Welcome to Rainbow City, Alabama
 

Welcome to our Rainbow City, Alabama Archive.

 

Article #132: A Travel Guide to Rotorua New Zealand

(Browse for more articles)

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






1- A- B- C- D- E- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41-