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Waimangu Volcanic Valley is an incredible hydrothermal area near Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. Walk down the valley to get close to Frying Pan Lake, a mesmerizing blue pool that is the largest hot spring in the world. Cross a landscape shaped by a volcanic eruption in 1886, passing hydrothermal features and the site of what had been world's tallest geyser. An easy... Read more.

Some amazing parts of Waimangu Volcanic Valley are best visited on foot, but others can only be seen by boat. On the Lake Rotomahana Boat Cruise, you'll be swept around a large lake near Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. The lake was created after a volcanic eruption in 1886 and the area is still geothermally active. The boat gets close to steaming vents and geysers right... Read more.

What is a thermal wonderland? It's exactly that – an exceptional landscape of geothermal features like large colorful hot springs, steaming fumaroles, spouting geysers, bubbling mud pots, sinter terraces, and even waterfalls. Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland is incredible, and outside of Yellowstone National Park, there's almost nowhere else like it on Earth. Wai-O-Tapu is located 30... Read more.

Blue Lake, also know as Lake Tikitapu, is a lovely mountain lake just southeast of Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. Blue Lake Track offers a circuit around the lake, passing through native bush to pleasant beaches and scenic viewpoints. The loop is 5.9 kilometers long and extends nicely to 6.15 kilometer (3.8 miles) round trip by grabbing a couple extra views. There is... Read more.

Rotorua is an adventurous city on the North Island of New Zealand. The Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park takes on that fun energy. Pop tunes play in the bathrooms and the mineral pool (free to guests) is lit with LED rope lights in the evenings. The holiday park is a convenient place to stay near the center of Rotorua, offering a variety of accommodations, including motel rooms, cabins, and... Read more.

From the outlet of Lake Rotoiti near Rotorua, a river flows over waterfalls, cascades, and swift rapids in Okere Falls Scenic Reserve. If you're on a raft, the river is pure, thrilling fun! The trip down the Kaituna River, also called the Okere River, includes several class 5 features like Tutea Falls, the tallest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. While you can get good views of... Read more.

Okere Falls Track presents a 3-kilometer round trip walk (1.9-mile hike) in Okere Falls Scenic Reserve near Rotorua, New Zealand loaded with views of waterfalls, cascades, and emerald-colored pools on the Okere River, all encircled by dense native brush. The river can be explored on an exciting whitewater rafting trip, but you'll get a great overview of its finer features and stay dry on... Read more.

Impressive hydrothermal features surround Rotorua on the North Island of New Zealand. Kerosene Creek is one of the easiest to visit, and it's also free. After a brief walk, hop in a steaming stream and soak in a pool below a short waterfall. They don't call it Kerosene Creek for nothing, but you can forgive the harsh small as you relax in this refreshing hot pool. Start from a car park... Read more.

Get ready for a short, colorful walk at Rainbow Mountain Scenic Reserve outside of Rotorua on the North Island of New Zealand. The mountain, which the Māori call Maungakakaramea (mountain of colored earth), has steep red and white cliffs above a crater filled with turquoise water. Crater Lake Walk reaches a lookout above Crater Lake for a 1-kilometer (0.6-mile) walk. The walk begins... Read more.