Day 3: Rotorua's main attractions, apart from the Maori cultural activity, are the thermal geysers that dot the city. That along with the strong sulphuric smell that permanently hangs in the air. Our primary destination this morning was the Whakarewarewa thermal village set amidst a landscape of erupting geothermal activity, hot springs, and bubbling mud pools. A short walk through the village leads you to the two famous geysers: the smaller Prince of Wales Feather and bigger Pohutu. Unpredictably but often enough the geysers shoot scalding waters up to 30 meters in the air. It's quite a sight. The rocks on the surrounding terrace are warm enough for people to sit on and receive a free hot stone treatment.
The village complex itself features several small hikes to appreciate the surrounding views, an arts and crafts demonstration area where you can watch artisans carving intricate Maori patterns into wood, and a traditional Maori cultural show. The show starts with the tribal chief and the "chief" of tourists rubbing noses in friendly greeting. After this elaborate ceremony, we're ushered into a traditional Maori hut for a cultural entertainment show featuring songs, dances, and beautiful native costumes.
It was time for us to leave Rotorua, but if you have more time, there's plenty to do around here. The Rotorua Museum of Art and History is situated in the historic Bath House building. You can enjoy al fresco dining at the museum cafe that overlooks the Government Gardens and soak in the unique ambiance of the building. More than a 160 years ago, visitors came here to bathe in the natural therapeutic waters of the city. The remnants of those treatments can be seen today at the museum. Several spas and wellness centers in the city provide massages, body treatments, and therapeutic baths to rejuvenate the body and soul. If you're looking to pump up your adrenaline, try Zorbing! A very popular sport that originated in NZ, it involves rolling down a steep hillside in a large airfilled rubber ball.
We were on our way to Wellington now via Lake Taupo, a six hour journey to the southern-most tip of North Island. Lake Taupo is an hour away from Rotorua. This is where we decided to stop and enjoy a late lunch in full view of a happy blue lake the size of Singapore. There's a plethora of adventure activities, relaxation, good food, and nightlife to be found in this town. But we had to be in Wellington by nightfall.At Wellington, we chose to stay at the Bay Plaza Hotel, conveniently located near downtown cafes, restaurants, bars, theatres, and the famous Te Papa Museum of New Zealand.
Despite the strong gusty winds, we decided to explore downtown and grab some dinner. The city is bursting with cafés, galleries, nightlife, shopping, and restaurants. We were delighted at all the dining options on the trendy Allen Street and finally settled on Masala. We wound up this long day with a night walk, peeking into the famous Embassy Theatre next door that staged the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings movie.
No comments:
Post a Comment