These Islands of the east coast of Northland are located 21km by sea from Tutukaka. These spectacular Islands are the eroded remains of a group of volcanoes, which erupted around 11 million years ago.

The area has been rated by Jacques Coustau as one of the world's top ten dive sites as the diving here is breathtaking with a very good visibility of 15 to 30 meters plus. Great photography opportunities are here amongst the rich marine life that the islands and surrounding waters are so famous for.

The area is bathed by a warm subtropical current and fish include tropical species such as spotted black groper, mosaic moray and Lord Howe coral fish, which are rarely found elsewhere in New Zealand waters.

Reef fish here include Pink Mao-mao; Blue Mao-mao, and two-spot demoiselle; as well as kingfish that frequent along with the koheru and travely. The steep cliffs that fringe the islands plummet 100 metres below to sea level in places before reaching a sandy sea floor.

The broken caves, archways and fissures provide many different nooks and crannies for sea life over a wide range of depths.

Kelp forests, sponge gardens and gorgonian fields are inhabited by a myriad of fish, shellfish, urchins and anemones, with the beautiful black coral in deeper waters. Red Baron cave has a wide range of fauna and flora, rock formations.

Nursery Cove, and some of the shallower parts of South Harbour offer some of the best places for novice divers.

Experienced divers can find spectacular and challenging dives all around the islands.