Adventures in Rotorua
February 24th 2009 05:10
On the weekend a bunch of us where put on a plane, then a painful 5 hours drive from Auckland to Rotorua for our little 'Awards' trip from work. The drive was painful mainly because of the numerous road works we came across which for someone like me who was stuck in the back seat of a family van did not have the most comfortable time. However, once we got there, the fun began.
Rotorua is famous for its sulfur hot springs and volcanic mud. As soon as you are nearing the area of town you'll notice the strong scent in the air. It not the person next to you, its most likely just that eggy smell of sulfur, lingering in the atmosphere from the steams that comes out of the underground.
The town centre, despite the smell, is actually quite nice. We stayed at the Rydges which is just a little out side of the centre, and worked our way from there. Just like most of the accommodation here, each room had its own spa tub, perfect to enjoy an evening spa on your own. I think you may recall one of my previous posts on Taiwan's hot springs and this is very similar to that. The Polynesian Spa in town has various hot spring pools and it's meant to be good for your muscles and joints.
Then there is the mud - the grey, thick, yukky volcanic mud that is so famous they bottle it up and sell it in beauty shops - they are said to have healing properties that allows the pores of your skin to breathe and can assist with skin problems.
These volcanic thermal activities are pretty much the basis of life for the Maori tribes that live here. In fact, we were told that Rotorua the town itself is inside a volcanic basin. Its lakes are beautiful and the town surrounded by green hills that makes up the rim of the basin. There are plenty to do here, including cultural and adrenalin activities - which I shall cover in my next posts.
Rotorua official website
Rotorua is famous for its sulfur hot springs and volcanic mud. As soon as you are nearing the area of town you'll notice the strong scent in the air. It not the person next to you, its most likely just that eggy smell of sulfur, lingering in the atmosphere from the steams that comes out of the underground.
The town centre, despite the smell, is actually quite nice. We stayed at the Rydges which is just a little out side of the centre, and worked our way from there. Just like most of the accommodation here, each room had its own spa tub, perfect to enjoy an evening spa on your own. I think you may recall one of my previous posts on Taiwan's hot springs and this is very similar to that. The Polynesian Spa in town has various hot spring pools and it's meant to be good for your muscles and joints.
Then there is the mud - the grey, thick, yukky volcanic mud that is so famous they bottle it up and sell it in beauty shops - they are said to have healing properties that allows the pores of your skin to breathe and can assist with skin problems.
These volcanic thermal activities are pretty much the basis of life for the Maori tribes that live here. In fact, we were told that Rotorua the town itself is inside a volcanic basin. Its lakes are beautiful and the town surrounded by green hills that makes up the rim of the basin. There are plenty to do here, including cultural and adrenalin activities - which I shall cover in my next posts.
Rotorua official website
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