24Hoursin Rotorua

Every year, tourists travel to Rotorua, New Zealand to witness its geothermal activity, natural hot springs, shooting geysers and pristine lakes. More importantly, the town is home to a popular cultural center for Maori history and present day life, which is the main reason Lucas and I wanted to visit, given our love for culture. Naturally, Rotorua made it onto our list of things to do in New Zealand after a few web searches and suggestions from our friends in Auckland.

Considering that we wanted to explore more of the North Island, we decided to do a road trip in order to see as much of the country as possible before our departure. Since the road trip was an easy 8 – hour drive from Auckland to Wellington, we decided to extend the trip by making Rotorua an overnight pitstop. Even with the limited amount of time in this bustling town, we felt content with the activities that we chose despite not seeing every natural wonder. Truthfully, as long-term travelers, we aren’t particularly interested in seeing all of the touristy stuff the first time around since it gives us an excuse to return and see something new.

We agreed hands down that experiencing a Maori cultural show was an absolute must and at the suggestion of our Air BnB hosts, we opted to explore two hidden treasurers that were off the beaten path. Since we caught wind of the insider tip after our arrival to Rotorua, our overall travel route around the area may not be ideal if outlined on a map, but we couldn’t let a meagly 30 – 40 minute drive outside of the cultural hub deter us from having a once-in-a-life-time moment. If you are short on time like we were, use the 24-Hours in Rotorua Guide below to see the sights without feeling overwhelmed!

Morning

1. Kerosene Creek

Highlight: Natural hot baths
Cost: Free

Travel time: 30 minutes South of Rotorua

Kerosene Creek is a naturally heated outdoor wonder where the hot spring and freshwater currents meet. Contrary to its name, the creek1 is more like a semi-powerful rush of water that is quite therapeutic when it flows against your back. We kicked off the day with a visit to Kerosene Creek because we wanted to get as close to the hop-out-of-the-bed-into-an-outdoor-bath experience as possible. The geothermal stream is one of the common sulfur baths around Rotorua that is famous for its warmth and rotten egg smell. Personally, people make the smell a bigger issue than it really is. Sulfur smells like decomposing eggs- get over it! You’ll quickly forget the smell when you realize that you are soaking in a rather lush-looking amazon rainforest without any fear of predators or animal nuisances in the water or on land. The absence of animals may lead you to believe that you are basking in this steamy sanctuary by yourself however you may want to arrive a bit early to claim your spot and beat the crowd. Even though there is plenty of stream and waterfall for everyone, there are a few spots that are prime location for soaking and taking a photo op or two.  [Edit: Speaking of which, Lucas took amazing sultry photos of me in all of my glory with the steam rising from the sulfuric surface but the photos and video were destroyed! Ughhh. Thankfully, I happened to catch a few video snippets and photos on my phone].

Wear your swimsuit underneath your clothes and disrobe by the water. It’s worth noting that this is not a popular tourist location, so the site’s amenities are very limited. There are no showers to wash the sulfur off of your skin (which we didn’t do until the end of the day) and the closest thing to a bathroom are the available porto potty stalls in the parking lot. Like any cool hide-away, the site’s bare basics mean the area is left in its natural state- untouched and preserved, so make sure to keep it that way by taking your trash with you. If you’re not stuffy enough to think twice about a perfect placed towel rack, go with the flow and hang your minimal belongings in a nearby tree branch and soak until you are pruned. Overall, it was worth the visit and an indescribable experience to feel gallons of warm water in what felt like a jungle!

 Tips:

*Before any adventure, make sure to eat a good breakfast and bring a few snacks for afterwards. Swimming and sunbathing can be taxing on the body and uses up more energy than you think!

 *There is a short 3-minute walk to get to the creek. The stones create a make-shift path however the walk is suitable for even semi-fit folks like myself!

 *Bring your bath suit suit/swimming trunks, a towel to dry off.

 *We would recommend wearing water shoes for the small stones at the bottom of the stream. We were fine without them but it would have been helpful.

*Be sure to leave valuables behind in your accommodation and not in the car where the parking lot is unattended. Don’t worry, the area is safe- just don’t give anyone a reason to break into your car.

 *As with any thermal pool, it’s advised not to place your head underwater. Yea…we saw that warning after Lucas submerged his head during his descent down the waterfall but he was completely fine. It could explain why he was delusional after our swim and thought he was a male model in our video.

Afternoon

2. Whakarewarewa: The Living Village Tour

Highlight: Full guided village tour and a Maori performance
Cost: $35 NZ*

Travel time: 24 minutes from Kerosene Creek

Our next stop was to the Whakarewarewa Village Tour which is home to Maori history and cultural experiences. Guided tours are offered daily at 11:15 am and 2:00 pm, so we attended the second performance of the day. The village leads visitors through a traditional experience to learn how people live and use the natural resources to cook, bathe and heat their homes. Unbeknownst to us, we didn’t realize how living the village was until we saw people performing everyday routines from mowing the lawn to gathering at a neighbor’s house like most of us would do in our own neighborhoods back home.  Turns out, people really do live here, hence the key wordLiving Maori Village’.

Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the Tuhourangi / Ngati Wahiao people and customs, not to mention displaying a great sense of humor throughout the experience. There are so many overwhelmingly cool parts of the tour including the sight of the Pohutu Geyser shooting water and steam up to 100 feet (30 meters) in the air to the hot baths, used to cook kai (food), which could cook a hard boil egg in one minute. ONE MINUTE. Parekohuru, the largest hot spring in the village, is used for cooking meat and vegetables for a traditional hangi meal cooked in steam boxes in the bubbling pools.

 

The Maori cultural show was a great performance given by the Kapa Haka group, Te Pakora which performs chants, songs from their history and demonstrates the use of traditional dance and poi2 . The two specific performances that made the most impact was the emotional love story sung between the two performers and the haka3. Whenever Lucas and I have the opportunity to personally witness a haka, it evokes such strong emotions including one of gratitude as it is an intimate and transformative moment to experience. Brace yourself to be left in awe. Thanks to the Maori people, the Living Village continues to welcome visitors to learn about their legacy.
 

3. Blue Spring

Highlight: Inexplicable natural beauty, rarely visited by tourists, only known to locals Cost: Free
Travel time: 49 minutes from Whakarewarewa

At first glance, the entrance to Blue Spring seems desolate and abandoned at best and the unwelcoming gate across the path doesn’t give anyone a clue as to what may lie beyond the trail. But after a 20-25 minute hike, the landscape opens up leaving you nothing short of breathless, but not from the physical exertion. The water’s clarity and its ability to produce an vibrant blue colour, despite it’s transparency, leaves you in awe of its majestic beauty. Blue Spring at Te Waihou Walkway is off the beaten path away from overly crowded tourist attractions. The land is comprised of rolling hills, small waterfalls, and is the very definition of Fern Gully4 meets Avatar5 – very green, very serene, and very pristine which is probably why it supplies 70% of New Zealand’s bottled water. The water from the spring flows at rate of 42 cubic meters per minute that could fill a 6 lane (25 meter) swimming pool in around 12 minutes. Since the water appears incredibly still and nonthreatening due to the clarity of the water, the constant movement of plant life just beneath the surface is subtle proof of how quickly the current is moving. We couldn’t believe how remarkable and undisturbed the area was. It was so majestic that I was literally waiting for Ariel6 to fluttered the edge of the bank to invite me for a swim. I would have happily obliged despite the constant 51 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees celsius) water temperature.

Tips:

*The location is off the beaten path with limited amenities. Restrooms are available at the spring.

*If you are courageous enough to brave the cold and the currents, there are stairs that lead you to the water right from the bank where your friends can cheer you on in plain view.

Evening

4. Enjoy a Hangi

Highlight: Indulge in a traditional cultural dish
Cost: $10 – $13 NZ per hangi*
Travel time: 45 minutes 
 

After a pretty adventurous day, we knew that we couldn’t leave Rotorua without eating a traditional cultural dish. By this time, the adrenaline rush from the day wore off as we quickly became hungry and located a restaurant in town to enjoy a hangi. The Kiwi Kai restaurant serves Maori and Kiwi food with the option of dining in or grabbing a dish to go. If you miss the opportunity to eat a hangi at the Whakarewarewa Village, this is a great alternative to order a dish. The staff member who waited on us was patient enough to explain the menu and provided great customer service. If you plan to be in the area, be sure to keep up on the latest menu and operation hours through the Kiwi Kai Facebook page.


Conclusion: Indulge in the natural beauty of Rotorua and its residents. Support local tourism by purchasing craft items from local artisans and plan to attend a Maori cultural performance!

There are so many sites that we weren’t able to visit within the 24 hours in Rotorua. What attractions you suggest for our return visit?! Let us know in the comments below!

 

Keep up with our adventures through FacebookTwitter and Instagram to live vicariously through our travels! 

 

Footnotes

1.  When someone refers to a ‘creek’ back in the States we automatically think of the slowest trickle of water that crawls at the rate of baby drool. However a ‘creek’ in New Zealand could mean a narrow cove or steady stream of water.

2. Maori Poi is a dance consisting of poi balls swung rhythmically as a performing art.

3. The haka is a traditional war cry, dance, or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment.

5. Avatar; an adventure movie

6. The Little Mermaid; Thee greatest Disney movie. Ever.

 *Price reflected at the time of this post

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22 thoughts on “Roadtrip: 24 hours in Rotorua, New Zealand”

  1. Kia ora Korua!

    I’m stoked that you had such a great time in Aotearoa. I hope the rest of journey in our country and in the others that you plant to visit are full of joy and wonder.

    Naku noa,

    Joshua Rogers

  2. Rotorua is my hometown, lovely to read of your visit, confirming our awesomeness! Safe and happy travels korua

  3. Kia Ora. I came to your page after reading an article on NZ Herald and loved how you describe Aotearoa so eloquently. You write beautifully and as a kiwi living in Australia my eyes were filled with tears of pride.
    I will delve further into your blog to “take me home” and wish you both happy & safe travels.
    Arohanui
    Dee (ex-pat kiwi)

  4. Hey Guys,
    Have read all of your posts! Awesome to see you are enjoying our country.
    There are many, many more hidden secrets in the central North Island you will need to visit sometime. As for Rotorua, have a go at luging! It’s awesome fun and provides a cool view 🙂 Mountain biking through the redwood forests is also epic for those who enjoy a bit of action.
    Enjoy the rest of the time in our country!

  5. Awesome to hear you enjoyed Rotorua!
    It would take you weeks to fully enjoy what the town has to offer!
    Next time you visit you must take a trip around the lakes, try some river rafting and do a bit of trout finishing. The people are very humble and welcoming and its great to see you sharing your appreciation of our culture!
    Great blog, enjoy the rest of your visit!

  6. Wicked! As a person who is from Rotorua but now living in Australia, reading this makes me miss home even more! I’m so glad you enjoyed your time in Rotorua.
    I loved reading this and noticing how you slipped in a few Māori words ? It’s so cool to see Americans grasp my culture, it makes my soul genuinely happy!
    I plan to do the same thing as you two in America and Europe sometime in the near future ☺️

    There’s many things to do in Rotorua next time (it is the adventure tourism capital of the country ?) I suggest, rafting the Kaituna River, Zorbing at OGO, there are many Hiking tracks and cool mountain biking tracks too.. Soooo many things to do!

    I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your trip in Aotearoa!
    Tumeke ?☺️

  7. Hey guys
    So lovely to read your blog and your comments about our country. Makes me feel very proud. I wish I’d bumped into you guys on your travels. I recommend you hit the ‘not so’ tourist spots like Taranaki. Actually you cant go wrong, there are so many great places.
    Like many Kiwis, I love to meet travellers. We take pride in our culture but we also love to share it. No strings attached.
    It is sad to read about your experiences of culture back home. Mistrust of other people must be exhausting. We just take people for what they are and that’s pretty much that. I remember bumping into an American couple travelling around NZ a couple of years ago. I offered them some help and advise and wondered why they were so sheepish. I guess they looked at me the same way and wondered what I wanted. Of course it was nothing but a friendly chat.
    I hope your holiday is everything you want it to be.
    Thanks for coming to see us.
    Regards
    Olly

  8. Nga mihi

    I think I love you…….both of you. Thank you for documenting your amazing haerenga (journey) ki Aotearoa.

    Feast your eyes, bask in its beauty, enjoy the wonderful crisp fresh air….

  9. I love your use of animated films to paint such vivid pictures. Fern gully meets Avatar? Genius!! I’m shocked that you’ve seen Fern Gully…that was one of my favorite movies as a child. You’ve totally sold me on Blue Spring (and everything else too!). ???

  10. Like several of your commenters, I am also a kiwi living in Australia (is there anyone left in NZ?) and love Rotorua. I recently took my Oz girlfriend there for a few days and, like you, was overawed with the beauty, and unspoiled’ness of the region along with the friendliness of the people of NZ. Enjoy the rest of your travels. There’s so many more great things to see and do.

    1. We enjoyed our time in Oz as well. I wish we had more time in Rotorua as there is so much to do.

  11. Mr and Mrs Barber, if you are coming to Auckland we have a nice room in the burbs, near the busses and trains. I am a Flight Attendant so home often and we have 2 cars so getting around is easy.

    I was moved by your story. I travel everyday I go to work and love coming home to little old Kiwiland.

  12. Tena korua.
    I was heartened to read your positive comments about the way peoole took you into their hearts, shared themselves with you & in return you gave them your trust. Also on our beautiful whenua (land) you painted a wonderful picture of Rotorua’s landscapes thst it took me home. For that, thank you! My sister in law, her husband & their 2 daughters are part of the kapahaka group at Whakarewarewa so I was thrilled to hear you enjoyed their performance. I am a Maori woman.living in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia & returning home to live permanently in Auckland next week.
    May your journeys be filled with sweet memories such as these till you return to our beautiful shores once again.

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