Car Hire Rotorua - Mini guide to Rotorua

The bizarre volcanic landscape, steaming geysers, hot mud baths and intriguing Maori culture of Rotorua all help make it New Zealand’s biggest tourist magnet. Few other places in the world display the earth’s natural forces so well.

Rotorua’s four major thermal areas are Whakarewarewa, Wiaotapu, Waimangu, and Hell’s Gate. The village of Whakarewarewa is the closest to the town and most popular, featuring regularly sprouting geysers, mud pools, hot springs, and a Maori pa. Waiotapu (20 mins drive away) is more colourful with its wide-open landscapes formed by sulfuric deposits. The Inferno Crater is a highlight of the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Hells Gate is somewhat smaller, set among dense forest.

Rotorua is situated pleasantly on the edge of a large lake with pretty government gardens on the lakeshore. The central town grid has several good restaurants and plenty of shops with unique New Zealand artifacts and crafts for sale.

The city’s award winning museum is located in a beautifully restored Tudor-styled building, and features excellent insights into Maori culture as well as a realistic short movie about Rotorua’s volcanic history. The Orchid Garden (benefiting from the thermal warmth) is located near the museum and is worth visiting simply to admire the curious water organ on site.

A must-see attraction is the Moari concerts and Hangi (traditional earthen baked meal), and a variety of nightly shows are offered at various hotels and venues. By day you can visit the traditional village at Ohinemutu.

New Zealander’s are well known for their pursuit of high-adrenalin activities, and a mind boggling number of options are available in the area, including: skydiving, mountain biking, bungee jumping, zorbing, summer luging, hiking and even trout fishing.

A number of pretty lakes are dotted around the area and can be easily explored by hire car. The ferocious eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886 destroyed the famous pink and white terraces (sulfuric deposits) and left us with the buried village of Te Wairoa.

The closest international airport is at Auckland, two hours’ drive away. Flights arrive frequently from Australia, and regularly from North America (via Hawaii), Polynesian Islands and Asian stopovers. A reliable and regular network of private buses connect the two cities.

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