Hi I'm Ayla (also aylawarner on dooyoo)! Thanks for all the R/R/C. I'm not on here as much as dooy...
Hi I'm Ayla (also aylawarner on dooyoo)! Thanks for all the R/R/C. I'm not on here as much as dooyoo but I'll try to rate you back as soon as I can! x
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When visiting New Zealand, Rotorua is a must for any adventure or adrenaline junkie. There is so much to see and do you will never get bored and a few days here just isn't enough.
As well as being known for all the adrenaline packed activities on offer, Rotorua is also known for its geothermal activity. There are many mud pools located in random places throughout the city and many hotels and hostels have bubbling hot pools that you can take a dip in. One thing that you will notice as soon as you get into Rotorua is the occasional rise of steam coming from the ground as well as the distinct smell of rotten eggs, from the sulphur which is in the geothermal spots. Don't let it put you off - it is disgusting and very strong in some areas but you soon get used to it.
~ White water rafting ~ Rotorua is home to the largest waterfall that you are
legally allowed to white water raft down. Being a 7 meter drop down Tutea Falls and grade 5 rapids, as a beginner this is pretty scary (OK it's REALLY scary and I almost chickened out) but it is one of the most amazing things I have ever done and I'm so glad I did. Kaitiaki Adventures is the company to do this with. You can either do rafting with up to 6 people in the raft or sledging where you hold onto a sledge by yourself and you follow the guide down the river. They are very professional and take it seriously but also great at ensuring you have an amazing experience.
~ Huka Falls ~ Huka Falls is about halfway between Rotorua and Taupo and you should definitely make a trip here to see the wonderful falls. The Waikato River, which is normally 100m wide, is squeezed through a 20 metre wide gorge and over a 20 meter drop. Every second up to 220,000 litres of water gushes through the gorge and shoots out over 8 metres beyond to the pool below. The noise as you are standing near it is unbelievable and it really is an amazing sight. You can take a Hukafalls Jet ride here where you jump in a jet boat and are sped up the river and towards the bottom of the falls.
~ Skyline Skyrides ~ Here you can choose from a range of activities including the gondola cableway - a 900 meter long cable car ride taking you above Rotorua City, Lake Rotorua and the surrounding area; the luge - an fun ride down a track in a 3 wheeled cart; and the skyswing - a thrilling ride of 120kph with views over Rotorua city and the lakes.
~ Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park ~ This is where you can come face-to-face with the famous kiwi bird and many other birds, fish and reptiles native to New Zealand. At night the park lights up in an array of rainbow coloured lights.
~ Buried village ~ The village of Te Wairoa, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886, is now a museum where you can find out about the New Zealand history of the village.
~ Zorbing ~ Hurtle downhill in a globe at speeds of up to 30 km/h.
~ Hell's Gate and Wai Ora Spa ~ Rotorua's largest active mud volcano and fiercest thermal area where you can take a dip in the mud pool and relax in the spa.
~ Hobbiton movie set ~ Take a tour of the Hobbiton movie set and farm from Lord of the Rings where you can still see some of the hobbit holes in the ground.
~Tamaki Maori Village ~ Explore the Maori culture by being taken back in time with your guide and visiting a Maori village where they perform their welcome ceremony and teach you about their history. You will then get to witness a performance of traditional songs and dance and then enjoy a traditionally-cooked feast from earthen ovens. This was a great experience and it really taught us a lot about the Maori culture and the food was wonderful. I would definitely recommend this as both an enjoyable evening and as a chance to learn about their fascinating culture.
~ Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland ~ New Zealand's most colourful natural volcanic area where Lady Knox Geyser erupts daily at 10.15 am and shoots up to heights of 20 metres. You can see the geyser erupting for free but there is a charge to get into the Wonderland. Although interesting to see all the different colours of the geothermal pools, I wouldn't recommend this as it was way overpriced for what we saw. Lady Knox Geyser I would definitely recommend seeing though.
Other activities and sights include skydiving, horse trekking, off-roading ATV tours, bungee jumping, mountain biking or come face-to-face with the Price of Paradise lions at Paradise Valley Springs.
With all these exciting activities to do you won't even get a chance to see any of Rotorua town but you won't be missing out on much as the town really isn't that interesting. It's just like any other town full of shops and cafes and, if it wasn't for all the other amazing things you can do here, Rotorua wouldn't be anything to call home about.
Rotorua is in the North Island of New Zealand nearby to Taupo and about 3 hours south of Auckland. This should be a definite stop on anyone's visit to New Zealand.
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Advantages: Somewhere very diiferent, Maori culture, boiling mud and geysers Disadvantages: the smell was a little off putting, Maori evening was awful
catsholiday 03.10.2009 (05.10.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Rotorua, New Zealand
Advantages: Somewhere very diiferent, Maori culture, boiling mud and geysers Disadvantages: the smell was a little off putting, Maori evening was awful
catsholiday 03.10.2009 (05.10.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Rotorua, New Zealand
Apr 9th, 2009
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