Rotorua is known for its thermal activity, so it was someplace I knew I wanted to visit when I went to New Zealand. I had seen many pictures of the multicolored pools of water, and I wanted see them with my own eyes. So after four days in Dunedin, we hopped on a plane (without going through any kind of airport security…strange) and flew back to warmer weather on the North Island.
Lady Knox Geyser
Our morning started out with a visit to Lady Knox geyser, which is said to erupt daily at approximately the same time. We were certainly skeptical since nature typically doesn’t follow such a strict schedule. Luckily when we arrived all was explained. Left alone, the geyser will erupt once every few days. But in order to regulate it so it’s easier for tourists to see the geyser erupt, they put soap in it. They didn’t say, but I have to assume it was environmentally friendly soap. So yes, it was a little cheesy to watch a geyser artificially prompted to erupt, but I’m sure it looks the same as if it had happened on its own.
Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland
After the eruption we went to the section of the park I was looking forward to most, the different colored pools. I know they’re caused by thermal activity and interaction with different minerals, but I still looked at them in amazement. There is such a variety of colors, consistencies, and sizes among the pools.
Warning signs are there for a reason
Aside from the amazing colors of the thermal pools, the other thing that amazed me were the people who ignored the warning signs. There were signs posted everywhere warning about the extremely hot temperatures of the pools and warning people not to touch the water. But apparently a sign that says 100 degrees Celsius (that’s boiling temperature for my Fahrenheit readers) isn’t believable for some people. And so we saw several people step over the low wooden fences and stick their fingers in the hot water, just to make sure the signs weren’t lying.
Please don’t do this. You might actually get burned. Or, you know, end up on someone’s blog as an example of how to act like an idiot.
Despite being induced by soap, Lady Knox Geyser was pretty impressive to watch as it erupted. The colorful thermal pools of Wai-O-Tapu were like an artist’s giant paint palette, and can be explored through three different connected paths. These attractions are the main reason to come to Rotorua, and they are totally worth the trip.
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Tags: Rotorua, round the world, travel addiction, travel pictures
I’ve always wanted to go there since befriending a Rotorua local when I was a kid. Looks fascinating. The colour of that green pool is wild!
lara dunston recently posted..Will Studd, the Cheese Guy and the Story of Australian Cheese
That green one was my favorite! It’s just so amazing that things like this exist in nature. I hope you make it there one of these days!
Yup that would be me trying to put a finger in there… jaja. Oh wow I had never heard of this place & it really does sound and look amazing.
Jaime recently posted..What it was like to be a Bollywood extra for a day in Mumbai!!!
Yeah, you probably would do that! If you ever get to NZ, you should definitely check it out.
haha this is hilarious! “Or, you know, end up on someone’s blog as an example of how to act like an idiot.”
I think I will start collecting examples of idiot behaviour when I travel. This could be a great project!
Irina recently posted..A thousand words: The Sedlec Ossuary
Thanks Irina! I’ve got a few things like this from other places too. I just don’t understand why this guy thought it was a good idea to test out the 100 degree water!
Those colors are beautiful!
Emily in Chile recently posted..Don’t miss the Monterey Bay Aquarium
They were! Loved it there!
We loved Rotorua – couldn’t believe all the beautiful colours coming out of the ground!
Andrea recently posted..Posture and Ergonomics for Digital Nomads
Even after seeing pictures I still didn’t expect it to really look this cool!
That was a fun day, even if we didn’t have quite enough time to see the whole thing. I liked the pools too, but could have done without the smell in areas.
As for dumb people in that park, how about the group with the baby carriage walking the wrong way down the one way paths.
Andrew recently posted..Becoming an Expat to Escape
Yeah, a little more time might’ve been nice. And the whole place did smell pretty bad. I forgot about the people with the baby carriage going the wrong way.
That guy is totally insane. That’s like sticking your hand in a boiling pan of water! People are not terribly bright sometimes. Ah well. I lived in Rotorua for a couple of months and loved Wai-o-Tapu, it was one of my favourite places to visit when I was in the area
Laurence recently posted..The Queen and I.
I know, crazy! How did you live in Rotorua for a few months? We enjoyed Wai-o-Tapu and a few other things, but the town itself seemed pretty boring. It must’ve taken awhile to get used to that smell!
So glad to hear you made it to Wai-O-Tapu. Isn’t it amazing?? Crazy to think what nature can create.
Amanda recently posted..Photo Essay: San Francisco Chinatown
I hate when I miss responding to someone, sorry! Yes, it was definitely amazing! I certainly saw many examples of why you love New Zealand so much during my 3 weeks there.
I have a confession….
Rotorua is the one place in NZ I didn’t really like. It was too touristy and too crowded for my tastes.
Erik recently posted..Photo of the Day- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Washington, DC
I really enjoyed seeing the thermal pools and the kiwi place, but as a town I didn’t like Rotorua either.
[...] is famous for showcasing New Zealand’s spectacular thermal wonders. The different colored pools fascinated us, and it was hard to believe what was saw was a natural [...]
If there was all this thermal activity here there should have been some hot springs for bathing in nearby. Nothing like a dip in the some natural hot springs.
Kurt recently posted..My Romanian Souls
We did go to a thermal bath/spa place, though it was a bit crowded and the pools were almost all really shallow. It had a great view though!
[...] Stuff like oozing holes in the ground or smoking pits, you know, the entertaining aspects of this geothermal stuff. So this kind thing needed to be on the “to see” list for the [...]
[...] is a great place to start for both the city and the sea. Explore Rotorua’s thermal wonders, visit the capital city of Wellington, experience Queenstown’s extreme adventures, and get [...]