Travels: Rotorua, New Zealand - Pink and White Terraces - Wonders of the World

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Greetings and Love from New Zealand!

Today, I’m taking you on a journey to my favourite place in the North Island of New Zealand and that is….. Rotorua.

Rotorua (or fondly called Rotovegas) attracts everyone – locals and tourists alike – you visit it once, you want to come back again. It is a city of Geysers and bubbling mud pools, hot thermal springs and a haven for adventurous water sports. It has something for everyone, that’s why its called Rotovegas. I’ve been to Las Vegas and I can second those who named it Rotovegas (Let’s say it’s a very tiny sibling of Las Vegas) but BUT… it has world-famous springs and one-of-a-kind geothermal bathing experience.

As you approach the city, from afar, you can catch a glimpse of the Rotorua Lake. It’s a treat to the eyes. This lake is also used as a departure and landing point for float planes. Rotorua boasts of other lakes too in which you can fish, waterski, swim, sail or just take a leisurely walk around. There’s Lake Rotomahana, Lake Tarawera, Lake Rotokakahi, Lake Tikitapu (the blue lake) literally because of its stunning blue colour due to the rhyolite and pumice on the lake bed.

As you’re into the fringes of the city, the smell of hydrogen sulphide emission hits you (akin to rotten eggs) but don’t let that deter you. What’s a little smell once you see the beauty of nature’s abundance around you…. And by the time you’re a day or two marvelling in this spectacular geothermal city, you would get used to the smell anyway.

The geothermal activity is alive and bubbling, so you see steam everywhere around you. I’m not joking when I say you even see bubbling mud and steam in the backyards of people’s homes.

A trip to the Polynesian Spa is a must! You can soak in the hot pools, you can have a thermal mud bath with massages, book a private pool, book a spa, book a lake-view private pool. They also have a cafe and a souvenir shop so don’t forget to take a slice of New Zealand back home.

The Rotorua Museum is located on the grounds of the Government Gardens and it’s a place where you can discover Rotorua’s rich culture and interesting history.- The Government Gardens close to Lake Rotorua is a beautiful place to wander around

To experience a part of New Zealand history, a visit to Te Wairoa ("The Buried Village") is a must. It has a significant history because of a whole village being buried by the 1886 Mount Tarawera eruption in Rotorua. There are many artefacts found from the buried village still on display there.

27 kms south of Rotorua, you can visit the Waio Tapu Thermal Wonderland which is full of stunning geothermal activity over 18 square metres of land. It houses The Lady Knox Geyser which is induced to erupt daily at 10.15am up to heights of 10 – 20 metres, and can last for over an hours. The active Mud Pools, the Artist’s Palette, Primrose Terrace can all be accessed by foot – all in all, this is one of the most surreal places in the world. You can even walk on a small wooden bridge through the middle of this wonder.

Champagne Pool is a prominent geothermal feature at Wai-o-Tapu.
The name is derived from the abundant efflux of carbon dioxide similar to a glass of bubbling champagne. T

Regarded as the World’s Youngest Geothermal System, Waimangu Volcanic Valley takes you through spectacular volcanic craters – You’ll enjoy walking & hiking trails woven through a natural geothermal ecosystem - the Frying Pan Lake Crater the Blue Inferno Lake Crater, huge hot water springs, rare and unusual flora and fauna – An unbelievable experience as you journey through how the world began!!!

A boat cruise on Lake Rotomahana will take you to another time, another place. The Pink and White Terraces, which was once a dominant feature on the shores of Lake Rotomahana, were reportedly the largest silica sinter deposits on this earth.
The eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886 destroyed the Waimangu Valley and blasted Lake Rotomahana to twenty times its original size, and the Pink and White Terraces are believed to be buried under the lake floor.

Intact pieces of these terraces were found in 2012 confirming that the Terraces do lie beneath the lake. . If you are interested in reading more about the history of the Terraces, you can visit www.waimangu.co.nz

Rotorua is one of the best places in New Zealand to experience Maori culture. The long history of Maori in this area means there’s a lot to see, hear and experience in this city…. I will cover it someday soon in another video.

This is just a fraction of things I have covered in my video on Rotorua. I’ve been there more than a dozen times but still have so much to see…. Someday, I'll put up more information about this place, but till then, take care and lots of Aroha (love).

- BrenRose