Rotorua - Sulphur City!

When you first arrive in Rotorua the sulphur smell is overwhelming - and the steam puffing out from little vents everywhere - in parks, yards, streets, houses, lakeside, footpaths - is a bit alarming.

However within an hour or so you don't notice it so much and it becomes just part of the exciting Rotorua geo-thermal experience.

Geysers that 'play' - erupt - regularly throwing up great quantities of boiling water into the blue sky. Boiling mud pools everywhere. A big beautiful blue lake which steams and bubbles at the edges. Maori culture predominates here so admire the traditional carvings on houses and buildings throughout the city. Visit the beautiful Rotorua Museum - a wondrous mix of Tudor and Maori architecture.




You can cook as the locals do by dropping a flax bag of food down a small steam vent and pulling up after a few minutes. Relax in the hundreds of naturally warm spas - the local mineralised water is wonderful for all aches and pains, and the mud once cooled is a world-famous skin treatment mudpack facial.

Rotorua also offers some great adventure activities - cruise the lake, ride the cable-car, fish for trout, visit theme-parks - play golf to your heart's content on several courses. Go to a traditional Maori village and watch carvers at work, enjoy a Maori concert. There's something for everyone here. A must see!