodge 9 boutique accommodation is nestled in a private valley behind the hustle and bustle of Tutukaka Marina. The building was constructed from salvaged piles and wooden boardwalks from the old marina, and is now an up-cycled quirky tropical paradise, with lush greenery, native plants, a saltwater pool, cedar sauna, and a groovy courtyard. The rest of the valley has a fantastic amount of space, and is a unique little suntrap. In old local stories, Maori wakas were dragged up and stored in the native bush of the valley in between fishing trips - and even today, the valley offers shelter and plenty of good energy!
Lodge 9 is the perfect base from which to explore the beautiful Tutukaka Coast and the islands of the Poor Knights. With its combination of comfort, a touch of luxury, and a special welcoming vibe, divers and non-divers alike can enjoy the special Tutukaka atmosphere. The Lodge is within walking distance to four bars and restaurants for lunch and dinner, and guests can then retreat to one of Lodge 9’s six rooms - each of which come equipped with en-suite bathrooms, king beds and bespoke individual furnishing. Included in the room rate is a continental breakfast, and evening tapas and wine served in the courtyard.
The Poor Knights Dive Centre - home of Dive! Tutukaka - is at the hub of the coastal town, situated alongside the iconic Schnappa Rock Restaurant and Bar. It is also the home of the world's largest scuba tank! The dive centre salvaged the old Tutukaka marina piles and wooden boardwalks, and up-cycled them into an ultra-modern training centre called Shed 7. Complete with a 3-metre deep dive pool with porthole windows and a sun-drenched deck, plus a high tech fit out of the training facility, the dive centre now offers free-diving courses, photography sessions, and PADI dive training befitting its 5 star Instructor Development Centre status.
Dive! Tutukaka has 5 dedicated day boats, fitted out for diving or fun day trips with snorkelling, paddle boarding, kayaking and more. All the boats have cabins for shelter and gear storage, onboard toilets and hot showers on the dive deck. 2 dive day trips to the Poor Knights Islands are offered 364 days a year - weather dependent of course - as well as wreck tours exploring the nearby wrecks of the Tui and Waikato. The dive centre is an Aqua Lung Partner with a wide range of equipment to rent or purchase, and the normal dive package includes full equipment rental with 7mm wetsuits and dive computers.
Dive! Tutukaka sees itself as a small part of a vital community - the coast, the people, and the schools - working together, helping to build sustainable futures. Dive! Tutukaka supports the local schools by running a unique marine program that takes out all 200 children to the Poor Knights to experience their own backyard, amongst many other activities within the local community. Dive! Tutukaka has also initiated a long-term project to ensure every child at the school completes a full scuba dive at the Poor Knights Islands, and learns about the importance of Marine Reserves.
Dive! Tutukaka makes every effort to reduce its impact on the local environment, even up-cycling and repurposing the old mariner pilings and boardwalk to construct its new accommodation and training centre. Environmentally-friendly toiletries are used throughout Lodge 9 and the dive centre’s staff include resident marine biologists and naturalists that help educate guests and contribute to research and conservation around the Poor Knights Islands.
No. of Rooms: 6
Dive Centre Affiliation: PADI
Official Dive Centre Rating: 5 Star IDC
Courses Offered: Discover Scuba, Open Water, AOW, Rescue Diver, Divemaster, IDC, different specialities.
