| New Zealand is a country rich in natural beauty | | | | Lake Rotorua, and the lake's tranquil guise belies a |
| and dramatic contrasting landscapes. Nowhere | | | | violent and dramatic past. Everywhere, in this part |
| however, is the quirkiness of Nature more | | | | of New Zealand, walking even in the city's parks |
| prevalent than in the North Island spa city of | | | | and gardens, you will see random tell-tale plumes |
| Rotorua. In New Zealand, walking holidays will take | | | | of steam rising from open pools and sulphur |
| you through a range of vastly different | | | | vents. There is no danger from these pools but |
| experiences: from windswept beaches and rugged | | | | do beware - they are hot! |
| coastlines; to hiking through the lush, verdant | | | | A visit to the Whakarewarewa village on the |
| forests of the mountainous hinterland. But | | | | outskirts of Rotorua will bring you to one of the |
| Rotorua has a unique attraction which lures | | | | most fascinating places in New Zealand. Walking |
| thousands of visitors every year to experience | | | | through the village, which subsists entirely by |
| the strange phenomenon of the thermal mud | | | | harnessing the power of the incredible thermal |
| pools. | | | | activity, is one of the most fascinating examples |
| Rotorua is not exactly sleepy, but in terms of | | | | of Nature's power, you will ever see. The village, |
| cities it is pretty laid back. In keeping with New | | | | whilst a burgeoning tourist attraction is a living and |
| Zealand's friendly and welcoming culture, Rotorua | | | | working village and the traditional Maori residents |
| is easy to navigate but still offers a huge range of | | | | live a communal existence in harmony with the |
| activities for visitors of all ages and abilities. In | | | | majestic force which sustains them. |
| New Zealand, walking trails criss-cross virtually | | | | For a slightly more indulgent way to enjoy the |
| every part of the country and Rotorua is no | | | | thermal pools, you can head to one of Rotorua's |
| different, with many forest trails emanating from | | | | many indoor mineral pools or spas. Spend a day |
| close to the city centre. But, aside from the | | | | luxuriating in the waters which are reputed to |
| wonderful lakes, walking, biking and fishing, most | | | | have some amazing health benefits and have, in |
| people come to Rotorua for the apparent healing | | | | fact, been used for many years by medical |
| properties it offers, or simply the curiosity value, | | | | practitioners to assist in some alternative |
| of the thermal mud pools. | | | | therapies. The Rotorua Bath house, although now |
| There are many places around the city to see | | | | a museum, is a fascinating place to visit. In years |
| instances of the thermal pools and indeed, their | | | | gone by, the Bath House administered over |
| existence is ever-present in the sulphurous odour | | | | seventy thousand baths a year and thirty |
| that cloaks the city. The smell is slightly unpleasant | | | | thousand special therapies including, scarily, electric |
| at first, but within a few hours of arriving in what | | | | therapy! There's none of that these days |
| is teasingly known as the smelliest city in New | | | | however, and the only shock you will get in any |
| Zealand, walking around the thermal pools will | | | | of Rotorua's thermal spas or baths is how hard it |
| keep you so fascinated, you will not smell a thing! | | | | will be to climb out, dry off and get back to |
| Relics from Rotorua's volcanic origins, the thermal | | | | reality. |
| pools and geysers originated from the beautiful | | | | |