Stays · Destination Guide
Two marine reserves, kelp forests, and wrecks on the doorstep of New Zealand's capital
Accommodation listings are not available for this destination yet. Use the local planning notes to choose your base.
Wellington is a major domestic hub and also has direct international flights to Nadi (Fiji), Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast. If you want to extend the trip, ferries cross Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton in about 3.5 hours, opening up Marlborough wine country and South Island itineraries.
For diving-focused trips, aim to arrive with at least one flexible day in the schedule to absorb wind and swell variability.
Central Wellington is walkable and well-served by buses, but a car is helpful for flexible dive site choice on the South Coast, the harbour bays, and day trips north to the Kapiti Coast. For shore diving at Island Bay and Princess Bay, public transport can work, but having a vehicle makes gear logistics and backup site changes much easier.