So I reached Rotorua after some bunch of sheeps and cows along the way. It was a 3+ hour ride from Auckland to Rotorua, with a couple of stops in couple of towns.
Before I came here, I've been told by a dorm mate that this town stinks.
Well, she's right. Even before we entered town, we could smell it.
Why it stinks? you might ask.. well.. it's because of these:
Welcome to Rotorua, the town filled with thermal pools.
So practically, you wake up to the smell of fart in the room every morning. Sometimes it's not that bad and you might not notice them.
Besides these stinking mud pools, there's a lake here too.
The name is Lake Rotorua~
My first time seeing a Black Swan in real life!
This lake is actually pretty shallow, you can walk a hundred meter out and the water just reaches your knee. I'd seen people doing that. Pretty cool actually lol
Then there's the museum.
Rotorua Museum of Art and History. Any museum that needs money to enter is not my thing. So I didn't enter the building. :/
All within walking distance from town. There're a couple of walks available around town and the lake to.
Also, there's "The Redwoods" or "Whakarewarewa Forest". 5 or 6km from town. The only nearby attraction that can be reached on foot in a day. Renting of bike cost at least NZD30+ and above so I didn't opt for it.
There are a couple of walking track in this forest if you like walking/hiking.
Initially, I wanted to continue on to the Green Lake & Blue Lake on the day I went to The Redwoods (Same direction) but decided it's too far for me.. After the 5km to The Redwoods, it's another 8km uphill to the lakes.... I dunno if I could complete to and fro within a day (that's 26km in a day!), so I didn't do it.
But if you have a car, or if you decided to rent a bike (despite it being so expensive) there're lots of lake in Rotorua.
If you're into cultures, you can go to one of those "Experience Maori Culture" activities in town. If I'm not mistaken, there's 2 Maori Village in Rotorua. It costs around NZD 80 - 90 to attend one of these tour. At the end of it, there'll be a Maori feast for dinner. A dorm mate who went said it was worth it and the dinner was delicious. Maori is the aboriginal people of New Zealand.
Also, if you're in New Zealand and you're an adventurous person, there're lots of water activities in Rotorua. Kayaking, waterrafting, mountain biking etc. Check these out.
There're lots of packages available, you can either book them from the reception in the place you're staying or at the tourists information centre named "I-Site". I would recommend calling the company directly or book from I-Site as there'll be no booking fee involved. The place you're staying might charge you a small booking fee (around NZD 5 - 10).
Most of the cities or towns in New Zealand has an I-Site. So it's always good to drop by to collect some info and stuff. Also for the free wifi!
And before I forget, if you wanna visit Hobbiton (from the movie Lord of the Rings/The Hobbits), you can get a package here too. Tho the place is located somewhere between Auckland and Rotorua.
You can either go to the place directly from Auckland or get a day trip package from Rotorua. I forgot how much it costs, but it's not cheap. And I think to visit Hobbiton, it must be a guided tour.
The town to go if you wish to stay a day or two is Matamata. It's the closest town to Hobbiton. A cozy little town. :D
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