Rotorua New Zealand

a city embraces geothermal activity

Rotorua New Zealand is located in the North Island near the Bay of Plenty with a population of 55,600. The name has it’s origins in the Maori language and means two lakes.

Rotorua is fairly unique in New Zealand due to the smell of rotten eggs and its geothermal activity. The smell of rotten eggs is actually not rotten eggs it is the hydrogen sulphide which is a by product of the geothermal activity. Geothermal activity means that Rotorua has a lot of naturally heated pools of water and mud which is believed to have healing properties. These properties were taken advantage of and Rotorua is now known for its spas. The spas in Rotorua are amazing with warm mud baths to rejuvenate the skin and steam pools to unwind, the mud is considered so good that it is sold in cosmetics.

Many parks around Rotorua New Zealand showcase geysers. These are vents in the ground that erupt with hot water once the pressure has reached a certain point. The pressure builds up in intervals, so many spectators organise their park visit around this spectacle. Most combine their visit with a scenic tour or take a stroll to the Maori village at Lake Rotorua. This Rotorua map might be helpful.

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Close by Mount Tarawera is found. The volcano erupted in 1886 burying several villages and the 8th wonder of the world the Pink and White Terraces were destroyed. One of the buried villages has been excavated and because the ash preserved most things we can have look at how the world was back then. There is also a museum which tells stories of the event and displays the artefacts from some of the villages.

If you like nature and walking then Rotorua has got you covered, form casual picnics to two day tramps. Tongariro National Park has a lot of hiking tracks from ranging difficulties.

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Snowboarding and skiing is also available for the more adventurous on Mount Ruapehu during the winter season.

Rotorua is a great place to go for a weekend trip to have a break and relax in the spas. In addition to relaxation there is also the option of just enjoying the natural wonders and adventure activities around Rotorua.

Author: Karim Cisse webmaster of Easy-Science-Experiments.com

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