Smells like Rotorua, New Zealand
Forget the sulphur, concentrate on the spa on the North Island
Geothermal activity, geysers, hot springs, volcanic rock, Whakarewarewa, Pohutu, Maori culture, a hangi and jetboating... all in NZ's adventure hot spot.
It takes a town with real guts to turn its worst feature into a major selling point. For example, you'd never see glitzy TV ads saying: "Come to Manchester - it rains down all the time!" And you'd never come across billboards plugging the scenic post-pub fights of Doncaster.
But the people of Rotorua know that people have an instant reaction when they arrive. Quite frankly, the town stinks. What's worse, it stinks of the sort of smell you'd produce after eating fifty boiled eggs. And fair play to them, they don't see any point in disguising the fact.
The smell comes from the incredible amount of geothermal activity in the area - it is sulphur, and as you enter the city, you can see steam rising out of the ground all over the place.
These geysers, hot springs and boiling mud pools are caused by volcanic activity, and though they are primarily responsible for the stench, they have been attracting visitors from across the globe for years.
The biggest, most active thermal area is Whakarewarewa. This is home to the incredible Pohutu geyser, which erupts up to twenty times a day and can spout up to 100 feet.
But the thermal thing isn’t just about impressive-looking eruptions. This is a natural spa town, a place to kick off your shoes, and slink into some bubbling, naturally warm water. To say it is relaxing is an overwhelming understatement.
Enjoyable lazing around in bubbling pools may be, but there is a lot more to offer here. Rotorua has transformed itself from a place of smell and spas, to a tourist haven. Whatever you fancy doing here, you can pretty much do it. Whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, rolling down a hill in a giant inflatable ball, jetboating, luging... you name it, they’ve got it. And plenty of stuff you can’t name as well, simply because no-one else has thought of them.
Rotorua is also home to a substantial Maori population and one of the most fascinating things you can do here is the Maori Cultural Experience.
With this, you are greeted in a traditional Maori way, watch an incredible cultural show, and devour a fabulous feast cooked in a traditional hangi.
After all that, let’s face it, you aren’t going to notice the smell. This is one place you can pack everything in.
Extreme sports in Rotorua: Luge, Swoop and more.
