With Rotorua well-known for bubbling mud pools, shooting geysers, and natural hot springs, we had to visit one of the tourist attraction spots for these natural wonders.
Admission fee: NZ$32.50/ pax
I find it really impressive that Rotorua sits within the Pacific Rim of Fire and we were surrounded by so much (unknown) thermal activity.
Devil’s Home
The first example of a collapsed crater where underground acid action has caused the ground to collapse.
What the devil?!
Hole.
Rainbow Crater
Named after the sulphur crystals and colored mineral veins exposed in the kaolin clay walls of the crater. An oily slick is visible on top of the boiling water at its base.
The Rainbow Crater.
Don’t see no rainbow though.
Such pretty sights.
Thunder Crater
A collapsed crater formed in 1968. It graphically illustrates how unstable the land can be.
Thunderrrrrr.
Strong smells of sulphur everywhere!!
Devil’s Ink Pots
A series of mud pools whose water levels fluctuate with the amount of rainfall. The color is due to small amounts of graphite and crude oil brought to the surface by the water forcing its way up.
Hole.
Hole in the ground.
More holes.
Bubbling holes.
Stinky holes.
Artist’s Palette
Overflowing water from the Champagne Pool draws with it minerals that have originated below the surface. As the waters cool and the minerals are exposed to our atmosphere they show themselves in a variety of locations and colors depending upon water levels and wind direction.
Hello, XM.
The sulphur, it’s getting me!!!
It was hot.
How candid.
Opal Pool
A sulphurous spring on the edge of the sinter terrace named after its greenish yellow color.
Walk walk walk.
Wai-O-Tapu Geyser
The eruption cycle of 2 to 36 hours is believed to have recently been affected by subterranean activity in the area.
Frying Pan Flat
Also an eruption crater, the unstable floor of which is littered with bubbling hot springs and fumaroles.
Oyster Pool
Located in unstable ground, this natural sulphorous pool is named after its distinct shape.
Sulphur Cave
There are magnificient examples of undisturbed crystallized sulphur formed as hot sulphur gases have cooled in the sheltered atmosphere in the overhanging cliff.
Lake Ngakoro Waterfall
Be rewarded by the sight and sound of water tumbling over the rocks into the green waters of Lake Ngakoro (the grandfather). The majority of the lake is visible which was formed after an eruption more than 700 years ago.
Water-a-tumbling.
Water’s so green!
Tadah~
Devil’s Bath
A large ruggedly-edged crater adjoining the bush line with an amazing natural water color at its base. The color is the result of excess water from the Champagne Pool mixing with sulphur and ferrous salts. Changes in color through green to yellow are associated with the amount of reflected light and cloud cover.
That’s it! We spent about 2 hours in the wonderland just being in awe that such features exist. There were a lot more spots but we skipped some cause of the lack of time.
Next up: taking a break from civilisation, wifi, and being completely surrounded by nature.
Read more about my previous adventures in New Zealand here:
Till then!
Bed for One 
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