A blisteringly quick (and cheap) weekend in Rotorua
All the bubbling mud you can eat in 1.5 days, for a tiny price.
In the blink of an eye, we gassed it down to Rotorua for a single weekend night. The drive from Auckland is doable for an overnighter. Just shy of three hours each way. I remember when it was somewhere between three and four. At least, I think it used to take that long?
We pulled up at Kuirau Park for a moment of depressurisation and admired Earth doing the same; bubbling mud, jostling pools and cloudy ponds all the consequence of our planet’s need to let off steam. There’s something for everyone: violent screams, jolly bubbles and steaming ponds. No two pools are the same within this park, just outside the city centre.
We scooped up our pals Lennie and Jana and continued south down State Highway 5 to climb Maunga Kākaramea. The Pākeha name of this volcano is Rainbow Mountain and it’s a colourful climb: red and orange earth stuff emerges from the crater sides, while green and turquoise lakes light up the other breaks in the trees. It’s a muddy slop-slide for around 90 minutes each way, but offers a rewarding summit, with views of Lake Tarawera to the north and Taupō to the south.
Five minutes down the road, we quickly togged-up and jumped into ‘Hot and Cold’, a roadside area where a hot stream meets your more traditionally-minded cold stream, allowing bathers to ‘choose their temperature’. Mind your toes, the vents under water can be scorching and surprising for our cold bodies.
These streams are right next door to Wai-O-Tapu (Sacred Water) - the volcanic tourist attraction that houses the world-famous (in New Zealand) Champagne Pool. That’s a pay-to-enter attraction, but at the other end of the loop road is a giant pool full of bubbling mud. I’ve stopped there numerous times over the years and keep going back as it’s just too good to miss. We stopped this time too, on our way back to town, and found the mud continuing to blub. I guess there’s comfort in finding things the way you expect to. Bloob.
Over dinner, Lennie mentioned Ōhinemutu, a Māori village on the shores of Lake Rotorua. We decided to take a visit next morning and found a wharenui (meeting house), an ornate church and a bust of Queen Victoria, all nestled between steaming vents, hot ponds and cracked concrete with gas hissing out. It was just the cultural exchange our Sunday morning wanted, although the cherry on top was the pair of black swans that had migrated from the chilled waters of the lake to the warmer currents of the hot pond. There they stood, getting a dual experience of a foot spa and a buffet of sulphur-battered grass blades. What a life.
Beyond two days, there’s still an array of free options on offer in Rotorua. What’s your number one freebie in the “City of Sulph”?
Mine is probably the Red Woods
My favourite Rotorua activity is cycling, surprise, both the paths/lakeside and forest loop mtb.
Agree with you re office vs life hours. I don't understand why retail mostly matches working hours in the week, surely would be better to run say 10am-8pm, banks don't care (if you can even find a branch). My hairdresser works afternoon till 7-8pm most weekdays, so evening cuts (and more recently colour if she gets the chance) for me!