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Rotorua Region 10 Free things to do

Published: 02/09/2012 by itravelnz

• Enjoy a free thermal spa at one of the region’s natural hot springs. Options include Kerosene Creek on Old Waiotapu Road, Butcher’s Pool at Reporoa and Waiotapu Hot Spring Stream on Waiotapu Loop Road.
•  Explore some of Rotorua’s spectacular lakes. You can join the locals for a swim or barbecue at the famous Blue Lake, visit the Cascades at Lake Okataina, go birdwatching at Lake Okareka, or pack a picnic and chill out at Lake Rotoiti.
• Stroll through a thermal wonderland at Sulphur Point, with its magnificent examples of steaming vents and boiling mud pools. The boardwalk begins just beyond the Tudor Bath house in Government Gardens.
• Take a wander among the roses at Government Gardens. The historic gardens around the city’s Tudor-style Bath House are perfect for a stroll.
• See Maori culture and traditions in action at Ohinemutu Maori Village on the shores of Lake Rotorua. It’s just a gold coin koha (gift) to get in.
• Visit the historic Saint Faith’s Anglican Church, next door to Ohinemutu Village. The region’s first church is famous for its stained glass window depicting Christ in a Maori cloak.
• Explore Ngongotaha Trout Hatchery, with its trout pools, beautiful native bush, and an easy nature trail.
• Pack your camera and check out some of the region’s spectacular waterfalls. Options include the Okere Falls, overhung with ferns and native bush, and the 10m-high Cascade Falls at Lake Okataina reserve.
• Grab a bite to eat at the Rotorua Night Market, every Thursday night at 5pm on Tutanakei Street. There’s freshly brewed coffee, mussel fritters, boutique beers and organic beef burgers along with locally made crafts and jewellery.
• Lace up your walking shoes and get back to nature on some of the area’s beautiful bushwalks. Options include the 30min Redwoods Track in Whakarewarewa Forest; the Blue Lake Track, which loops around Rotorua’s best known Lake, and Lake Okareka Walkway, which leads over wetlands to sandy Silver Beach.

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