We headed down under to the land of the kiwi’s, New Zealand this time. It was also about 5 degrees in Minnesota, so we desperately needed a change of seasons, since its summer in January down there. So, I couldn’t wait to get there! It was my first trip to the southern hemisphere so I hoped I wasn’t going to be lightheaded being upside down all day (ha-ha).
New Zealand is on the pacific ring of fire, so the both islands are very geothermally active, meaning there are hot springs everywhere. We only had a week so its hard to do justice to all the things to see in that time, so we decided to visit the north island. Arrival in New Zealand from the United States usually takes you to their largest city which is Auckland. Auckland is a big city on a narrow strip of land with lots of bays and harbors and beautiful tropical islands a short ferry ride away. We returned to Auckland later in the week, but for now we headed to an area with an especially high concentration of hot springs, Rotorua. Rotorua is about a 2.5-hour drive (remember to drive on the left) south of Auckland. Its on a large lake with the same name. there are several hot springs to choose from in the area, so we started with one of the most popular, the Polynesian spa.
Its set on the shores of lake Rotorua, with great views of the lake. There are several areas at the Polynesian spa, so you choose the package you want when you check in. We chose the deluxe lake spa package, which included 5 mineral pools overlooking the lake. This area is kids free, so its relaxing and quiet, if you have kids, you can do the pavilion pools which has 7 pools. There is also private lake view pools and a sky view pool too. There are alkaline pools, called the Rachel pools, which have silica water, known for being good for the skin. The other type of pools here are the Priest pools, which are acidic, and they are known for being good for muscle aches and arthritis. Besides the pools, there are heated recliner chairs to warm you when you’re out in the cool night air.
Three are also a range of spa treatments available from massages to mud wraps and salt polishes. The Deluxe Lake spa package that we did costs $74.95 Nz dollars, which is about $40 u.s dollars as of this writing. They are open at night too, so you can come back and soak under the stars too, which we did after checking into our hotel and having dinner. Find info at https://www.polynesianspa.co.nz/
Just outside of town is the Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort, where we stayed while in Rotorua. It has nice lake front views with a pool and hot tubs.
The next day we headed to one of the most famous Rotorua area hot springs…. Hell’s gate. With a name like this, I didn’t know what to expect. All I knew in advance was that they had mud baths, which I wanted to try. Besides the mud baths and sulfur hot springs, there is also a geothermal walk, which is up on a boardwalk and takes you around a bubbling mud area full of steaming pools and rock formations.
First you start with the mud spa. After changing into swimsuits and showering, your guided to the mud pools where the staff carefully explain how to thinly apply the mud and sit by the edge of the small pool to let it dry and detoxify your skin.
You’re allowed a strict 20 minutes of mud time, before the staff directs you to a shower to scrub off all the mud. You are then shown the way to the sulfur hot springs baths which your allowed to stay in as long as you want. The staff warns you not to get the water in your eye. I didn’t listen and as a result had one stinging eye for about half an hour. Besides the mud baths, hot spring and walk, there is also an option to do Māori carving, making a wood carving and learning more about the Māori people who soaked here and lived in New Zealand for over a thousand years. More info can be found at https://www.hellsgate.co.nz/ The cost for the mud, springs and geothermal walk is $90nz.
To learn more about the Māori culture and checkout one of the areas most famous geysers, we headed next to Te Puia. The guided tour, led by a Māori guide, starts with the New Zealand Māori arts and crafts institute, where you see Māori artisans carving their traditional carvings and weavings. Next the tour goes to the kiwi conservation center, where you are able to view a few of the endangered national birds. Next the tour goes down a trail to the Pohutu geyser, the largest in the southern hemisphere, which erupts 15 times a day, we timed it just right
Learn more here https://www.tepuia.com/ . There are more hot springs in the area but it was time for us to move on.
Next, we left the Rotorua area for Taupo. Taupo is about an hour’s drive south of Rotorua, and is on the shore of New Zealand’s largest lake with the same name. as we got to town and checked into our hotel, there just happened to be a food truck festival going on across the street. Great choices we could walk to. The next morning, we googled hot springs nearby and decided on Wairakei terraces and thermal health spa.
It was just minutes from town and was one of several springs in the Wairakei thermal valley, another hot spot of hot springs. Its setting is a lush tropical jungle with 3 thermal adults only pools with different temperatures and a nice waterfall cascading into it. The water is very silky and has a lot of silica. More info is at https://www.wairakeiterraces.co.nz/
For food, we headed back into Taupo to eat at Japan Deli, which is like a deli line of sushi and Japanese appetizers. It was very tasty and popular. Also, as far as food, we usually avoid fast food on vacations, preferring local instead, but as you drive to the lake in Taupo, you can’t help but notice “the worlds coolest McDonalds”. Attached to the restaurant is an airplane which you can eat in. We had to try a kiwi burger there.
Taupo is one of a few places in New Zealand that has a unique experience that is sort of hot spring related, and that’s the hot sand beaches. There are a few places where the hot mineral water comes to the surface at a shoreline under a beach. The most famous of these is hot water beach in the coromandel peninsula, where we would go later in the week, but another is right at lake Taupo, near the city. We stopped at the beach and dug our hands into the sand. Within a foot of the sands surface the sand became too hot to touch. Not quite the same as the more famous hot water beach forementioned, where people dig holes and climb inside as it fills with hot water, but fun and a beautiful lake.
After the fun around Taupo. We drove back to Auckland for the night. The Devonport area sits right across from the Auckland harbor and has great views of its skyline. There are also ferries into downtown. We stayed in the beautiful historic Esplanade hotel. Built in 1903, it has a lot of old British charm, I’d recommend it, find out more at https://esplanadehotel.co.nz/
While in Auckland you should take one of those ferries and checkout Waiheke Island. Its about a half hour ferry ride from downtown Auckland. The island is a beautiful tropical paradise with turquoise blue waters, rolling hills, great beaches and a few cute towns to eat and shop. We headed back to Auckland for the night before our next days adventure, the Coromandel peninsula.
The coromandel peninsula is a lush tropical area, that you might think you were in Hawaii, especially with some of the Polynesian name’s places that you drive by. We had to time our arrival at the hot water beach right because it only works for 2 hours each side of the low tide. When we got there, the beach was full of people digging their own mini “hot spring”. There is a shop near the beach that rents shovels
It was hard to find a spot that wasn’t already dug up and most of the already dug holes were filled with just warm water. Guess you have to get there early.
Around a half hour drive through the mountains got us to our next stop. Near the town of Whitianga is the lost spring spa.
The Lost Spring is a tropical lush jungle surrounding 4 unique pools. The highest in elevation and temperature is the crater pool. There are signs posted along the paths between pools saying that the water is 16,000 years old. The water is chest deep in all pools and has no sulfur smell. Along the side of the main pool is a entrance to the side cave pool. This pool is inside a small cave like enclosure with stalagmites and changing color lights
Off the paths you hear the sounds of native drums and other native music as you walk between the pools to the restaurant, which we tried and it has high quality delicious food. If you like you can also order food and drinks pool side and eat right in the pools. Besides the restaurant there is also a full spa. Reservations are usually required to get a massage or other treatment. The cost for the pools is $70nz for 2-hour soak. Get more information or reservations at https://www.thelostspring.co.nz/
After the hot water beach and lost spring, we spent the night in the city of Coromandel. The next morning, we set out for Waitomo for one of the most popular attractions in the area, the glow worm caves. Along the way we stopped at Te Aroha mineral spa.
Each wooden tub Is for 2 people and is in a private room with private changing area. The tubs have adjustable faucets for more or less hot and cold water, as well as jacuzzi jets. A 30-minute soak is $30nz. You can reserve ahead of time at https://www.tearohamineralspas.co.nz/
This was our last hot spring for this trip, but we loved our time in New Zealand, but we can’t wait to return and try the South island.