Rotorua

The earthquake in New Zealand this week has me thinking about and praying for our friends down under. So, I have composed a post that is a tribute to New Zealand and my favorite part of my travels there.

Rotorua is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on Lake Rotorua. There are numerous other smaller towns in the region and 16 other lakes. It is unique for two main reasons. First, it is located on an area with great geothermal activity. Second, it has a huge Maori presence there. When I visited Rotorua, I partook in both of those activities.

First, with respect to the geothermal activity, you notice it the minute you roll into town. It smells like rotten eggs -- it is just the sulfur and you do get used to it after a while. Because New Zealand is where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates collide, there are volcanoes throughout the country and it is often known as an island of volcanoes. The region's thermal activity started with Lake Rotorua, which is really a large volcano -- one of several in the region. When I visited, I took a geothermal tour of the Waimangu Valley which consisted of two main parts. First, we drove through the region visiting different volcanoes, sinkholes and other cool geographic wonders. We even drove to a high point in the region so we could see how the land surrounding the region rippled and curved like a giant had smushed it together with his hands. It was pretty amazing.

Then we drove to one of the thermal pools hidden away from the world and had the opportunity to soak in the water. It was pretty incredible. The water was warm and bubbly and felt very soothing. The mud on the bottom is supposed to be amazing for the skin. Too bad I couldn't bring any home with me!

As discussed above, there is a huge Maori presence in Rotorua -- approximately 35% of the population. The Maori are the original inhabitants of New Zealand and to be honest, they are pretty bad-ass. You have seen images of the Maori before with their intricate tribal tattoos. The village they have in Rotorua is a working village that allows tourists to take part in certain of their activities. You can buy Maori-made goods and take a tour of the village. The coolest part, I think, was getting a lesson in their rituals -- learning some songs and learning more about their culture. It is really fascinating.

In addition to the above sites, Rotorua is also known for its lake activities, its amazing natural spas, and its adventure activities. So, there is plenty to do in such a small space!

TIP: This may be a silly tip, but when planning your travels, don't forget that the seasons in New Zealand are opposite that of the US, so make sure you keep that in mind.

New Zealand is an amazing and beautiful country and I plan to do more posts in the future on it. For now, though, make sure you slot Rotorua into your NZ itinerary. It is well worth the long plane flight!

Rotorua, New Zealand
http://www.rotoruanz.com/