New Zealand: Rotorua

Only 80 km north of Taupo, Rotorua is heavily promoted for its geothermal activities, near and far outside of town. As a weather front is expected the next day, we decided to use the rainy day to bus north, rather than being holed up in our room in Rotorua, so we only had time for a walk around town. Not only can geothermal activities be seen at places, the smell of sulfur is literally everywhere. Our motel even had a thermal sulfur pool (spa) for us to have a quick soak.

On the rainy walk from the bus to our hotel, the wind was too strong to put up our umbrellas.


The route for our walking tour.


The first stop is Kuirau Geothermal Park, with some steaming ponds, foot soaking "spas", and beautiful flower gardens.








We walked along the very windy waterfront promenade to the colorful Government Gardens.




Our final stop on the tour, the marshy Sulfur Point, was pungent with a stark landscape and bubbling mud pools. Nevertheless, on one point of land there were hundreds of sea birds. First below is a mud pool thermal vent video. Link here.