Tatapouri Reef Walk & Stingray Feeding

Wade out to a rock shelf off Tatapouri and watch the abundant marine life such as stingrays, fish and octopuses swimming around the reef.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a scenic coastal drive past the surfing mecca of Wainui Beach and up the Pacific Coast Highway to Tatapouri. After an enlightening orientation and then donning wading gear, you will walk with your guide out to a rocky reef shelf. Marine life is abundant here, and chances are you will see Down Under’s most iconic sea creatures.

Your guide will bring food along to entice the stingrays and as a result, the water is usually teeming with short-tail rays, which look particularly graceful as they glide along the shallow reef. Eagle rays are also common and can easily be distinguished from stingrays by their long, whip-like tails. Both species feed on fish, so you can also expect to see yellowtail kingfish, which in turn feed on trevally.

These beautiful silvery and blue-green fish are highly sought by fishermen, as they are strong fighters. Trevally are also known as “blurters” for the odd grunt they make when caught. The Maori call the trevally by various other names including the arara.