Out and About in Rotorua
The Buried Village
At Te Wairoa, the Buried Village, the new climate-controlled museum takes you from the pre-European contact period to the 1886 eruption. Since excavations began in 1931, a number of buildings have been recovered.
Government Gardens The best introduction to Rotorua's past is the new $1.4 million, 12 minute movie stuffed with convincing special effects at the
Rotorua Museum of Art and History. This Rotorua landmark dominates the Government Gardens, where locals and visitors enjoy lawn bowls, croquet, petanque and more steaming vents. Next door, take a luxury spa at the
Polynesian Spa.
Adventure Activities The best view of thermal, volcanic and scenic Rotorua is from one of the many helicopter and chartered aircraft companies, but the next best thing is to take a
gondola ride, then rush back down on a luge (a plastic sled). It's fast and it's fun! At the
Agrodome, you can even have a go at shearing a sheep, roll down a hill inside a
zorb and even do a
bungy. For another adrenalin rush, go white water rafting on the Kaituna River, which includes a plunge over a 7m waterfall.
Outdoors The 14 lakes in the Rotorua district offer excellent trout fishing (except Green Lake, which is sacred to Maori) and there's a plethora of operators waiting to show you the best spots. There's also hunting, waterskiing, golf, jetboating, clay-bird shooting and even mountain biking in the Whakarewarewa Forest.
Dining and ShoppingWhen it comes to eating out in Rotorua, you are spoilt for choice. There are more than 50 restaurants, including cuisine from China, Japan, Italy, Korea, Mexico, India, and Mediterranean and European cultures. Then, of course, there's the traditional Maori hangi.
A good way to taste this is to visit the multi-award winning
Tamaki Maori Village. Not only will you have more food than you can eat, but you will be welcomed in the traditional manner, entertained by Maori dance and song, and educated on Maori culture and customs.
In the city centre, there are over 250 shops, from specialty shops to department stores – with Rotorua, it's just a matter of how much time and money you want to spend.