Wai-o-tapu - a geothermal wonderland

Wai-o-tapu which also means sacred waters is a truly unique place. It is a geothermal wonderland which has been in the making for thousands of years. 

The Lady Knox Geyser:It is named after Lady Constance Knox, the daughter of the 15th Governor of NZ. The geyser is induced to erupt daily at 10:15am by dropping a surfactant into the opening of the vent. Eruptions produce a jet of water reaching up to 20m and can last for over an hour, depending on the weather. The visible spout is made of rocks placed around the base of the spring to enhance the eruption; over the years silica from the eruptions has built up to give a white cone-shaped appearance. It was first discovered by a gang of prisoners who added soap to the hot water to wash their clothes.

Waiting for Lady Knox to erupt!

The mud pools:A mudpot, mud pool or paint pot is a sort of hot spring or fumarole consisting of a pool of usually bubbling mud. The mud is generally of white to greyish color, but is sometimes stained with reddish or pink spots from iron compounds. When the slurry is particularly colorful, the feature is then called a paint pot.

Mudpots form in high-temperature geothermal areas where water is in short supply. The little water that is available rises to the surface at a spot where the soil is rich in volcanic ash, clay and other fine particulates. The thickness of the mud usually changes along with seasonal changes in the water table.

The mud takes the form of a viscous, often bubbling, slurry. As the boiling mud is often squirted over the brims of the mudpot, a sort of mini-volcano of mud starts to build up, sometimes reaching heights of 3–5 feet. Although mudpots are often called mud volcanoes, true mud volcanoes are very different in nature.

Boiling mud

The thermal area:This is one of the most interesting areas of the park. It has various unique features like the Champagne Pool, the Artist's Palette, the Primrose Terrace, etc.

Devil's inkpots!

Warnings all over to stay on the boardwalks!

New terraces being formed....

The Champagne Pool

This pool was neon green!

"Rotorua - feel the spirit – Manaakitanga"

Rotorua is a unique destination on the shores of the Lake Rotorua which is in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island in New Zealand. It is the cultural capital of New Zealand and is famous for its geothermal activity and natural features like geysers, hot springs, mud pools and craters.

The name Rotorua comes from Māori, the full name being Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe; roto means lake and rua, two – Rotorua thus meaning 'Second lake'. Kahumatamomoe was the uncle of the Māori chief Ihenga, the ancestral explorer of the Te Arawa. It is the largest of a multitude found to the northeast of the city, all connected with the Rotorua Caldera and nearby Mount Tarawera. The name can also mean the equally appropriate 'crater lake'.

Rotorua has been a "spa" destination from the 1800s when rich British and European tourists came to take the waters. It was renowned for its famous pink and white terraces which were regarded as the eight wonder of the world. Unfortunately for us, it was destroyed by the great volcanic eruption in 1886.

The white terraces (source:wikipedia)

The pink terraces (source:wikipedia)

You "smell" Rotorua as soon as you enter it! The smell of sulphur is very strong and it does take getting used to. But it is because of the sulphur that it has become famous and has been at the centre of life in NZ for centuries. There is plenty to see and do whilst in Rotorua, so one must plan carefully. We managed to do quite a bit of varied activities in 2 days and I do hope it inspires you to visit this unique place.

Rotorua Museum of Art and History:
The museum is housed in an imposing building which is built in the Tudor style. It does look out of place in this beautiful land so far away from the mother country England. It was originally built as a "bath house" where people could "take the cure" or "take the waters".  It first opened in 1908 and it was the New Zealand Government's first tourism initiative in Rotorua. However, it was shut down and later reopened as a night club. Later it became a museum and in order to bring some respectability to the place, they commissioned some sculptures which were copies of the Renaissance masterpieces in Europe.

Whilst at the museum, please do visit the cinema where they show you a film on the history of Rotorua and most importantly they do a documentary of the pink and white terraces. Also worthwhile is the free guided tour by knowledgeable and entertaining guides.

http://www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz/

The imposing Bath House in Tudor style

A relic from the days when it was a nightclub!

This totem pole reminds of the ones I saw in Vancouver.

Skyline rides offer a gondola ride to a height of 487m where you have a panoramic views of Rotorua and its surroundings.