The team at the Glass Bottom Boat strive to provide an unforgetable experience with top customer service, passenger safety and environmental practices.

We offer a one of a kind experience that is a must to while in the Coromandel. The glass panels in our custom built vessels allow us to take you below the surface and explore the underwater world. This feature makes our tour unique, as we are the only tour to offer this amazing view. Our professional and friendly team have many qualifications including marine biology, envirnomental science and tourism degrees. With extensive knowledge of the area and history, we will provide you with a fun, factual, exhilarating Cathedral Cove tour.

The Glass Bottom Boat is run by an experienced, fun, energetic yet professional team. With years of experience on the water, working with wildlife and within the tourism industry, everyone works hard to ensure every trip is one to remember.

Manaakitanga

Hospitality and respect between difference people, groups and cultures

We are dedicated to making sure everyones experience is memorable. A high level of customer service, satisfaction and comfort are some of our core values. Let our team guide you through your Glass Bottom Boat adventure with a big smile and warm heart.

Why we are special

The only boat with two crew to assist you during the tour (over the summer months).
Our purpose built vessel is the optimum is passenger comfort and safety. Enjoy the comfort of our cabin keeping you protected from the sun or any weather conditions.
The only vessel without designated seating, allowing you to get up and move around the boat as pleased.
Very highly ranked on Trip Adviser, Silver Qualmark status and a recipient of Destination Coromandel’s Service Award.
We undergo and pass with merit, quality assessment audits with Qualmark. This ensures we are providing our guests with top quality service and safety procedures.
Employ a team with top qualifications and excellent service skills to ensure all tours are carried out in a fun, professional and safe manner.

Owners, Mark and Hayley Jones have been working in Eco tourism for over 15 years in different locations around the world. They met in Exmouth, WA while diving with whalesharks before setting off to Canada, Tonga and the Caribbean. They are very happy to be home in Whitianga, with a tourism business of their own, working in an industry they love. They have a passion for the ocean, marine life and conservation.

They are very lucky to be working with such an amazing team of skippers, guides and sales crew. All Coromandel locals, who bring their own flare to the GBB Whanau.

Angela is the wonderful lady running the booking office. She has lived in Coromandel for many years and and has a love for the ocean and outdoors. Angela has a friendly and bubbly personality and is full of local information.

Steve has been working on these waters for over 10 yeas. After running his own tour business he decided to join our fun team and has a wealth of experience and knowledge to share.

Shona is part fish and loves being on and in the water. Shona is a fantastic skipper with years of experience within the marine tourism industry. You will notice her passion for the ocean and sustainability straight away, she has been known to be dolphin whisper.

Adam has worked in tourism around New Zealand. He is a Whitianga local with years of boating experience on these waters. He has a passion for the water, our coastline and loves showing guest all that we have in the Coromandel. He also likes chuck in a cheeky joke or two.

We are dedicated to protecting The Te Whanganui A Hei marine reserve and our Coromandel coast line. We assist and work with Department of Conservation in keeping the marine reserve a NO TAKE zone. Our mammal watch permit allows us to interact with marine animals in a safe and sustainable manner. We believe education and knowledge of the reserve and the marine life in it, is the key to successful conservation of the area. We proudly sponsor conservation organisations and fundraisers plus host educational programs and schools camps.

Why we are special:

We are one of the only two companies in the Coromandel that have a mammal watch permit.
We share information on sightings with DOC and Orca Research Trust.
We care about our environment. We recycle, reuse and repurpose as much as possible. We use eco friendly products when possible and try very had to limit our waste.
We act as Marine Reserve Rangers while on the water always protecting the reserve and promote sustainable interaction with marine mammals.
We hold a DOC concession to operate inside the marine reserve.

We only have one ocean so please be kind to it. When on the water don’t throw rubbish overboard and if you come across some please pick it up. Don’t take anything from a marine reserve or when out of the reserve don’t take anything you don’t need.

Take only photos and leave only bubbles or footprints.

Kiatiakitanga

Guardianship, protection and preservation. The management of our environment.

Seafari Fleet

Whitianga Glass Bottom Boat

Our custom built vessels are spacious, comfortable and packed with many up to to date safety features. Built by Stabi-Craft, who have a reputation for building safe vessel with great stability and are great in all conditions. The pontoon hulls are an extensive safety feature making the vessel virtually unsinkable and a leading design in boat building, which is why it is widely used by Coast Guard.

The glass panels are fitted into our v shaped hull allowing the ride to be smooth, stable and fast when travelling distances. Both vessels are equipped with ladders to make getting on and off the vessel when swimming or snorkeling nice and easy.

The comfortable panel seats are along the side of the vessel making the deck nice and spacious, plus allows for passengers to move around the vessel to get the ultimate view and photos.

The cabin is there to protect you from the New Zealand sun and any other weather conditions that we may face. The back of the vessel is open and the large viewing windows make taking photos or enjoying the amazing Coromandel scenery very easy.

Both vessels are safe ship certified and carry all safety equipment required.