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MapSpeciesParksDiving
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  4. New Zealand
  5. Poor Knights Islands

Poor Knights Islands

Sea cave (the largest in the world)
Depth: 5–25 mLevel: Advanced Open WaterMarch-June
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A volcanic marine reserve listed by Cousteau among the ten best dive sites in the world for its caves and arches.

Depth

5–25 m

Recommended level

Advanced Open Water

Average visibility

20 m

Reckoned the largest sea cave in the world by volume; its natural acoustics have even been used for music recordings.

Location

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Poor Knights Islands: 15 documented species

Ecosystem

Cave / cenote

Similar dive sites

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Same country: New Zealand

Same country: New Zealand

Same country: New Zealand

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Water temperature

19 °C

Current

Weak

Access

Boat

Best season

March-June

Recommended certification

Cavern Diver

Approx. price

95 USD / dive

Plan your dive

Best season
March-June
Approx. price
95 USD / dive
See location

Same country: New Zealand

New Zealand · Northland
See on the interactive map→
Risso's DolphinLeast Concern

Risso's Dolphin

Grampus griseus

Bottlenose DolphinLeast Concern

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

New Zealand Fur SealLeast Concern

New Zealand Fur Seal

Arctocephalus forsteri

Reef Manta RayVulnerable

Reef Manta Ray

Mobula alfredi

Moon JellyfishNot Evaluated

Moon Jellyfish

Aurelia aurita

Mediterranean MusselNot Evaluated

Mediterranean Mussel

Mytilus galloprovincialis

Killer WhaleEndangered

Killer Whale

Orcinus orca

Ocean SunfishVulnerable

Ocean Sunfish

Mola mola

Atlantic PyrosomesNot Evaluated

Atlantic Pyrosomes

Pyrosoma atlanticum

Basking SharkEndangered

Basking Shark

Cetorhinus maximus

Critically Endangered

Tope

Galeorhinus galeus

Least Concern

Haarder

Mugil cephalus

See all 15 species found here
Cave/Rocky reef

Cathedral Cove

New Zealand

Up to 25 m · Open Water

Eagle rays · snapper

See dive site
Wreck/Temperate reef

Bay of Islands

New Zealand

Up to 30 m · Advanced Open Water

Subtropical fish · dolphins

See dive site
Cold-water wreck

Mikhail Lermontov wreck

New Zealand

Up to 38 m · Advanced; penetration only with specific training

See dive site
CountryNew Zealand
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