Rotorua - Rotorua visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Rotorua' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Bay of Plenty.

Rotorua lies on the southern edge of Rotorua lake in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. It is the seat of the Rotorua District and one of the most popular tourist destinations in New Zealand due to the intense, but relatively safe, geothermal activity in the region, including various thermal spas, geysers, boiling mud pools and steaming vents. One of the side effects of this is that Rotorua often has a sulphurous smell.

Rotorua - History

The first Europeans arrived in Rotorua around 1828 and Phillip Tapsell married into the Te Arawa and became highly respected. By 1838 a mission was established at Mokoia Island. Sadly by the 1860's Rotorua saw some conflict during the New Zealand Wars and by 1883, the Europeans firmly in control, Rotorua began to be promoted as a spa resort and the township established.

In 1894 Rotorua was connected to Auckland by the Rotorua Express train and the tourism-based future of the town secured. From then on, Rotorua has gone from strength to strength basing it's economy on tourism focused around the geothermal wonders of the area. One result of this is that Rotorua can feel like a vast collection of hotels and motels, which line almost every street.

Rotorua - Geothermal Attractions

• Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland - thermal park in Waiotapu, full of various mud pools, steaming vents and ponds with names like Devil's Home Crater and Rainbow Crater with the Champagne Pool and geyser being the stars of the show.
• Whakarewarewa - the most visited of Rotorua's Geothermal Areas with the largest geyser in New Zealand and over 500 hot pools.
• Tikitere (Hell's Gate) - the most active and intense of the Rotorua thermal attractions, with the largest hot waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere and many swirling, boiling pools.
• Orakei Korako (The Hidden Valley) - accessible by boat close to the Waikato River between Rotorua and Taupo, with gushing geysers, hot springs, bubbling mud pools and some of the largest and most amazing silica terraces in the world. Used as a film location for the BBC 'Walking with Dinosaurs' series.
• Waimangu Valley - multi-coloured lakes and stunning landscape caused by the devastating eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886 years ago.
• Thermal Spas - Roturua has several popular thermal spas, popular ones include Careem Wellness Spa, Hell's Gate & Wai Ora Spa, Rotorua Health and Spa, Polynesian Spa, Spa at Qe and Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort.
• Volcanoes - the Taupo Volcanic Zone in which Rotorua sits has three active volcanoes, Ruapehu, Tongariro, and Ngarahoe, all found within Tongariro National Park.

Rotorua - Cultural and Other Attractions

• Mount Ngongotaha - 757m high, with stunning views over lake Rotorua and the surrounding country side, various walking and cycling trails, zorbing and the Skyline Gondola.
• Government Gardens - well laid out gardens on the shores of Lake Rotorua, full of flowers and various sports areas.
• Maori Meeting House - old Meeting House opposite the church, decorated inside with intricate Maori carvings.
• Tamaki Maori Village - cultural experience attraction with food and dance deep in the forest around 15 minutes South of Rotorua.
St Faith's Church - Anglican church built in 1910, decorated with Maori carving and woven fabrics and famous for the stained glass window showing Christ walking on the waters of Lake Rotorua dressed in Maori clothing.
• Rotorua Museum of Art and History - housed in the housed in the historic Bath House building in the Government Gardens, with exhibitions, displays and cinematic film exploring the art and history of New Zealand.
• Te Wairoa, 'The Buried Village' - excavated ruins and relics of the village destroyed by the eruptoin of Mount Tarawera on June 10, 1886.
• National Parks - Rotorua is surrounded by natural splendour, waterfalls, and conservations reserves. Top among them are the
  • Tongariro National Park
  • Te Urewera National Park
  • Kaharoa Conservation and Onaia Ecological Areas
  • Mokaihaha Ecological Area
  • Whakarewarewa Forest Conservation Park
  • Maungatautari Ecological Island
• Skyline Skyrides - rides up Mount Ngongotaha, including the Sky Swing and Flying Fox adventure rides.

Rotorua Tourist Information Center
1167 Fenton Street
Rotorua
New Zealand
Phone: 0800 768 678 (within NZ)
Email: info@rotoruaNZ.com
Web: rotoruanz.com/rotorua

Bus: National bus and coach depot next to the Rotorua Tourist Information Center
Flight: Rotorua Regional Airport
Car: Rotorua is at the junction of the 5, 30, 33 and 36 highways, about 230km south of Auckland, 61km south of Tauranga and Mount Maunganui and 80km north of Taupo.