Cathedral Cove Dive & Snorkel- Marine Reserve specialised trips
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
The only dedicated Snorkel Boat trip on the Coromandel operating from Hahei Beach, the Gateway to Cathedral Cove and just a 5-minute boat ride into the Marine Reserve. The boat takes you to any one of a number of sites within the Marine Reserve. The trip is via Cathedral Cove.
Providing warm long wetsuits and high-quality snorkel equipment, our skippers are Qualified Scuba Instructors with a wealth of knowledge of the underwater terrain as well as local knowledge of the Coromandel area. Abundance of pelagic fish, an assortment of rays and a variety of local territorial fish awaits you, with the possibility of seeing crayfish.
Inexperienced snorkelers and non-swimmers are welcome as we have floating aides available on all trips. Prescription masks are available. Short boat rides.
Special Deal - Book onto our specialised snorkel boat tour and keep the snorkel gear for the rest of the day FREE OF CHARGE
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Minimum age 5 years old
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
We will suit you up in warm long arm/long leg wetsuits at the store then transport you to Hahei Beach to launch. On the way to your snorkeling site, we will be visiting Cathedral Cove so you can get some great holiday shots. Once anchored up around the islands offshore of Hahei Beach and Cathedral Cove, you will get to spend an hour snorkeling in sites that simply cannot be accessed by shore. There are stunning areas of coastline, with rocky reefs and drop-offs or colorful shallow plateaus teaming with fishlife. You will get an hour in the water hanging out with the friendly fish, large rays and mooching snapper that are living in the Cathedral Cove Te Whanganui-a Hei Marine Reserve. The knowledgeable skippers will help you with your snorkel techniques and confidence in the water. On returning back to Hahei Beach, we will deliver back to the Dive Centre. Please be aware of the New Zealand Adventure Activity Risk Disclosure available on our website before booking. We can provide you with our full Hazard Register on request.
What‘s Included
Full long arm/long leg warm wetsuits
Full one hour in the water swimming with the marine wildlife
Use of Snorkelling equipment
Presciption Masks with optical lenses
Experienced Diving and Snorkeling Skippers
Visit Cathedral Cove on the way
Options
Cathedral Cove Dive & Snorkel- Marine Reserve specialised trips
Reviews
15 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Orca sightings up close and personal
Lori R,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This is an extraordinarily well run outfitter with a very professional and knowledgeable staff. Safety was first, but fun, geological overviews, and Maori heritage also had high importance. Our skipper, Ash, was caring, brilliant, and authentically excited when we spotted Orca toward the end of our outing. He extended our time on the water and respectfully gave us lots of Orca viewing time. Fantastic experience and a real highlight of our trip.
Awesome!
WiremuPat,Mar 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Friendly staff & amazing experience for our whānau to jump in the water with the kids & see fish, kina etc. Highly recommend!
Small boat snorkeling
christinemW7551YI,Feb 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ash, our boat captain, found a great spot to snorkel near the island. There were only 8 of us on the boat. The dive shop let us stow our shoes and bags at the shop during our excursion. We were outfitted with all the gear we needed and a wet suit before heading out. A tractor pulls the boat down the road and launches right from the beach. We had a great snorkeling trip.
Great tour with my family
C8104SZtorbens,Feb 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fantastic experience at Cathedral Cove! The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and made everyone feel safe in the water. The snorkelling spot inside the marine reserve was teeming with colorful fish and crystal-clear visibility. Equipment was high quality, and the whole trip felt well organized from start to finish.
Friendly people and great snorkelling
Smiths 0 1 2,Jan 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Such a welcoming atmosphere with a great bunch of people. We did a 2hr snorkelling boat trip with Ash supported by Kyle. It was just the three of us and we had an interesting tour around the bay via Cathedral Cove and then to an excellent snorkelling anchorage. There was no time pressure and Ash struck a lovely balance between guiding us but letting us get on with it, and so knowledgeable. We saw an incredible range of different sea life, well beyond our expectations. An amazing experience and cannot emphasise how easy going and welcoming everyone was. Thank you.
Fun snorkling at Cathedral Cove
Anthony O,Jan 7, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great staff - Ash was awesome on the day. Explained about the area. The snorkling was fun. So many fish. The gear was in very good condition - very clean.
Blue fish
Martina B,Jan 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nice crew, wetsuit and snorkel gear even in visual acuity. Boat trip first to Cathedral Cove then for snorkeling. Snorkeling site depending on weather conditions.
Phenomenal snorkeling experience!
kailynna2025,Mar 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Snorkeling trip was amazing! We saw hundreds of beautiful fish. The ocean was calm and had great visibility. Also got to drive over to Cathedral Cove and take photos there. Our skipper was very knowledgeable and told us a lot of history about Hahei while we were on the boat.
Snorkeling in Hahei
Jon1979Iowa,Mar 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Everyone was helpful and knowledgeable about the area. They were laid back but yet focused on giving us the best experience possible.
Beautiful experience in scenic cathedral cove
Ram T,Jan 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Friendly staff and captain guided us through the cute town and snorkel after a quick visit to the cathedral cove. We saw lots of fish including my highlight of a young graceful stingray. The snorkeling experience through weeds, rocks and caves is very different from past experiences!
From NZ$159.00
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Operated by Cathedral Cove Dive & Snorkel