Glass Bottom Boat Tour
Description
The only Glass Bottom Boat in the Reserve. An informative, educational tour of 45 minutes duration in the first Marine Reserve in New Zealand. Jump on our custom build Glass bottom Catamaran for full 360 degrees views of stunning Ocean, Caves and Scenic views while you explore the underwater water fish life without getting wet! A tour like no other.
Tour Options
Itinerary
WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO SEE? As an open reserve – meaning there are no barricades keeping marine life in or out of the Reserve – the species we encounter change daily. Weather and sea conditions also affect the movements of marine life through the reserve – you never know what you will see! Fish living in the reserve include Snapper (GIANT), Blue Maomao, Parore, Red Moki, Goatfish, Leather Jackets, Sweep, Silver Drummer, Spotties, HiwiHiwi, Marble fish, Eagle Rays, and Stingrays. Sometimes we even see Dolphins, Orca, Whales, and Seals! Other marine life includes Kina, Kelp, Seaweeds, Sponges, and Anemones. Birds include Pied Shags, Red-Billed and Dominican Seagulls, Blue Penguins, Reef Herons, Terns, Gannets, and Petrels.
We will be cruising to the back of Goat Island and have a look at some amazing caves! Few people get to experience the caves as they're only accessible by boat. There are several caves to visit including the Famous "Key Hole" Let the Adventure begin!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(44)
Brilliant trip. Great experience. Saw lots of fish. Commentary excellent. Highly reccomend this
We recently took a school group to the Goat Island Marine Reserve and were lucky enough to enjoy the Glass Bottom Boat (GBB) tours. The weather was perfect, and the experience exceeded our expectations. The GBB team were friendly, organised, and highly informative. Their engaging commentary helped our students connect with the marine environment, and they loved every moment. It was a great opportunity for students to observe the marine life up close. The organisation before the trip was excellent, with clear communication that made coordinating our group seamless. Overall, GBB’s professionalism, enthusiasm, and commitment to providing an educational experience made this an outstanding trip, and we would highly recommend them. Special shout out to Robyn and Amelie too!
A tour of the goat island in a glass floor boat. Seating uncomfortable because the boat is overpacked; glass floor is not anti reflection coated so one has frequent reflection of neighboors hats, faces and garments; back seats have little visibility because they overlook the small side of the glass rectangle; waters are dark and boat has not undersea lighting equipment; fish other than snappers are rare if any; it's a tourist trap.
A tour of the goat island in a glass floor boat. Seating uncomfortable because the boat is overpacked; glass floor is not anti reflection coated so one has frequent reflection of neighboors hats, faces and garments; back seats have little visibility because they overlook the small side of the glass rectangle; waters are dark and boat has not undersea lighting equipment; fish other than snappers are rare if any; it's a tourist trap.
Absolutely awesome!! I took my daughter and 8 year old grandson and we absolutely loved it. Such friendly knowledgeable crew and a wonderful tour of Goat Island. Plenty of fish to see. We’ll be doing it again for sure :)
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re thrilled to hear you, your daughter, and your grandson all had such a great time with us. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed the tour, the marine life, and our crew — Goat Island really is special. We’d absolutely love to welcome you back on board again soon 😊
Loved our glass bottom boat tour. It’s a short trip around goat Island, the captain Robin, and the crew. Samantha were very knowledgeable. We saw lots of fish and the timing of the boat ride was perfect. Would recommend going on a hike up the hill afterwards and then a swim makes for a wonderful day.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the tour and saw plenty of fish. Robyn and Samantha will really appreciate your kind words. Great tip about the hike and swim too — such a perfect way to finish the day at Goat Island. We’d love to welcome you back again.
My partner and I had a fabulous tour around goat Island, and we enjoyed seeing lots of fish through the glass bottom boat. And a friendly wealth of information from the guides and the captain.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We’re thrilled to hear you and your partner enjoyed the tour and spotting all the fish through the glass bottom. Our crew loves sharing their knowledge, so it’s great to hear that added to your experience. We hope to welcome you back to Goat Island again one day 😊
Fantastic experience. Great knowledgable and friendly staff. No question was ignored. Also not afraid to say if didn’t know something. Considering how busy it was on the beach well organised getting on and off the boat. Everyone had a view below the boat. Thank you for a great experience. Worth the money.
Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re really pleased you had a great experience and that our crew, organisation, and views below the boat stood out. We truly appreciate your support and hope to see you again soon.
Very knowledgeable guide, lots to see but unfortunately not that many fish, still a beautiful place and would go again
Thank you so much for joining us and for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re really glad to hear you enjoyed the tour and found our guide knowledgeable — we love sharing the beauty of the marine reserve with our guests. While fish numbers can vary day-to-day depending on tides, weather, and natural movement, we’re happy you still found the experience memorable and the area beautiful. We’d love to welcome you back again for another trip — every day out here is a little different, and you never know what might swim by next time!
Nice trip especially in the months it's too cold to snorkel or for those who can't. We saw stingrays and lots of fish - snapper etc It also went around the island to view the caves. We stopped as a break on a long journey north and it was a great way to break up the travel.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're glad to hear you enjoyed the trip—especially as a unique way to explore Goat Island when it’s too chilly to snorkel. Stingrays, snapper, and those island caves always make the cruise special, and it’s great to know it added a memorable break to your journey north. We hope to welcome you aboard again sometime soon! Warm regards, The Glass Bottom Boat Team
