I wasn't expecting much out of New Zealand's world-famous thermal area as it didn't come with the highest of recommendations: "Have you been to Yellowstone?," a local student asked me. "Well, they say Rotorua is . . . um . . . second best to Yellowstone." Seeing as though I hated Yellowstone, Rotorua didn't seem all that enticing. Ellen, however, had "swim in natural hot springs" on her must-do list so I kept my feelings about the excursion to myself.
And, much to my surprise, Rotorua and the surrounding thermal areas turned out great -- particularly the Waikite Hot Springs where we spent our second night.
Thermal fun.
In fact, I'd say Yellowstone has nothing on Waikite and Rotorua. First, no traffic! Second, no bears! Third, no Bison Problem! Fourth, no nauseating sulfuric smell coming from the thermal areas. (Well, at least it's not as bad as Yellowstone's.)
And fifth, you can bathe in the hot springs as opposed to completely dirtbagging it with a wet rag in a Yellowstone campsite. (You may actually be able to do this in Yellowstone though I'm sure the swarms of people would make it a miserable experience.) In Waikite a private company has set up thermal pools that harness the boiling water seeping to the surface. The water cools from 98 degrees Celsius down to around 40 degrees and makes for a pretty pleasant evening or early-morning bath. (Or both!) Perfect for those who, like us, had spent the previous days hiking the coastline and sleeping in the back of a van. There's also a very nice campsite and kitchen area on site, which you can access along with the pools for $20 NZ per person.
Here are some pictures from our stay:
(Editor's note: The author doesn't "hate" Yellowstone; he just hates certain things about Yellowstone -- like the traffic and grizzly bears who eat him while he sleeps.)
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