FAQs
How do I get to Rotorua?
From Auckland:
By bus: InterCity, ManaBus, and InterCity Coachlines ply between Auckland and Rotorua daily. The journey takes about 4 hours.
By car: The fastest route is about 3 hours on State Highway 27 via Mount Wellington, Takanini, Pokeno, Mangatawhiri, Mangatarata, Tahuna, Tatuanui, Matamata, and more.
By air: Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Rotorua frequently. The flight lasts about 1.5 hours.
From Wellington:
By bus: InterCity, ManaBus, and InterCity Coachlines ply between Wellington and Rotorua daily. The journey takes about 7.5 hours.
By car: The fastest route to Rotorua is a 5.5 hour journey on State Highway 1 via Paraparaumu, Levin, Bulls, Waiouru, Desert Road between Tongariro National Park and Kaimanawa National Park, Wairakei, Waimangu, and more.
By air: Air New Zealand flies from Wellington to Rotorua frequently. The flight lasts about 1.5 hours.
From Christchurch:
By bus: There are no direct bus routes from Christchurch to Rotorua as the Cook Strait comes between islands.
By car: You cannot drive from Christchurch to Rotorua as the Cook Strait comes between islands.
By air: Air New Zealand flies from Christchurch to Rotorua frequently. The direct flight lasts about 4.5 hours. You can fly from Christchurch to Tauranga, or Hamilton, and take a bus to Rotorua.
By train and ferry: Take a train from Christchurch to Picton, a ferry from Picton to Wellington City, and a bus from Hutt Road to Rotorua.
How do I get around in Rotorua?
If you're staying on Fenton Street, you can walk to the shops and to restaurants.
Rotorua is a great city to pedal your way through. There are cycle rental shops like Lady Jane's Ice Cream Parlour, Happy Ewe Cycle Tours, and i-Site Visitor Centre; many hotels and motels also give out cycles on rent to their guests.
The public bus service in Rotorua doesn't have the best frequency, but it provides a good coverage of the city. The Rotorua Shuttle Service offers all day passes to transport visitors to and fro a specified list of tourist attractions.
Driving a rental car is most convenient. There are several places for parking, although most of it is paid parking. An Indian driving license is valid in New Zealand for 12 months.
Visit the visitors center in the city to get a better picture of the ways of Rotorua.
When is the best time to visit?
Rotorua is surrounded by small hills, but the weather is still extreme because of New Zealand being so close to the south pole. The summers are hot, dry, and sometimes humid - which make cooling off in lakes the ultimate heaven. The winters are very cold - ideal for bathing in hot springs!
Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are the most comfortable seasons to visit the city - you get to enjoy the best of both worlds. Enjoy the long sunny days while hiking and sightseeing, and enjoy the crisp cool air of the night under warm woollens.
(Note:
- The seasons are opposite of that in the Northern Hemisphere
- ALWAYS wear sunscreen, and carry umbrellas and hats when you step out because the sun is really harsh in this country.)
What are the main attractions?
Rotorua Museum showcases the history of Rotorua through videos, handicrafts and paintings. Te Puia is a geyser reserve which holds about 500 springs! There are tours through which you can watch cultural performances, experience "hangi" feasts, and visit the National Carving School and the National Weaving School.
Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest is a magical forest park home to the mighty Californian Redwoods. There are hiking trails and great biking tracks you can follow around the forest. This place is also an ideal picnic spot. Whakarewarewa Thermal Village is where the locals have been living for centuries. They show you around their land and tell you stories of their lives, and the significance of the bubbling geysers in the distance. You can also purchase authentic handicrafts as souvenirs, and learn about M?ori traditions.
Rainbow Springs is home to several fish, native animals, and birds. You can peer at the fish through an underwater viewer, and you can walk by the interpretive walkways like the "Big Splash". Take a gondola to the Volcanic Hills Winery to taste wines from New Zealand's iconic viticulture areas like Marlborough, Central Otago and Hawkes Bay. Sipping delicious wine while gazing at views of the city and lakes is an experience by itself!
Ohinemutu is a lakeside M?ori village which traces the fusion of M?ori and European cultures. Here, you can see several steaming vents, and visit the beautiful and historic St Faith's Anglican Church. It is made of timber, and is intricately decorated with M?ori carvings, woven panels, painted scrollwork, and stained-glass windows.
Paradise Valley Springs is situated at the foot of Mt. Ngongotaha. Here, you will spot trout springs, eels and various land animals like deer, alpacas, possums and even lions! Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre is dedicated to protecting 3 of New Zealand's threatened birds - the falcon, the hawk and the owl.
Kuirau Park sports a volcanic area you can visit for free. It has a crater lake, pools of boiling mud and steam - you must be very careful of your surroundings when you visit here. Lake Rotorua is the largest of the 16 lakes in the region. Under the lake, lies a dormant volcano. In the lake is Mokoia Island which is, and has been, occupied by various sub-tribes for centuries.
What to do in Rotorua?
Rotorua is the ideal holiday destination for the adventure seeker.
Biking, backpacking, kayaking, off-roading, river-rafting, fishing, rappelling, touring wildlife parks, bathing in hot springs, lazing in spas, and learning about Maori culture are only some of the things you can do in this paradise of a city. If there is an activity that needs to be pre-booked, that is a good idea; it can get difficult to get bookings at short notice during the peak tourist season.
What to eat, and where?
Rotorua has a host of restaurants, pubs, and quirky cafes and bistros to eat at. Fat Dog Cafe, Abracadabra, Urbano Bistro, and Zippy's are some of the most popular cafes in Rotorua and are almost always full, so you might need to wait a little to eat a scrumptious meal.
Eat Street is where people wander while deciding on which cuisine to binge on. You can choose between European/NZ, Indian, Thai, Japanese, Italian, or Latin American; it's best you book a table ahead of time! Solitaire Lodge, Indian Star Tandoori Restaurant, Yamato Japanese Restaurant, The Thai Restaurant, Zanelli's Italian Cuisine, and Sabroso are very popular among locals and visitors.
You can also taste the traditional M?ori "hangi" meals in Whakarewarewa Village when you go sightseeing there.
