A local’s guide to the best things to see and do in Rotorua
Rotorua is New Zealand’s geothermal hotspot, and the place I have ended up calling home.
The orange and turquoise champagne pool at Wai O Tapu is one of Rotorua’s most iconic sights
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Rotorua is New Zealand’s original tourist town.
The simmering geothermal activity in the area has been drawing visitors since the 1800s, when travellers made the trek to see the fabled Pink and White terraces. The pastel-coloured silica terraces once tumbled down a hillside, creating a visual extravaganza of pools and waterfalls flowing with mineral-rich thermal waters.
Artist John Hoyte’s watercolour rendition of the terraces; circa 1875
Unfortunately, a massive eruption in 1886 decimated the terraces.
The Pink and White terraces are now (probably) buried under Lake Rotomahana (the hunt for them is ongoing) but you can still see other evidence of the active geothermal activity that makes Rotorua distinct.
There must be few towns in the world that reek of sulphur the way Rotorua does, or that have scalding steam surging from storm drains.
Yet, despite drawing in tourists for over a century, Rotorua is a little shabby around the edges.
I moved to Rotorua for love, and I want to be clear it was not for love of the town.
Geothermal areas bubble and steam right on the edge of town
Vape shops or fried chicken joints sit on most corners. Storefront signs are often broken or missing. The corrosive, sulphurous air sends everything faster into a state of deterioration and decay.
Despite this, there’s still a lot to love in the area around Rotorua — I visited in February 2025 to kayak Lake Okareka after dark, to see small caves full of glow worms. Before the evening tour I went for a spontaneous date, which led to me moving to Rotorua. I fell for both the kayak tour and the man.
I have put together this guide as my attempt to steer you to the best things to do in Rotorua, that aren’t overwhelmingly touristy, overpriced, or generally manufactured to make the most of the tourist dollars flowing through town.
As with all of my guides, this isn’t an exhaustive list, but the things I enjoy the most in Rotorua, as someone who lives here.
Rotorua at a glance
Kuirau Park, in the centre of Rotorua, is free to walk around and features steaming pools and even thermal foot baths
HOW LONG DO YOU NEED IN ROTORUA?
Two nights is enough to cover the bare minimum in Rotorua (that’s enough time to visit one geothermal park and soak in some hot pools, with another adventure activity thrown in).
If you have more time, three nights gives you more time to explore the wider area. The Kaituna River is one of the best rafting locations in the whole country, and the lakes in the area provide beautiful opportunities for swimming and walking.
GETTING THERE AND AWAY:
Rotorua is usually the first stop for people arriving into the North Island — it’s a 3 hour drive south of Auckland, so you can either head straight here from Auckland international airport, or spend a night or two in Auckland before heading down.
If you’re short on time, Rotorua does have an airport that will connect you to Christchurch in the South Island, or back to Auckland (but it’s a short enough distance to drive).
MY TOP PICKS FOR ROTORUA:
Waimangu Volcanic Valley is my favourite geothermal park. Go for a walk through the valley to see a wide range of geothermal features.
Visit Te Pa Tu for an evening of Maori food, song, and dance
Soak in thermal pools at the Polynesian Spa
Raft off a waterfall on the beautiful Kaituna River: I highly recommend going with Rotorua Rafting. Not only is the location next to Okere Falls Store ideal (stop for a burger afterwards if you go in the afternoon) but you get to enjoy a free sauna after the trip.
Get off the beaten track at Lake Tarawera Falls — you’ll need water transport across the lake, but it’s such a nice walk and the lake and nearby Mount Tarawera make for awesome views.
Where to stay in Rotorua
Larger hotel chains sit on the fringe of the town centre; just south of the centre, on Fenton Street, is a long line of motels and motor inns.
Choosing a central location means an easy stroll to dinner, as the town centre is compact and easily walkable, while opting for somewhere on the busy Fenton stretch can mean cheaper rates.
Staying even further out, closer to one of the lakes in the area, is ideal if you don’t mind self-catering.
Photo via On The Point
$$$$ | LOCALLY OWNED
Set at the tip of a private peninsula, this luxury lodge was once the owner’s family home. It retains a relaxed and welcoming feel, with a few quirks (colourful artworks, the sheep and that live onsite). The lodge also offers some of the best lakeviews of any accommodation in Rotorua.
Aura
$$ | MOTEL
Of Rotorua’s central hotels, my top pick is Aura, located close to the lakefront and within easy walking distance to many restaurants (and if you can’t convince people with littler legs to walk, the hotel lends out free scooters to get around). The hotel rooms are perfectly serviceable, but it's the extra facilities that make it unique; enjoy private thermal pools, or try your hand at cooking dinner with the geothermal steam box.
Blue Lake Top 10 Holiday Park
$$ | HOLIDAY PARK
It’s nothing fancy, but it’s hard to beat the location of these simple cabins, right on the edge of the pretty Blue Lake (great for swimming) only 10 minutes from Rotorua.
The best things to do in Rotorua
See geothermal activity
Walking to Sulphur Point on Rotorua’s lakefront, at sunrise
Steam rising in the early morning sunrise, right on the lakefront in Rotorua
Your first introduction to New Zealand’s most dynamic thermal area is likely to be a whiff of sulphur-rich air as you drive into town. Rotorua is built right on top of a geothermal system which sends steam up through storm drains, and makes mud pools bubble in public parks. One of the main reasons to visit Rotorua is to see a geyser, a colourful pool of acid, or steaming cliffs.
Each of the geothermal parks in Rotorua offers something slightly different; whether that is combining the geothermal sights with hangi food cooked in the ground, a mud bath, or a soak in soothing hot waters.
Kuirau Park
FREE
Kuirau Park, lying just to the west of Rotorua’s town centre, is an easy and affordable place to start exploring geothermal sights. The park itself isn’t the most scenic, but it features steaming hot pools, boiling mud, and free thermal foot baths.
Sulphur Point
FREE
Sulphur Point, on the lakefront, gives you the chance to walk right alongside steam vents and mud pools. Start near the Polynesian Spa on Hatupatu Drive and follow the lake.
Wai O Tapu
Wai O Tapu, around 30 minutes south of Rotorua on the road towards Taupo, is mostly famous for the Champagne Pool, a well of boiling geothermal liquid about 65 metres across.
The crowds are the main downside to visiting Wai O Tapu. With the beautifully photogenic Champagne Pool as a drawcard, Wai O Tapu is the busiest of Rotorua’s geothermal parks. The park is not large, so unlike Waimangu, visitors aren’t as dispersed.
A quieter option than Wai O Tapu, Waimangu is explored via a gentle downhill walk of 1-2 hours through the valley. Along the way are thermal and volcanic features like Frying Pan Lake, a vast hot spring, and Inferno Crater Lake, which has pastel blue water in the right conditions.
Although less colourful than Waimangu or Wai O Tapu, this geothermal reserve does have an impressive and barren moonscape of simmering pools, sulphur formations, and mud volcanoes. What makes Hell’s Gate truly unique is that this is the only geothermal park or spa offering the chance to slather yourself in mud dug from pools around the reserve.
Don’t let the ‘spa’ label fool you; this is a rustic experience, not a luxury one. I enjoyed the chance to cover myself in mud (this isn’t something you get to do very often) but I appreciate that it might not be for everyone. Although the mud bath and spa experience includes bathing in hot pools (the mud bath is limited to 20 minutes) they are far from the best in Rotorua.
The cost of visiting the mud spa alone is $90; for $115, you can also explore the geothermal reserve. With such a modest price difference, I recommend getting a combined ticket and enjoying a walk around the grounds (and if timing allows, join one of the free guided tours at 10.30am or 2.30pm). The mud spa alone would have felt too rushed otherwise, and I appreciated the size of the geothermal area at Hell’s Gate.
Pohaturoa Track to the Whaka Lookout
If you’re on a tight budget, or just fancy a walk, a great option is to follow the Pohaturoa track to the Whaka Lookout, which has views across both Te Puia and Whakarewarewa Village. Time it right, and you might even see the Pohutu Geyser erupt.
The walk starts and finishes (you can walk it as a loop, but I prefer out to the lookout and back the same way) right by Eastwood Cafe.
Te Puia
Rotorua’s most comprehensive geothermal reserve is Te Puia; along with bubbling mud pools and the mighty Pohutu Geyser (the largest and most active in the Southern Hemisphere, erupting up to 20 times a day), the park is home to the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, a kiwi conservation centre, and stand-out kapa haka (traditional Maori performing arts) performers.
In one visit, you can see geothermal activity, a Maori haka, kiwi birds, and stop for a traditional hangi meal afterwards.
It might not be the most visually interesting of Rotorua’s geothermal parks, and the structured approach might not be for everyone (all visitors are taken on a guided tour, instead of exploring at your own pace) but with such a wide offering, Te Puia makes for a great one stop shop.
Bathe in one of Rotorua’s hot springs
All the geothermal activity beneath the surface means Rotorua has an abundance of hot springs. These range from hot rivers, lakefront hot pools, and rustic pools where the water is straight from the ground.
Skip the Secret Spot hot tubs (which are heated with electricity, instead of being fed with geothermal water) and soak in one of the area’s many naturally thermal pools.
Polynesian Spa
In terms of convenience, it’s hard to beat the Polynesian Spa, which is located on the lakefront right in the centre of Rotorua.
There are several pool options to choose from; the Pavilion Pools have a standard swimming pool aesthetic, but nice lake views. The Deluxe Lake Spa has pools that are fringed with rocks, to make them appear more in tune with the natural environment, as well as towels, lockers, and a cold plunge pool, but the views are the same.
Ostensibly, some pools are alkaline and others acidic, but the only discernible difference for me was the variations in temperature.
With slightly dated facilities, the Polynesian Spa isn’t going to be the most luxurious thermal pool experience, but you can’t complain too much about soaking in hot water lakeside.
Waikite Valley
These open air pools are a 30 minute drive south of Rotorua (but only 10 minutes from other attractions nearby, such as Wai O Tapu and Waimangu Valley) but they are worth the trek.
The hot pools are fed by the impressive Te Manaroa Spring, the largest single source of boiling water in New Zealand. Follow a short trail from the hot pool complex to see the roiling waters of the spring for yourself. Water from Te Manaroa flows continuously through the pools, with the only modification being to cool the water to different temperatures. Highlights are the Pergola and Garden pools, both surrounded by lush foliage and offering views of the valley beyond.
These pools are rarely busy and offer excellent value for money. There’s even a campground if you’d like to stay overnight and have exclusive access to the pools, before the rest of the public, first thing in the morning.
Rotorua’s free hot pools
Located around 30 minutes south of Rotorua, off the highway heading to Taupo, is Kerosene Creek. The hot stream is Rotorua’s most well-known spot for bathing in thermal water for free, but it’s far from the prettiest. To reach the stream, you’ll need to bump and rattle 2 kilometres down a potholed gravel road and park in an area known for vehicle break-ins (lock your car and keep valuables out of sight).
A short trail leads to the creek, through pine forest and bramble thickets. The path can be muddy and rubbish is not uncommon. If you make it past all of these obstacles, you’ll be rewarded with a soak in a pleasantly warm stream, which features several deeper pools and even a small waterfall. For a quieter pool, explore the areas a little upstream of the waterfall, which is where most people swim.
I prefer bathing in Hot and Cold, another hot stream a further 10 minutes south (right next to the Wai O Tapu geothermal area). Despite the fact these hot pools are more or less under a road bridge, and there is a sign warning that there could be syringes, condoms, and broken glass in the water, the water at Hot and Cold is much clearer than the brackish stream at Kerosene Creek, and feels hotter as well .
Most people like to sit at the confluence of the hot stream with a cold stream (hence the name) so you can alternate temperatures, but I prefer wading upstream to the quieter pools which have been deepened with unobtrusive rock landscaping.
Visit a Maori village or see a Maori cultural performance
After the geothermal attractions, Rotorua is most famous for offering some of the most accessible Maori cultural experiences in the country.
Te Puia, Te Pa Tu, and Mitai Maori villages all welcome visitors and present kapa haka (traditional song and dance) performances and hangi, a traditional Maori meal.
Yes, the experiences are commercialised; and yes they are large group experiences. But if you’re short on time, even these introductory experiences will give you a window into Maori culture, history, and present. And you get a meal into the bargain.
Te Pa Tu
Taking an interactive approach, Te Pa Tu welcomes guests for an evening of interactive experiences, performances, and food. The night begins with a traditional powhiri, before giving visitors the chance to explore the village and try their hand at poi, carving, and weaving, with canapes made from local ingredients as sustenance.
The sit down meal is family style, with heaped plates of food shared at each table. The food is prepared in a hangi, a pit filled with hot stones with baskets of meat and potatoes on top. The smoky, steamed food can be an acquired taste; try it anyway.
One of the host's family members is stationed at each table, sharing food with guests and answering any questions. Kapa haka performers play throughout.
Ōhinemutu Māori Village
If the packaged village experiences don’t appeal, a much more unstructured option is to village Ōhinemutu, a Maori neighbourhood located on the lakefront. Start at Rotorua’s War Memorial Park and turn left along the lake shore, continuing until you see the Tama-te-Kapua meeting house – you can’t miss the building with its exquisite carvings. St. Faith’s Anglican Church, across the square, is another standout building, decorated with whakairo (carvings) and tuktuku (woven panels). The village has plenty of visible geothermal activity; the boiling pools and steam vents are still used for cooking.
A left field recommendation: Wingspan, the surprising activity I loved the most in Rotorua
The Wingspan Bird of Prey centre is dedicated to the protection of New Zealand’s birds of prey.
We have one endemic falcon, a small bird that loves to hop around on the ground, despite being a fantastic flier — New Zealand’s birds are beautiful, but many years of isolation made them evolve in some not-so-smart ways. Their ground-dwelling habits means they are now endangered, with far fewer left than the kiwi.
If you have the time, go and check out the Flight of the Falcon, a one hour demonstration from 11.30am, every day except Monday.
Outdoor adventure activities
After Queenstown, Rotorua may be New Zealand’s biggest adventure hub. The Whakarewarewa Redwood Forest has a vast number of running and mountain biking trails, while the spectacular Kaituna River sets the stage for epic white water rafting. The lakes in the area make for great hiking, swimming, and kayaking.
White water rafting and river sledging
There are several white water rafting companies in Rotorua, all offering the chance to raft off the seven-metre high Tutea Falls. Don’t worry – although nerve wracking, it’s perfectly safe.
Maori owned Kaitiaki Adventures can get you even closer to the river via river sledging, an activity where you make your way down the rapids on an individual raft that looks something like a boogie board. Slithering off rocks and tumbling around in rapids is a great deal of fun for those who like to push the limits a little.
Glow worm kayaking
A unique way to see glowworms in New Zealand is to paddle across a lake under cover of darkness, and nose your way into small caves along the shoreline. This tour by Taiao Adventures is one of the coolest adventure activities in Rotorua.
Hike the Tarawera Trail to a Hot Water Beach
One of the best hikes in Rotorua takes you to natural hot springs on the edge of the lake. The Tarawera Trail is 15 kilometres one way, so allow a full day to walk the track, enjoy the hot springs, and catch the water taxi back to the start.
The trail starts with beautiful views of Lake Tarawera, and passes by quiet lakeside bays, through native bush, and travels up to a fabulous lookout point before arriving at Hot Water Beach.
The hot springs on the edge of the lake are excellent novelty value, but not the most relaxing thermal springs you’ll ever experience; the water tends to be either scalding hot or freezing cold.
Hike to Tarawera Falls
At Tarawera Falls, an underground river pours right out of the cliff face
The spectacular Tarawera Falls burst out from a cliff face, fed by an underground river.
The waterfall is 35 metres high, fed by the Tarawera River flowing out of Lake Tarawera. The river disappears underground, into flooded caves formed by old lava, before surging out through fissures in the cliff face.
Although close to Rotorua as the crow flies, the falls are tricky to get to via road. If driving, you’ll need to stop in the small town of Kawerau to get a forestry access permit from the Information Centre ($10). Permits are only available on weekends or during school holidays. After Kawerau, you still need to drive for around 45 minutes on dusty, unsealed roads. The total drive time from Rotorua is around 1.5 hours.
The walk from the carpark to the falls is only 20 minutes, but you can carry on along the river to Lake Tarawera. The trail is relatively flat and gentle. Keep an eye out for whio (an endangered native duck) swimming in the river, or North Island robins hopping about in the bush.
A faster way to get there is across Lake Tarawera. Totally Tarawera operates a water taxi across the lake, dropping you off at a beach beside the outlet of the Tarawera River outlet. From there, the return walk is 3.5 hours along the river.
Thanks for reading this far! I hope this helped you choose what to do in Rotorua.
AUTHOR BIO
I’m a freelance travel writer from New Zealand with bylines in National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and more.
I’ve travelled up and down beautiful Aotearoa and I love sharing my recommendations for the best places to visit in New Zealand.
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