Map of Central North Island.
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Rotorua is a jewel in the North Island, with Geothermal wonders, a center of Maori Culture, Parks, Lakes, Natural history and numerous modern day attractions. Most visitors comment on the smell when they arrive. It is Hydrogen Sulphide (rotten egg gas) and while distinct at first, if you stay for any length of time you will adapt and seldom notice it.
Geothermal Parks:-
The main geothermal parks in Rotorua and its surrounds includes Whakarewarewa thermal area, Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Waitapu Thermal wonderland, Orakei Korako Geyserland and Hell's Gate. All these required payment.
Whakarewarewa:-
Visting this site used to be standard fare in any visit to Rotorua. Unfortunately the park has now divided into two parts, and I personally don't believe either site has enough to stand alone. So what you used to get for one entry price, now costs two (be warned). On the Hemo Road entrance is the NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute with its master carvers. Also includes a weaving house, kiwi house, and Maori meeting house. Pohutu (big splash) and the Prince of Wales geyser is also on this side. (Prince of Wales geyser so named because the 3 directions the geyser shoots out resembles the feathers on the prince of wales crest). On the Tyron street entrance you get another meeting house where a cultural show is put on, a village, shops and some hot pools, etc. Also here outside school hours you may find the local maori children willing to jump off the bridge into the stream below in return for chasing your loose change thrown into the same.
Pohutu & Prince of Wales Erupt
Waimangu Volcanic Valley:-
A nice walk along a valley with numerous hot pools, lakes, and near the end of the track the Warbrick thermal terrace - a multi coloured silica terrace, probably the most colourful terrace in Rotorua. Worth a visit if you have already seen some thermal parks and want more, or like a more expansive tour, you can link with a boat tour. (see the gallery for some photos courtesy Waimangu's website). The pink and white terraces once existed in the area prior to the 1886 eruption.
Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland:-
My personal favourite, about 20 min. south of Rotorua towards Taupo. Be prepared to walk abit. Numerous rainbow pools, the huge champagne pool, artist palette, sulphur vents, boiling mud and a huge silica terrace. If you arrive early in the morning, before 10am, a short drive leads you to the Lady Knox geyser that gets set off once a day by them feeding it with soap, cost of this is included in your admission (was $25 an adult). Also on this road is a natural mud pool which is the best display of boiling mud I have seen and its free.
(Left Photo - Lady Knox Geyser Erupts)
Orakei Korako Geyserland:-
Closer to Lake Taupo than Rotorua on a side road connecting route 5 to the main route 1. You need to catch the ferry across the lake to begin exploring the park. Like most of the parks good tracks requiring you to walk to see mud pools, a large cave, the emerald terrace and the largest silica feature in the country. Worth the visit if you are passing that way.
Hell's Gate:-
Another thermal park with numerous boiling things, including Adam's fying pan, a mud volcano, hot water falls and one of the few places I found I could buy the multi-colour sand in a glass container (quite pretty). Once visited by Mark Twain who stated he would have gladly paid not to have gone there. I'll have to disagree, I think its worth the visit.
Other Attractions
Rainbow Springs Park:-
A nice park with trout fish as its centerpiece, beautiful running water and a top bushland. Lovely walking tracks. Also has a farm show attached.
Skyline Skyrides:-
The main reason to take this ride on a gondala is not just to get to the top for the view but mainly to ride the luge. Massive fun, so long as you don't fall off.
Agrodome:-
Everything you wanted to know about sheep. Surprizing a show about sheep and farming in NZ is actually really interesting and entertaining.
Rotorua Museum of Art:-
One of the first buildings built in NZ soley with tourists in mind. Originally built as a bath house and hot water treatment center it has now been converted. Good museum but the highlight is the movie on local history, sit down and be sure to be holding on - a total multimedia experience. Definate must do. The building itself is one of the finest examples of Edwardian design and is an art piece in itself.
Natures Wonders
There are numerous things to do, totally free for nature lovers.
Huka Falls:-
Just North from Lake Taupo on the M1 is Huka Falls and the world famous Huka Falls Lodge (for the novu-rich of the world). Huka Falls itself is free for all. Near the beginning of the mighty Waikato river (NZ longest river) its not the height of the falls but the sheer volume of water that is forced through which is impressive.
Whakarewarewa Forrest Park:-
On the road to the blue and green lakes. Contains beautiful stands of redwood trees, walking and horse riding tracks.
Government Gardens:-
Outside the Rotorua museum is well kept flower beds, rose gardens, bowling greens and more.
Kuirau Park:-
Opposite the main hospital on Kuirau road is Kuirau park with numerous boiling pools and geothermal activities. Contains some foot pools to ease your sore feet and a children park with minature railway. On my last visit there was a huge hole in the ground and several trees blown over or covered in mud due to a localised eruption. It is a reminder the whole area is geothermally active and has the potential to be dangerous.
Blue and Green Lakes:-
Past Whakarewarewa Forrest Park is the blue lake, great for swimming or boating activities. Keep going on the road to get a view of Mt. Tarawera.
Mt. Tarawera:-
For the true adventure fanatics. Take the back road and climb Mount Tarawera. Enter the crater and run down to the bottom at full speed. Massive crater caused by the 10 June 1886 eruption which destroyed the pink and white terraces and burried many villages.
Lakes:-
The number of lakes is simply too many to mention. Great for trout fishing, boating or picnics. Some lakes even have black volcanic glass and/or pumice stone lying on their shores.
Hamurana Springs:-
If you want to see a beautiful spring feed stream, this is worth a visit, pure water with a hint of blue flowing over white pumice bed. There is also a nice stand of redwoods and I would be surprized if you didnt' see any trout in the stream (no fishing allowed, sorry).
History:-
Rotorua has a lot of history from ancient Maori Legends to the eruption in 1886, the beautiful historic Edwardian Bath house. Rotorua New Zealand has long been a tourist attraction, as seen below with my great grandfather and grandmother visiting Hamurana Springs.
