Tutukaka is a tiny harbour settlement on the northeast coast of the North Island, about 30 minutes from Whangarei and a couple of hours north of Auckland. It exists almost entirely as the departure point for dive trips to the Poor Knights Islands, about 23 km offshore.
The Poor Knights are a marine reserve — no one is allowed on the islands without scientific permission — and the underwater scenery is exceptional. Jacques Cousteau rated them among his ten favourite dive sites in the world. The water is clear, around 20–22°C in summer, and the volcanic rock formations create caves, arches, and kelp forests teeming with life: moray eels, scorpionfish, rays, and large schools of fish. It is not a tropical reef — the colours come from sponges and bryozoans rather than coral — but the diversity and visibility are remarkable.
Several dive operators run trips from Tutukaka harbour. Non-divers can snorkel or take a kayak trip around the islands; on rough days the boats redirect to the scuttled frigate HMNZS Waikato closer to shore. On land, the white-sand crescent of Matapouri Beach is ten minutes north. The drive up from Auckland passes through beautiful coastal scenery and makes for a good overnight getaway.