Marine reserves are our national parks of the sea. You can visit by boat and go diving, swimming, and snorkelling. You must not take marine life or harm the natural habitats.
Cape Rodney-Okakari Point lies north of Auckland. The marine reserve offers some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities close to Auckland. Visitors can also enjoy swimming, kayaking and walking on the beach.
Just 20 km north of Auckland lies the Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve. The reserve protects a variety of coastal habitats: sandy beaches, rocky reefs, estuarine mudflats and mangroves.
The Mōtū Manawa-Pollen Island Marine Reserve protects 500 hectares of the inner reaches of Auckland's Waitemata Harbour.
Tāwharanui Marine Reserve is good for families, with pōhutukawa lined beaches, good swimming and rockpooling. It runs along the northern side of Tāwharanui Regional Park (on Takatu Peninsula) and is a 90 minute drive north of Auckland.
Te Matuku Marine Reserve protects one of Waiheke Island's largest and least disturbed estuaries, along with an area outside Te Matuku Bay in the Waiheke Channel.
The reserve protects a wide range of habitats from sandy flats to rocky reefs, offering great snorkelling and diving. Visitors to the reserve can also enjoy swimming, kayaking and viewing the interesting coastal geology.