Top tourist attraction of North Island's Rotorua Lake offers more than 1,200 geothermal areas, hotsprings,lakes and geysers, all situated on a vulcanic plateau. It is a home of 1/3 New Zealand's Maoris and is highly important among their community. Due to Maori legend, the best known love story where the couple overcame their problems and lived happily ever after, you can also make your wish come true visiting a Wishing Rock on Mokoia Island.
Asking for Whakarewarewa - be sure to note the name earlier - you will end up in the middle of huge bubble muddy pools, similar to those you usually see in horror movies. Steam rising from cracks in the rocks accompanied by geyser eruptions will definitely boost your senses, that will most probably explode in front of the 30 meter high Pohutu geyser!
To get a feeling of what it looks like to be living in a place like that the Maori village is a must! You will remain astonished with their home made cooking specialties from natural steam ovens. And you wouldn't believe the heating system they use! To see the web of steam pipes below the surface is just extraordinary...
WHAT TO SEE Lake Okataina, the Polynesian pools and Pohutu geyser
FOR THE EXPLORERS Soak yourself in a Hinemoa's pool
WHY TO SEE To meet the Maori tradition and specialties
WHAT TO ASK ABOUT Try to find out the story about Hinemoa and Tutanekai
