Whakaari or White Island is an active volcano, situated 48 km from the coastal town, Whakatane. The island is the largest of the four islands in the Olive island chain. It is roughly circular, about two km in diameter, and rises to a height of 321 m above sea level. However this is only the peak of a much larger submarine mountain, which rises up to 1600 m above the nearby seafloor. The main activities on the island now are guided tours and scientific research. White island attracts visitors from all over the world including a variety of sealife. White Island is also one of world’s best scuba diving destinations and provides a unique dive experience as you can explore the underwater steam vents or commune with large schools of fish. It attracts hundreds of divers from all over the world every year. White island is accessible by boat or helicopter or you can opt for a scenic flight over the island. View the live web camera here.
See below for a list of White Island tour operators in Whakatane who can get you closer to the real thing.