Whitianga: Cathedral Cove Cruise, Caves & Snorkelling
Description
At 7.8 metres, Cave Cruzer is the only vessel of its size in Mercury Bay, small enough to navigate inside caves and blowholes larger boats cannot enter, open-topped so nothing blocks your view above. Two hours along 24 kilometres of protected Coromandel coastline. You will pass Shakespeare Cliff, named by Captain Cook in 1769, and reach Cathedral Cove, Te Hoho Rock, the Sleeping Dragon, and Narnia filming locations, seen from the water. The tour closes inside Orua, New Zealand's second-largest sea cave. Brian plays music inside so you can hear the acoustics for yourself. Brian's local knowledge of the geology, Maori history, and marine life of Mercury Bay is what separates this from a boat ride. Optional snorkelling and rock jumping available, subject to conditions.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet the crew at the Cave Cruzer boat, on the floating pontoon, opposite 13 The Esplanade. Safety briefing before departure. History of Whitianga while making our way to the sea.
Brian points out the cliff formation Captain Cook named in 1769 and shares the story of how Mercury Bay got its name. The volcanic coastline opens up as you head south.
Learn why Captian Cook was sent to New Zealand, and venture inside Cooks Beach Blowhole (subject to conditions).
The centrepiece of the tour. Iconic rock formations, Narnia film locations, and the famous Te Hoho Rock - seen from the water, the way most visitors never see it.
Visit Champagne Bay to see dramatic cave entries and ancient blowholes carved by centuries of wave action. Cave Cruzer goes inside. Other boats cannot.
New Zealand's second-largest sea cave. Brian takes the boat in and plays music so you can hear the acoustics for yourself. Music from here on our return. Then explore inside NZ's second largest Sea Cave "Orua" & experience the amazing acoustics when we play music. Cave Cruzer is the only tour to provide this experience.
Visit Gemstone Bay or the best spot on the day. Gear up and snorkel among fish in the marine reserve, or watch them from the side of the boat.
Optional rock jumping available here, conditions dependant.
See and pass through our very own "Hole in the Rock".
Tour concludes.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Tour departure times vary, duration approximately 2 hours, check availability online.
- Check in at the Cave Cruzer boat on floating pontoon, opposite 13 The Esplanade, Whitianga Wharf, 15 minutes before departure.
- Snorkelling and rock jumping, route are subject to sea conditions on the day and cannot be guaranteed
- Caves and blowhole access is subject to tide and swell conditions
- Marine wildlife sightings: dolphins, orca, seals, whales cannot be guaranteed
- Secure hats and glasses before departure; the boat cruising speed 55 km’s on open water
- Not suitable for children under 10 kg; no lap sitting
Reviews(62)
Absolutely amazing trip! So immersive and Brian knew so much about the history of the island! He also got us into some amazing caves and places I didn’t think we would ever see! Not to mention the best music and energy! One of the best boat trips I have ever taken and I have taken many! The speed the boat can get up to is also so fun and makes the tip very exciting! Thank you Brian!!
Fanatsitc boat trip. Nice and funny Guide (he was called Brian) with interessing information. Great music. We Loved it and would definitely do it again. Greetings from germany
A very enjoyable experience from start to finish also great value. Informative, interesting topped off by a thrilling fast powerboat ride . Highly recommended.
We had a brilliant experience on the Cave Cruzer with Brian. He was a great host - friendly, humorous & informative - & made his guests feel comfortable, obviously wanting everyone to enjoy the experience. We got involved & experienced far more than we expected & at times it was exhilarating! Would thoroughly recommend this trip. Great value for money. Andrew & Ruth Lewis
Brian excelled and put in 100 percent effort at making this a fun exhilarating and interesting trip for us. He made it fun and enjoyable from the moment we stepped onto the boat and we had a few laughs. He always put our safety first and kept on checking if we were comfortable or needed to swop seats. He drove into the caves and blew a horn to show us how the acoustics worked. Inside the cave he fed fish to bring them close to the boat for us to see but in doing so was always conscious of protecting marine life and the environment. From booking to the end of the tour Brian's communication was exemplary. This has been the highlight tour of our visit to New Zealand. Thank you Brian for a memorable day.
Excellent tour and excellent tour guide! Very informative and was a fun experience. Brain was a wealth of knowledge on the area.
This was a very interesting cruise around the different famous places at Cathedral Cove. The one down side was we hit some wind so we couldn't see every place but the captain, Brian, made it up to us with some exciting boating at the end.
My daughter and I had a fabulous couple of hours racing over the waves to get to some of the most stunning scenery. Brian was a great captain, good host with fab music and wicked sense of humour. I would recommend it to anyone fancying something a little different…
We took this trip on the last day of my holiday and that made it a memorable one. We really enjoyed exploring the beautiful coast and caves, getting to see far more than we could have packed in otherwise. We particularly liked snorkelling towards the end of the trip and seeing so many colourful fish and urchins.
We decided the day before to take this tour after our walk to Cathedral Cove was a bit disappointing - SO many people on the beach which is totally understandable for a gorgeous summer Sunday afternoon. All I can say about the tour we took was that it was hands down the best thing we did on the North Island. The owner/operator/boat captain was awesome. He was fun and informative and did his best to make sure everyone enjoyed the tour. This is the tour you want to take!!! It’s the only one that actually goes INTO several coastal caves. He makes sure everyone gets the opportunity to get good photos as well.
