Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty

ROTORUA & THE BAY OF PLENTY © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Pty Publications Planet Lonely © techniques behind Maori arts andcrafts.techniques behindMaoriarts chowdownata performance, power-packed concert toexplore therichcultureof opportunities oftheindigenouspeopleNZ:checkouta the town’s‘unique’eggysmell. explosive geysers,bubblingmudpools,andthecloudsofsulphurousgasresponsible for tourist destination.Here thedailybusinessoflife goesonamongsteaming hotsprings, lies amolten core, oozing upwardstothesurface. landscape fromhere totheCentral Plateau, aconstantreminder soil thatunderthisfertile to NewZealand’s (White definesthe Island).Volcanicactivity mostactive volcano,Whakaari forgenerations. holidaymakers Kiwi the happeninghubofTauranga inbetween.NearbyMtMaunganuihasbeenpopularwith intheeast,withasprinklingofseasidetownsand from WaihiBeachinthewesttoOpotiki ofsunshineandalongsandycoastline.to thisday,blessedwithbuckets The Baystretches Captain Cookchristened the Bay ofPlentyashesailedpastin1769,andplentifulitremains Bay ofPlenty Rotorua &the 302 Rotorua andtheBayremain strongholdsofMaoritraditionandhistory,sothere are plenty Nowhere isthissubterranean sexinessmore obviousthaninRotorua,NZ’smostfamous Further thelaunchpadfortours eastalong thepohutukawa-covered coastisWhakatane, HIGHLIGHTS         Telephone code:07 (p 335 ) –NZ’smostunderrated seasidetown? backforafew daysin Kicking marine volcano, Flying orboating outtoNZ’sonlyactive Mt Maunganui reef at NZ’sfirstartificial Surfing (p309) Whakarewarewa Forest to hardcore attheRedwoods ontracksfromhumble Mountain biking (p321) bubbling mudpoolsatWai-O-Tapu coloursand outkaleidoscopic Checking Maori (p 305 intoa ) blowitstop,thentucking Watching Rotorua’s famousgeyser p34) or (p 324) Swimming withdolphinsat p 339) hangi (p335 ) Whakatane (p 307)

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Tirau Whakamaru Lake Taupo Mangakino 2 BAY OF PLENTY BAY 27 To Auckland (146km) Shaftesbury Arataki Maraetai Lake Te Aroha To Auckland (125km)

To Hamilton (50km) Climate Tuesday and Saturday), Auckland, Wellington Air New Zealand has flights from Tauranga Air New Zealand has flights Tauranga from and Whakatane to Auckland and Wellington; as well as from Rotorua to Sydney (every Rotorua, which also experiences long dry also experiences long dry Rotorua, which spells in summer. Getting There & Around although it’s slightly warmer on the coast. Rainfall as inland in places such is heavier peratures hover between 20°C and 27°C, while hover peratures seeswinter the mercury fall as low as 5°C, Bay recording the most hours of sunshine sunshine of the most hours Bay recording In summer, tem- (2350 per year on average). The Bay of Plenty is one of the sunniest re- Plenty is one of The Bay of NZ, with Whakatane and the Eastern gions of lonelyplanet.com