As you slip into the heart of the Bay of Plenty, don’t be alarmed by the smell of sulfur in the air and the threads of steam rising from the pavement. The name of the town (roto, meaning lake, and rua, meaning two) refers to the Maori discovery of the second of 15 lakes in the region. Today, the city is a hotbed of well-structured tourist highlights: geothermal activity and Maori offerings.
Rotorua lies at the southwestern end of Lake Rotorua, but many geothermal and recreational attractions are spread along SH5 and SH30, which wrap around parts of the lake. Downtown is a rectangular grid, defined by Fenton, Arawa, Ranolf, and Amohau Streets. The crossroads of Tutanekai and Hinemoa Streets serve as a city center with stores, cafes, and banks. Rotorua is easily walkable.
Some good budget lodgings line Ranolf Street, while the strip of motels along Fenton Street give Rotorua its nickname, “Roto-Vegas.”
An alternative to the usual fare is the enlightening Maori hangi . Although the meals exceed the normal backpacker allowance, they shouldn’t be missed. A Pak ’N Save is at the corner of Fenton and Amohau St. (Open daily 8am-10pm.)
Some of Rotorua’s sights are inaccessible without transport. Geyser Link Shuttle runs to Wai-O-Tapu and Waimangu. (☎0800 000 4321. Daily 9am; $20, both $25.)
Rotorua is known for its thermal activity, caused by an active fault line running from White Island to Mt. Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park. Colliding tectonic plates created the spectacular mountains, the bizarre landscape, and the innumerable steaming pools, craters, and vents of the geothermal parks.
Wai-O-Tapu. This “Thermal Wonderland” is the most colorful—and probably the finest—geothermal spot in the nation. Leased from the DOC by private operators, the reserve is explored via self-guided tour, weaving around boiling mud, an expansive silicate terrace, brilliantly hued pools, and—inevitably—crowds of tourists. While veiled in steam, the stunning ochre and turquoise colors of the bubbling Champagne Pool make the celebratory beverage pale in comparison. Erupting up to 21m each day at precisely 10:15am, Lady Knox Geyser is another Wai-O-Tapu attraction. Mother Nature isn’t that regular—the geyser is soaped every morning to relieve surface tension. (30km south of Rotorua on SH5. ☎366 6333; www.geyserland.co.nz. Open daily 8:30am-5pm. Last admission 3:45pm. $25, children $10.)
Polynesian Spa. If you’re going to spend three days breathing in geothermal fumes, you might as well do it while soaking. The newly expanded adult-only pools and Priest Spa ($15), filled with acidic water that reaches 39-42˚C (102-108˚F), have purported healing powers. The Lake Spa, a landscaped terrace of caves and waterfalls, claims to be one of the best in the world. The half-hour spa treatments ($70) are an include entrance to the Lake Spa pools. (At the Government Gardens end of Hinemoa St. ☎348 1328; www.polynesianspa.co.nz. Open daily 6:30am-11pm. Last entry 10:15pm. Pools and spas $12-35.)
Waimangu Volcanic Valley. This enormous box canyon complex created by Tarawera’s eruption hosts several hot geothermal phenomena. The Echo Crater is home to the world’s largest hot springs, while the ice blue and extremely acidic Inferno Crater Lake is actually a geyser whose hydraulic activity revolves around a 38-day cycle. The extensive trail system also passes the site of Waimangu, once the world’s largest geyser, whose blast heights regularly reached 185m—some even exceeded 800m. White crosses mark the site where four tourists were killed in 1903. There is a one-hour guided boat cruise to the former sites of the Pink and White Terraces. (23km from Rotorua off the Taupo Hwy. ☎366 6137; www.waimangu.com. Open daily 8:30am-5pm. Valley tour $28, with boat ride $63. Boat ride alone $35.)
Te Puia. Containing the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve and Maori Cultural Centre, this attraction combines nature and culture in one. Boiling mud pools, a kiwi house, and demonstrations of carving, weaving, and crafts are included with admission. Along the walking tour, New Zealand’s largest and most famous geyser, Pohutu, spurts to lofty heights of nearly 30m daily. (3km south of town, past Sala St., off Fenton St. ☎348 9047; www.tepuia.co.nz. Open daily 8am-6pm. In winter 8am-5pm. Admission includes guided tour. $35, children $17.50.)
Hell’S Gate. While George Bernard Shaw christened the park “Hell’s Gate,” to some it is a slice of heaven. Not only is Hell’s Gate home to 50 acres of seething mud, bubbling pools, and a steaming hot waterfall, but is also home to New Zealand’s only mud bath. (16km northeast of Rotorua on SH30. ☎345 3151; www.hellsgate.co.nz. Booking necessary for complimentary shuttle. Open daily 8:30am-8:30pm. Park entry $25, children $10. Mud bath $70.)
Ohinemutu. A visit to this lakefront Ngati Whakaue tribe village rewards visitors with a patient introduction to Maori culture. Of the compound’s buildings, the Tamatekapua Meeting House, built in 1939, is the most symbolically important. The interior showcases a smattering of paua shells and rich, red carvings. (Off Lake Rd., down Mataiwhea St. ☎349 3949.)
St. Faith’S Anglican Church. Across from Ohinemutu, this church has an incongruous combination of Tudor exterior and Maori interior. The pulpit is supported by carved figures of Maori ancestors, while an etched window shows Christ clad in the cloak of a Maori chief—from a certain angle, he appears to be walking on Lake Rotorua. To protect the corpses from being steamed underground by geothermal forces, the coffins were all “buried” above ground.
Rotorua Museum Of Art And History/Te Whare Taonga O Te Arawa. A former luxury spa, this museum houses permanent exhibitions on the eruption of 1886, the Te Arawa people, the B Company 28 Maori Battalion of World War II, the area’s geology, and the former spa itself. (In the Tudor-style Bath House, to the right of the Government Gardens. ☎349 4350; www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz. Open daily 9am-8pm. $12, children $6. Museum admission includes admission to the Blue Baths.)
The Blue Baths. Begun as the first unisex pool in the country, today this site houses a museum devoted to the history of the baths, an elegant outdoor hot pool, and a charming tearoom that serves tiered cakes on antique trolleys. (Next to the Rotorua Museum. ☎350 2119. Museum open daily 10am-5pm. Pools open daily 10am-8pm. In winter 10am-6pm. Museum $12. Pools $9.)
Agricultural Diversions. Entertaining busloads of tourists, the Agrodome’s resident “farmer” shears 19 breeds of sheep, performs a mock auction, leads sheepdog trials, and coaxes the camera-happy crowd to milk cows and pet baby lambs. You can also tour the actual working farm. (From Rotorua, take SH5 toward Hamilton for about 10km and turn right onto Western Rd.; it’s 500m down on the right. Free shuttle from the Rotorua i-Site. ☎357 1050 or 0800 339 400; www.agrodome.co.nz. Agrodome Show $20, children $10. Farm Tour $28, children $15. Agrodome Show and Farm Tour Combo $40, children $20.) For a less polished agricultural experience, the New Zealand Farm Show gives visitors four chances per day to see its bovine extravaganza. (On SH5, 5km north of town, opposite Rainbow Springs. ☎347 9301. $18.50, children $9.50.)
Whitewater Rafting. Adrenaline junkies craving their next fix rush to the short but sweet Kaituna River, where the 7m Okere Falls spill into Lake Rotoiti. Trips to other area rivers, including the Rangitaiki and Tongariro, are offered by many companies, but are contingent on good weather and safe water levels. On Sundays, the Wairoa River is flooded by the hydroelectric plant, creating the best rapids in the area. The longest running company, Kaituna Cascades, receives strong local endorsement. ( ☎357 5032; www.kaitunacascades.co.nz. From $78.)
Whakarewarewa Forest Park. It may not be native bush, but this 5667-hectare exotic pine plantation draws visitors with its awesome mountain biking trails and lake-skirting walks. For walking or riding, get maps from Redwoods Visitor Centre. (On Long Mile Rd., 5km from the city center off of SH30. ☎350 0110. Open M-F 8:30am-5:30pm, Sa-Su 10am-4pm. In winter M-F 8am-5pm, Sa-Su 10am-4pm.)
Kayaking. Kaituna Kayaks offers tandem whitewater kayaking over Class V rapids. No experience needed, just a hearty sense of adventure. (☎0800 465 292; www.kaitunakayaks.com. Half-day lessons $130, full-day $240. 1hr. tandem trips $130.)
Mt. Tarawera. The volcanic Mt. Tarawera (1111m), the cause of the 1886 commotion, is now privately owned; you can only access the mountain through guided tour. Inquire at the visitors center before heading out. Mt. Tarawera NZ leads half-day 4WD tours, which include a guided walk around the crater and helicopter trips with a landing on Mt. Tarawera. (☎349 3714; www.mt-tarawera.co.nz. 4WD tours depart 8am, 1pm. $121. 45min. flights $415.) Volcanic Air Safaris also flies over Mt. Tarawera and the Crater Lakes District. (☎0800 800 848; www.volcanicair.co.nz. Tarawera: floatplane $175; helicopter $295. Crater Lakes: $125/175.) HELiPRO runs similar trips. (☎357 2512; www.helipro.co.nz. Tarawera $275. Crater Lakes $170.)
Sledging. Sledging is a unique form of insanity for a generation jaded with rafting or kayaking whitewater. Kaitiaki Adventures will lead you down chutes and rapids in a buoyant plastic sled. The experienced guides also run rafting trips. ( ☎0800 338 736 or 357 2236; www.kaitiaki.co.nz. Sledging $125. Rafting $75.)
Skydiving. Those who chickened out in Taupo might consider jumping with Nzone, a reputable skydiving option in Rotorua. The company offers a drop over the spectacular Lake District. (☎345 7520 or 0800 3767 9663; www.nzone.biz. 9000 ft. $245; 12,000 ft. $295. 15,000 ft. $395. Book ahead.)
Skyline Skyrides. Rotorua is the semi-official luge capital of the country, thanks to Skyline. After ascending in a scenic gondola, the luge hurls you back down on a three-wheeled plastic cart with your choice of three tracks. (4-5km from the city center, next to Rainbow Springs on SH5. ☎347 0027; www.skylineskyrides.co.nz. Open M-Th and Su 9:30am-5pm, F-Sa 9:30am-9pm. Gondola $22. Luge $7.50.)
Agrodome Adventure Centre. With five original attractions, this adrenaline mecca draws the bold. You can bungy jump off a 43m tower, zip around a small rubber-banked pond in a tiny 450-horsepower Agrojet boat, or roll down a hill in a Zorb. Next, the Swoop raises one to three people linked in sleeping-bag-like sacks to a height of 40m, and then drops them like a sack of potatoes. Freefall Xtreme rockets 120mph winds from under you to simulate a sky-diving free-fall—lift guaranteed. (☎357 4747 or 0800 021 211; www.agrodome.co.nz. Call for free shuttle from the Rotorua i-Site. Open daily 9am-5pm. Zorb open until 6:30pm. In winter 9am-5pm. Bungy $90. Agrojet $40, children $30. Wet or dry Zorb $45. Swoop $30-40. Freefall Xtreme $70 for 4min.)
Fishing. With all its lakes and purportedly more trout per capita than even Lake Taupo, Rotorua is an angler’s dream. Popular fishing spots include Lake Rotoiti and Ngongotaha and Hamurana Streams. Lakes Rotorua and Okareka are open year-round; Tarawera, Okataina, and Rotoiti Lakes are open October through June. (Fishing guides begin at $75 per hr. 1-day license $18.50; weekly, monthly, or seasonal licenses $88; available at the Rotorua i-Site or at any fishing store.) Mana Adventures, 1271 Fenton St., rents gear and can arrange charter boats and guides. (☎348 4186; www.manaadventures.co.nz. Open M-Th 8am-5:30pm, F 8am-6pm, Sa 9am-2pm, Su 9am-1pm.)
The best way to learn about Maori culture is through participation in a Maori hangi, or feast. Be aware that many evening commercial packages tread a delicate line between education and exploitation; the package you choose and the attitude of the sponsoring company can significantly alter your experience. Some emphasize learning about Maori history and traditions, while others consist solely of song and dance. Some hangi are held on real marae, some in specifically built commercial locations, and others in motel restaurants. That said, this may be your best chance to move beyond postcard images of tattooed Maori warriors to get a glimpse of the beauty, power, and richness of the Maori tradition. Full evening tours by several Maori-owned operators usually include an introductory communication protocol, a challenge and welcome ceremony (finalized with the hongi, the pressing of noses to forge friendships with visitors), followed by a concert, and a hangi—all with transport from any accommodation.
Mitai. Spending a night with the Mitais is one of the least touristy ways to experience Maori culture in Rotorua. Groups are smaller than those of other tours, and the affable Mitai family uses interaction rather than just entertainment as means for teaching Maori history, culture, and language. The evening ends with a walk through the family’s sacred grounds. (192 Fairy Springs Rd. ☎343 9132; www.mitai.co.nz. Book ahead. Daily 6:15-9pm. $85, children 10-15 $42, under 10 $16.)
Tamaki Tours. Although not as intimate as Mitai, Tamaki is another good way to learn about Maori culture through a polished evening of song and dance. (☎346 2823; www.maoriculture.co.nz. Vegetarian options. Book ahead. $63, children $36.)
Mai Ora. At a replica of a pre-European village in Te Puia overlooking the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve, this hangi is prepared using the underground heat of the water. Te Puia also offers daytime concerts. (☎348 9047 or 0800 494252; www.tepuia.co.nz. Summer only. $85, children $50.)
Rowdy tourists feed a lively Rotorua nightlife scene. Even after a long day of mud and marae, travelers manage to hit the beers and bars with gusto.
Tarawera Falls. Following the Tarawera River’s course as it slips underneath and bursts out of a rock, falling 20m, makes for a pleasant day walk through native bush. It’s a 10-15min. walk from the parking lot to the falls viewpoint; another 15-20min. uphill leads to a second tier of smaller cascades. Another 5min. rewards you with a swimming hole, while a further 1hr. will take you to a popular campsite on the shores of Lake Tarawera (tent sites $5), which is also accessible by car. From Rotorua, head eastward on SH30A to SH30. At the SH34 intersection (49km), take the road to Kawerau (6km). While the falls are on DOC land, the 24km gravel road to the falls goes through private forestry, and a vehicle permit ($2.50) is required. The Kawerau Visitor’s Center, located in the Tarawera Court shopping center on Islington St., issues permits and provides maps from Kawerau to the falls. (☎323 7550. Open M-F 8:30am-5pm, Sa-Su 9am-3pm.)
Buried Village. Once renowned as a stagepost for the silica White and Pink Terraces, the 19th-century tourist center Te Wairoa village became a little too hot when the 1886 eruption of Mt. Tarawera destroyed the so-called “Eighth Wonder of the World” and its surrounding villages. The tourist draw today is the aftermath of the destruction, where paths meander around the excavated, heavily reconstructed whares, settler’s houses, and shops. (On Tarawera Rd., 10km from town. ☎362 8287; www.buriedvillage.co.nz. Open daily Nov.-Mar. 8:30am-5:30pm; Apr.-Oct. 9am-4:30pm. 30min. guided tours, included in admission, at 11am, 1:30, 3pm. Adults $25, children $8.)
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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