Around 35 miles south of Tauranga lies the southern city of Rotorua and a haven for any ecotourist interested in geothermal activity and geysers. Known as an active volcanic zone, Rotorua is famous for it’s thermal activity and mud pools and is the main reason for so many visitors each year.
As well as dipping your toes in the hot mud pools there are a collection of beautiful rivers and lakes for the green traveller to admire during your visit. Whether you are just planning on relaxing or if you are someone who likes an adventurous holiday there are plenty of activities ranging from fishing to water skiing.
The best way to enjoy any part of the world is often to be free of a vehicle, especially for us ecotourists. Whether you prefer to walk or cycle the views and smells are often muted when in a car or bus. However, word has it that if you are a mountain bike enthusiast then this is the place to get out your bike and marvel at the scenery, and the best thing is it doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or into extreme sports, there are trails for all.
For anyone vacationing that doesn’t already live in New Zealand this of course, will mean, bike hire and a good option is Planet Bike. If you are keen to cycle the area, yet you don’t believe your quite up to scratch Planet Bike also offer some reasonably priced training programmes to get you on your way.
After a long day’s bike ride the Lyons Lake Stay is an ideal eco-friendly location to relax and lay your head. The owners take their environmental responsibilities very seriously so it’s definitely worth considering accommodation wise.
This is a beautiful part of the world so if you are planning on enjoying Rotorua do remember the countryside is your friend and whilst it’s there for your enjoyment, do try and disturb it as little as possible.
Photo by Jesper Bulow Flickr