"Pokarekare ana Nga wai o Rotorua" - ROTORUA, New Zealand

Advantages: Somewhere very diiferent, Maori culture, boiling mud and geysers
Disadvantages: the smell was a little off putting, Maori evening was awful

...ROTORUA: Rotorua is on the North island of New Zealand almost in the middle about three hours drive from Auckland and six from Wellington. We stayed at the Sudima Hotel right beside Lake Rotorua and as we got off the bus the interesting sulphur smell of Rotorua greeted us. It is quite a strong rotten egg sort of smell that gets in to everywhere. I didn?t find it too revolting but others in our group found it very over powering and complained constantly that it even pervaded the air-conditioning in the rooms. The town is quite small enough to walk around the main sights, the lovely steaming lake and the park alongside it and all the way to Ohinemutu. On our first evening we went to the Tamika Maori evening ( see separate review on this one) TE PUIA ? THE NEW ZEALAND MAORI ARTS AND CRAFTS INSTIRUTE: The next day we were up...

catsholiday 03.10.2009 (05.10.2009) · Read review
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Review of Rotorua, New Zealand

Adrenaline packed activities, bubbling mud pools & eggy smells!

Advantages: Packed with activities and sights, can never get bored
Disadvantages: Not much to see or do in town, stinks of rotten eggs

...When visiting New Zealand, Rotorua is a must for any adventure or adrenaline junkie. There is so much to see and do you will never get bored and a few days here just isn't enough. As well as being known for all the adrenaline packed activities on offer, Rotorua is also known for its geothermal activity. There are many mud pools located in random places throughout the city and many hotels and hostels have bubbling hot pools that you can take a dip in. One thing that you will notice as soon as you get into Rotorua is the occasional rise of steam coming from the ground as well as the distinct smell of rotten eggs, from the sulphur which is in the geothermal spots. Don't let it put you off - it is disgusting and very strong in some areas but you soon get used to it. ~ White water rafting ~ Rotorua is home to the largest waterfall...

frankiefromings13 09.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Rotorua, New Zealand

Smells of eggs, but it's worth it!!

Advantages: Great unique place to see!
Disadvantages: Smella of eggs!!

...Roturua in the North Island of New Zealand is well worth a visit, full of many wonders from thermal lakes, mud pools, geysers and for the adventurous among you white water rafting and Zorbing. Be warned however with all the thermal activity comes a pungent smell of egg! Not the most pleasant thing to wake up to into the morning but you kind of get used to it after a while, not sure if that is a good or bad thing! The only downside to Rotorua I can think of is the fact that it is very spread out, you can take buses to the main activities but this cost $10 a ride, myself and a friend decided to hire a car for the day and this was brilliant as it meant we could see a lot more and at our own pace. Hiring a car cost about $70 for the day between us. Accommodation in Rotorua is plentiful, we stayed in a backpackers hostel as we...

LIZKEMPO 01.06.2008 · Read review
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Review of Rotorua, New Zealand

  Tamaki Hangi - on electric firepit ! Tamaki Concert & Hangi Eve

Advantages: None that I can think of
Disadvantages: Embarressing, awful food, too crowded, dagerous driving

...? which ended with her driving round the roundabout about 12 times!! I was quite horrified and wonder what would happen if we had had an accident! Our normal driver told us sometimes they have four buses going round together so I?m glad we didn?t have that. From the Website : "Show Times Tamaki Village Maori performance and feasting run every night of the year except for Christmas day. 5.00pm ? 5.30pm Pickup from Rotorua accommodations and transfer to Booking Office for Ticketing/Table Numbers 6.00pm Board your ?waka? (Coach) and depart for Tamaki Maori Village, with full commentary en route 6.30pm Traditional Powhiri (Welcome) and start of ?Journey of Ages? experience 6.40pm Interactive tour of Pre-European Village activity, set within 200 year old Native Tawa Forest 7.00pm Powerful Kapa Haka Performance in our Wharenui 7.30pm...

catsholiday 05.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua, New Zealand

Zorbing in NZ -now I know what a hamster feels like in its ball.

Advantages: Fun, tame, exciting
Disadvantages: tame, a bit silly, a bit expensive

...Zorbing (or sphereing as it is more generically known) is the delicate, sophisticated and mature sport of climbing into a giant inflated and padded sphere and rolling down a hill. I went zorbing in Rotorua, New Zealand in April 2009. There are, admittedly, various similar places in the UK that offer a similar experience, but the Rotorua site is where the sport originally began 14 years ago, so when I encountered it on my travels, it seemed the logical place to try it. The different types At Rotorua, there are two main types of zorbing available ? ones where you are harnessed in the ball and ones in which you roll freely accompanied with several litres of water. And you can choose between rolling straight down the hill and ones where the ball goes down a zigzag track. I asked around for what was the most fun and was told the zig...

beckyXX 07.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Zorb Rotorua, North Island

A must visit in New Zealand - Rotorua

Advantages: Centre of Maori history and many other great value tourist attractions
Disadvantages: The smell of sulpher (bad eggs) in town centre

...My first drive in to Rotorua was unforgettable as I was hit with the smell of bad eggs (sulphur), but looking back I am so glad I gave this unique little town a chance. The repulsive smell of rotten eggs is in fact a product of the famous geothermal activity in this area. Drains, air vents, streams, in fact anything enabling a pressure release has steam mysteriously rising up in to the air, which looks like something out of this world. There are many tourist parks such as the "Maori Arts and Crafts Museum" that offer guided tours around the hot spots including geysers, bubbling mud and hot springs. Only local Maoris can swim in the pools here, but there is the "Polynesian Spa" where tourists can take advantage of the minerals in natural springs that is known for its therapeutic properties. Most motels also offer private spas included...

mslee 19.09.2003 · Read review
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Review of Bay of Plenty & East Cape (New Zealand)

Caution in using wotif

Advantages: quick
Disadvantages: rip-off

...I booked with wotif recently to take my parents on a weekend away in Rotorua (NZ). The website was easy to use and the booking quick. However.... We had a problem with the hotel when I got there - apparently we were 'late' arriving and the hotel had resold the rooms. On contacting wotif I found that although the conditions set out for the hotel on their website were different from the hotel's actual conditions, they were not willing to do anything to fix the problem. The hotel got paid for the rooms by wotif and then they also resold the rooms. I am reasonable and understand that mistakes happen, so I offered to take a partial refund in the form of a credit note... But the customer support people at wotif were very unhelpful and refused point blank to help, citing policies and conditions I was never even told about...

jcullie 07.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of wotif.com

FIND ME A TIGER

Advantages: Great pictures
Disadvantages: none

... Lynley Dodd, as like all her books, illustrated this book aswell. In all of her books she has drawn very detailed and unique animals and this is no exception, with fantastic backgrounds and animals hidden within it, this is a truly original style of illustrations. AUTHOR Lynley Dodd is a extremely talented children's book author, born in 1941 in Rotorua, New Zealand. She has collected a vast number of awards including the Esther Glen Award, the New Zealand picture book award 3 times, Children's Choice and many more including Gaelyn Gordon Award for Much Loved Book's this year. She is one of New Zealand's finest authors and creator of the heroic dog Hairy Maclary and his friends. = OTHER INFORMATION = ISBN 0-14-054483-6 Price New- £4 Second Hand- £1 Available in Paperback...

Joe_D_L 04.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of Find me a tiger - Lynley Dodd

Shine on me little glow worms - Waitomo Caves, New Zealand

Advantages: An amazing natural light show
Disadvantages: Long way to go and quite expensive

...WHERE ARE THE WAITOMO CAVES? We drove from Auckland to Rotorua and on the way we stopped at the Waitomo caves near Otorohanga on the North Island of New Zealand. The caves are about two hours south of Auckland and two hours west of Rotorua so it made a good break in our journey. I really knew nothing about these caves prior to our arrival and was expecting the typical limestone rock formations and variations on stalagmites and stalactites. When we arrived the first impression was not that welcoming as there was some sort of road work taking place and we had to enter through a wooden tunnel which was not that welcoming. The caves were first explored in the late 1800s and were even open to tourists as early as 1889 so we are certainly not the first visitors. They are open all year round from 9.30 until around 5.30 pm daily. Prices...

catsholiday 30.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Waitomo Glowworm Caves, North Island

Billy's back.....and in the buff!

Advantages: Really funny and packed full of interesting places.
Disadvantages: None

...to Palmerston North, here he drives down 'the forgotten highway'. In New Plymouth he sees a wind wand and a huge wedge of cheese that is actually a water tank. He gets in a helicopter and flies over a huge Maori tattooed face in the side of a mountain. The next stop on his map is Napier where in 1931 the biggest earthquake to hit New Zealand destroyed the whole town, it was later rebuilt in a beautiful 30's style. He then heads over to Rotorua were he takes a dip in a hot river whilst wearing a possum swimsuit! Episode 6. Billy's up on the top of Mount Tarawera that lies on the volcanic fault line, it blew up in 1886 burying an entire village. He then takes a look at the village present day that was buried by ash and mud. He also tells a great tale about a Hells Angel in surgery when an earthquake hits! From Rotorua to Waitomo were...

chilipepper27 22.09.2007 · Read review
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Review of Billy Connolly - World Tour Of New Zealand (DVD)