Rotorua, Te Puia and Waiotapu, New Zealand
Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog. Todays post is all about Rotorua, Te Puia and Waiotapu. Rotorua is a town set by a lake renowned for its Maori culture and geothermal activity. AKA it smells of egg! Haha no actually it is a pretty cool place with lots of interesting things to see.
Day 1 – Te Puia
On the first day we visited the local attraction, Te Puia which is renowned for its Maori culture and geothermal wonders. At Te Puia they have the largest active geyser in the souther hemisphere. Pohutu erupts once or twice an hour and can reach heights of 30 metres!
At Te Puia they also have a Kiwi conservation centre which is the only place where we actually saw a Kiwi, as they are endangered. They also have a Maori village with lots of sculptures. You can even see a traditional performance here which we did not do as we had already done that in Auckland.
However, I would say one of the best bits about the place was there arts and crafts institute. This is where master craftsman teach students their skills in traditional Maori culture such as, carving and weaving. The students then can sell their work in the art gallery and gift shop which was one of the best we visited.
Day 2 – Wai-O-Tapu
Wai-O-Tapu is a geothermal wonderland sculpted by thousands of years of volcanic activity. The park is basically a massive walking track which loops back to the start. It takes about an hour to walk around with lots of cool spots. One of the features of Wai-O-Tapu is the artist’s palette picture opposite. The ‘champagne’ pool brings its minerals that originated below the surface. As the water cools it evaporates, exposing minerals that provide the showcase of colour. The coolest part is that it looks different every single day.
At Wai-O-Tapu there is also emerald green lakes, bubbling mud pools and even a geyser. A quick warning with this place, you need to make sure you keep to the track as some of the floor is (almost) lava. Also make sure you where closed toed shoes.
Money saving tips
If you are smart with Te Puia and Wai-O-Tapu you can find money off vouchers at your campsite. We stayed in a campsite called Cosy Cottage Holiday Thermal Park. Alternatively you can find discounts online.
Don’t forget to check out my other posts on: Hobbiton, Piha, Coromandel, Waitomo Caves and Auckland.
Lots of love, Melissa x
Video credit – Sam Gill
