New Zealand is a country rich in natural beauty and dramatic contrasting landscapes. Nowhere however, is the quirkiness of Nature more prevalent than in the North Island spa city of Rotorua. In New Zealand, walking holidays will take you through a range of vastly different experiences: from windswept beaches and rugged coastlines; to hiking through the lush, verdant forests of the mountainous hinterland. But Rotorua has a unique attraction which lures thousands of visitors every year to experience the strange phenomenon of the thermal mud pools.
Rotorua is not exactly sleepy, but in terms of cities it is pretty laid back. In keeping with New Zealand's friendly and welcoming culture, Rotorua is easy to navigate but still offers a huge range of activities for visitors of all ages and abilities. In New Zealand, walking tr ails criss-cross virtually every part of the country and Rotorua is no different, with many forest trails emanating from close to the city centre. But, aside from the wonderful lakes, walking, biking and fishing, most people come to Rotorua for the apparent healing properties it offers, or simply the curiosity value, of the thermal mud pools.
There are many places around the city to see instances of the thermal pools and indeed, their existence is ever-present in the sulphurous odour that cloaks the city. The smell is slightly unpleasant at first, but within a few hours of arriving in what is teasingly known as the smelliest city in New Zealand, walking around the thermal pools will keep you so fascinated, you will not smell a thing!
Relics from Rotorua's volcanic origins, the thermal pools and geysers originated from the beautiful Lake Rotorua, and the lake's tranquil guise belies a violent and dramatic past. Everywhere, in this part of New Zealand, walking even in the city's parks and gardens, you will see random tell-tale plumes of steam rising from open pools and sulphur vents. There is no danger from these pools but do beware - they are hot!
A visit to the Whakarewarewa village on the outskirts of Rotorua will bring you to one of the most fascinating places in New Zealand. Walking through the village, which subsists entirely by harnessing the power of the incredible thermal activity, is one of the most fascinating examples of Nature's power, you will ever see. The village, whilst a burgeoning tourist attraction is a living and working village and the traditional Maori residents live a communal existence in harmony with the majestic force which sustains them.
For a slightly more indulgent way to enjoy the thermal pools, you can head to one of Rotorua's many indoor mineral pools or spas. Spend a day luxuriating in the waters which are reputed to have some amazing health benefits and have, in fact, been used for many y ears by medical practitioners to assist in some alternative therapies. The Rotorua Bath house, although now a museum, is a fascinating place to visit. In years gone by, the Bath House administered over seventy thousand baths a year and thirty thousand special therapies including, scarily, electric therapy! There's none of that these days however, and the only shock you will get in any of Rotorua's thermal spas or baths is how hard it will be to climb out, dry off and get back to reality.
No comments:
Post a Comment