| Travel Rotorua | | | | buried in mud. Some of the village has since |
| | | | been dig out and rebuilt to give tourists an |
| This article is a basic tour guide to | | | | idea of a Maori village. |
| traveling in Rotorua highlight and evaluating | | | | |
| the main sites in the district. | | | | I haven't been to Tamaki Maori Village so |
| | | | can't give a review. |
| | | | |
| | | | If you really want to get a good taste of |
| If you had only one day in the North Island | | | | Maori culture food and hospitality then book |
| of New Zealand and you asked me where should | | | | one of the many feasts and concerts put on by |
| one go for that day I would without | | | | the local hotels. The food, music and |
| hesitation say Rotorua. | | | | friendship are always top rate. |
| | | | |
| This article is my personal guide to Rotorua | | | | Other Attractions |
| from someone who has visited it more times | | | | |
| than I can remember and if given the chance I | | | | Rainbow Springs Park: |
| would visit it again. This article is | | | | |
| non-commercial and is intended to be for | | | | A nice park with trout fish as its |
| general information. | | | | centerpiece, beautiful clear running water |
| | | | and a top bushland. Lovely walking tracks and |
| Location: | | | | you can feed the fish. Also has a farm show |
| | | | attached. |
| Rotorua is approximately 2.5 - 3 hours drive | | | | |
| south of Auckland. Head south through | | | | Skyline Skyrides: |
| Hamilton and Cambridge, or for a quicker | | | | |
| route via Mata Mata. Shortly after Cambridge | | | | The main reason to take this ride on a |
| turn left and take the number 5 which will | | | | gondola is not just to get to the top for the |
| lead you right to Rotorua. Coming up from | | | | view, the main reason is to ride the luge. |
| Wellington head to Lake Taupo and take the | | | | Massive fun, as long as you don't fall off. |
| number 5 to Rotorua. Train and Bus routes | | | | They have a small chairlift operating so that |
| also service Rotorua. | | | | you can ride the luge for as long as your |
| | | | budget can afford. |
| Attractions: | | | | |
| | | | Agrodome: |
| Rotorua is a jewel in the North Island, with | | | | |
| geothermal wonders, a center of Maori | | | | Everything you wanted to know about sheep. |
| Culture, Parks, Lakes, Natural History and | | | | Surprising a show about sheep and farming in |
| numerous modern day attractions. Most | | | | NZ is interesting and entertaining. |
| visitors comment on the smell when they | | | | |
| arrive. It is Hydrogen Sulphide (rotten egg | | | | Rotorua Museum of Art: |
| gas) and while distinct at first, if you stay | | | | |
| for any length of time you will adapt and | | | | One of the first buildings built in NZ solely |
| seldom notice it. | | | | with tourists in mind. Originally built as a |
| | | | bath house and hot water treatment center it |
| Geothermal Parks | | | | has now been converted. Good museum but the |
| | | | highlight is the movie on local history, sit |
| The main geothermal parks in Rotorua and its | | | | down and be sure to be holding on - a total |
| surrounds include Whakarewarewa thermal area, | | | | multimedia experience. Definite must do. |
| Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Waitapu Thermal | | | | The building itself is one of the finest |
| wonderland, Orakei Korako Geyserland and | | | | examples of Edwardian design and is an art |
| Hell's Gate. All these required payment. | | | | piece in itself. The surrounding gardens are |
| | | | always nicely maintained. |
| Whakarewarewa: | | | | |
| | | | Natures Wonders |
| Visiting this site used to be standard fare | | | | |
| in any visit to Rotorua. Unfortunately the | | | | There are numerous things to do, totally free |
| park has now divided into two parts, and I | | | | for nature lovers. |
| personally don't believe either site has | | | | |
| enough to stand alone. So what you used to | | | | Huka Falls: |
| get for one entry price now costs two (be | | | | |
| warned). On the Hemo Road entrance is the NZ | | | | Just North from Lake Taupo on the M1 is Huka |
| Maori Arts and Crafts Institute with its | | | | Falls and the world famous Huka Falls Lodge |
| master carvers. Also includes a weaving | | | | (for the novu-rich of the world). Huka Falls |
| house, kiwi house, and Maori meeting house. | | | | itself is free for all. Near the beginning |
| Pohutu (big splash) and the Prince of Wales | | | | of the mighty Waikato river (NZ longest |
| geyser are also on this side. (Prince of | | | | river) it's not the height of the falls but |
| Wales geyser so named because the 3 | | | | the sheer volume of water that is forced |
| directions the geyser shoots out resembles | | | | through which is impressive, few people have |
| the feathers on the Prince of Wales crest). | | | | gone over the falls and survived. Boat trips |
| On the Tyron street entrance you get another | | | | are now run up to the base of the falls for |
| meeting house where a cultural show is put | | | | those wanting a different perspective. |
| on, a village, shops and some hot pools, etc. | | | | |
| Also here outside school hours you may find | | | | Whakarewarewa Forrest Park: |
| the local Maori children willing to jump off | | | | |
| the bridge into the stream below in return | | | | On the road to the blue and green lakes. |
| for chasing your loose change thrown into the | | | | Contains beautiful stands of redwood trees, |
| same. | | | | walking and horse riding tracks. The redwood |
| | | | trees are relatively young for trees, but |
| Waimangu Volcanic Valley: | | | | they are already huge in size. |
| | | | |
| A nice walk along a valley with numerous hot | | | | Government Gardens: |
| pools, lakes, and near the end of the track | | | | |
| the Warbrick thermal terrace - a multi | | | | Outside the Rotorua museum is well kept |
| coloured silica terrace, probably the most | | | | flower beds, rose gardens, bowling greens and |
| colourful terrace in Rotorua. Worth a visit | | | | more. |
| if you have already seen some thermal parks | | | | |
| and want more, or like a more expansive tour, | | | | Kuirau Park: |
| you can link with a boat tour. (see the | | | | |
| gallery for some photos courtesy Waimangu's | | | | Opposite the main hospital on Kuirau road is |
| website). The pink and white terraces once | | | | Kuirau Park with numerous boiling pools and |
| existed in the area prior to the 1886 | | | | geothermal activities. Contains some foot |
| eruption. | | | | pools to ease your sore feet and a children's |
| | | | park with miniature railway. On my last |
| Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland: | | | | visit there was a huge hole in the ground and |
| | | | several trees blown over or covered in mud |
| My personal favourite, about 20 min. south of | | | | due to a localized eruption. It is a |
| Rotorua towards Taupo. Be prepared to walk | | | | reminder the whole area is geothermally |
| abit. Numerous rainbow pools, the huge | | | | active and has the potential to be dangerous. |
| champagne pool, artist palette, sulphur | | | | |
| vents, boiling mud and a huge silica terrace. | | | | Blue and Green Lakes: |
| If you arrive early in the morning, before | | | | |
| 10am, a short drive leads you to the Lady | | | | Past Whakarewarewa Forrest Park is the blue |
| Knox geyser that gets set off once a day by | | | | lake, great for swimming or boating |
| them feeding it with soap, cost of this is | | | | activities, clear water with a pumice bottom, |
| included in your admission (was $25 an | | | | those further out there is a problem with |
| adult). Also on this road is a natural mud | | | | weeds. Keep going on the road to get a view |
| pool which is the best display of boiling mud | | | | of Mt. Tarawera. The green lake is banned |
| I have seen and its free. | | | | and tapu (Maori for cursed, sacred, special) |
| | | | and no is supposed to enter it. |
| Orakei Korako Geyserland: | | | | |
| | | | Mt. Tarawera: |
| Closer to Lake Taupo than Rotorua on a side | | | | |
| road connecting route 5 to the main route 1. | | | | For the true adventure fanatics. Take the |
| You need to catch the ferry across the lake | | | | back road and climb Mount Tarawera. Enter |
| to begin exploring the park. Like most of | | | | the crater and run down to the bottom at full |
| the parks good tracks requiring you to walk | | | | speed. The massive crater was caused by the |
| to see mud pools, a large cave, the emerald | | | | 10 June 1886 eruption which destroyed the |
| terrace and the largest silica feature in the | | | | pink and white terraces and buried many |
| country. Worth the visit if you are passing | | | | villages. |
| that way. | | | | |
| | | | Lakes: |
| Hell's Gate: | | | | |
| | | | The number of lakes is simply too many to |
| Another thermal park with numerous boiling | | | | mention. Great for trout fishing, boating or |
| things, including Adam's frying pan, a mud | | | | picnics. Some lakes even have black volcanic |
| volcano, hot water falls and one of the few | | | | glass and/or pumice stone lying on their |
| places I found I could buy the multi-colour | | | | shores. |
| sand in a glass container (quite pretty). | | | | |
| Once visited by Mark Twain who stated he | | | | Hamurana Springs: |
| would have gladly paid not to have gone | | | | |
| there. I'll have to disagree; I think it's | | | | If you want to see a beautiful spring feed |
| worth the visit. | | | | stream, this is worth a visit, pure water |
| | | | with a hint of blue flowing over white pumice |
| Maori Culture | | | | bed. There is also a nice stand of redwoods |
| | | | and I would be surprised if you didn't' see |
| Rotorua has plenty of Maori based | | | | any trout in the stream (no fishing allowed, |
| attractions. These include Tamaki Maori | | | | sorry). |
| Village (I've yet to visit). The NZ Maori | | | | |
| Arts and Crafts Institute (already spoken | | | | This list is by no means exhaustive and like |
| about), the Buried Village and numerous Hungi | | | | any tourist destination new venues are always |
| and Cultural Performances. | | | | opening up. I hope this provides you with a |
| | | | basic to do list when visiting. To see |
| The Buried village is what it sounds like, a | | | | pictures go to the website in the resource |
| half buried village. During the 1886 | | | | box below. |
| eruption a number of local Maori perished | | | | |