NZ car rental - Rotorua travelling tips

One of the most famous destinations in New Zealand, sits on top of the most active thermal spots in the country and has a long history of welcoming visitors. From the moment people arrive in Rotorua they know they're somewhere quite different. There is a scent of sulphur in the air, and at nearby geothermal hotspots there are spouting geysers, acrid-smelling mud pools bubbling and belching, and warm geothermal pools and ponds that create a kaleidoscope of colour. Rotorua's water organ and art gallery are worth a look (the art gallery building was a spa at the turn of the 19th century and is a site in itself.

The region is made up of four main thermal areas: Whakarewarewa, Waimangu, Wai-o-tapu and Hell’s gate. The lively Pohutu geyser at Whakarewarewa offers spectacular views with eruptions occurring approximately twenty times per day, while the Waimangu Volcanic Valley is renowned for its stunning blue steaming waters and famous walls of the Inferno Crater.

Rotorua, the heartland of New Zealand's Maori culture. Enveloping warmth, a proud spirit, a deep sense of history and a quick humour - you'll find all these qualities in your experiences with Maori culture. It's the sensation we call manaakitanga. The Te Arawa people of Rotorua were New Zealand's first visitor guides, leading the way to the natural wonders that have been part of their home for more than 600 years. Their welcoming tradition has been carried on from generation to generation - and you'll find it expressed in Rotorua with true warmth and energy.