Rotorua

Rotorua is about three hours travel from Auckland travelling on Route 27 over the blue grass country of the Hauraki Plains and through Matamata.  It's quite boring unless you really like horses but it is fast.  The final section of the journey over the Mamaku Range at the entrance to the city is quite spectacular though.

Rotorua has been the North Island's premier tourist destination from since the earliest European settlement, originally for tourists visiting the legendary Pink & White Terraces, sadly destroyed in the Tarawera eruption in 1886, but the city has reinvented itself many times over the years to adjust to an ever changing tourist market.

The city has a huge number and range of accommodation; back-packers hostels, numerous motels, package tour hotels to luxury lodges. The quite large shopping centre has retained it's 1930's look and the shops can provide all of the necessities of life

The city's traditional attractions are thermal attractions, Maori venues, trout fishing, rural entertainment at the Agrodome plus numerous sports and outdoor adventure facilities.

Free Things

Many of the places of interest are free of charge or just ask for a donation.  These include Kuirau Park, almost in the shopping centre and across the street from the city hospital.  As well as well laid out gardens there are boiling lakes, boiling mudpools and thermal footbaths, ideal for soothing those tourist feet and a chance to chat to the many visitors from all over the world that go there in the evening.

Stroll along the Lakefront of Lake Rotorua to see the tourist activity there, continue beyond the soundshell where the road takes you to the Ohinemutu Maori Village. As well as the marae (communal centre) there is a wonderful Maori meeting house (Maori concerts in the evening at a reasonable price), and across the square is St Faith's Angilcan Church.  Beautiful carvings and at a side alter a lovely etched window showing a Maori Christ figure walking on Lake Rotorua.

The Government Gardens have well laid out gardens, lawn bowls, croquet, petanque, swimming, rose garden etc. plus the museum, Blue Baths and Polynesian Pools

Mt Nongataha has a number of commercial activities reached by gondola from the main highway or the nearby Rainbow Springs.  There is a scenic road  almost to the top of Mt Nongataha for magnificent views of the city, lake and district.  There is a restaurant at the top of the road.

The Redwood Forest is a huge area of walking paths and cycling trails.  There is a small information centre and souvenir shop.  Or continue on to the beautiful Blue & Green Lakes. I must admit that I must be a bit colour blind as I can never see where the names come from.  At the end of the road is a great view of Mt Tarawera.

The main thermal area in Rotorua is Whakarewarewa.  It has geysers, boiling mud etc plus a great Maori Arts & Crafts Cultural centre.  However with limited time we chose to visit the Waiotapu Thermal Reserve which is about 25 minutes south of Rotorua on the Taupo highway.  The first stop is on a slight detour from the reception centre to visit the Lady Knox Geyser.  As far as I know it is the only geyser that needs to be 'soaped' with laundry powder to get it started.  It was originally discovered by the British Militia stationed in the district during the British land wars. The reserve itself takes about 1 -2 hours to view along easy well maintained paths and offers a huge variety of thermal sights and some great views of the area.  The reception area is new and provides good facilities, snack bar and souvenir shop with very capable and obliging staff.

The road north of the city skirts the lake with fine views.  The road to Whakatane skirts the chain of lakes that form the Rotorua Lakeland.  Take the detour road through native forest to Lake Okataina, a real scenic gem and trout fishermans paradise.  There are public facilities and a luxury fishermans lodge. Continuing along the lakeside drive takes you to Tikiteri (Hell's Gate), a small thermal valley and a new luxurious spa. Then on to 'Hongi's Track', part of the main highway that takes you through lovely bush before the road drops down to the Bay of Plenty.

The highway to Tauranga takes you past the bottom end of Lake Rotoiti with wonderful views, take the side road to Orere Falls, formerly the site of an old hydro power station there is a walking path that almost takes you right under the falls or so it seems.  Quite exhilerating.