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02 Agustus 2011

Witnessing The Steaming Secrets of the Earth’s Core at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland

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The Wai-O-Tapu meaning ‘The sacred waters’ is an active geothermal site with colourful hot springs, bubbling mud pools, steaming grounds, sinister formations and other equally fascinating features that creates a truly thermal wonderland towards the Toupo volcanic zone in New Zealand. Located just 27km away from Rotorua, this amazing area unravels the earth’s mysterious beauty with eruptions from its core that has given rise to accumulation of water pools in a myriad of delicate hues as well as bold, striking tones with unique patterns and movements to bring out almost startling beauty.

One of the centerpieces of attractions is the ‘Champaign Pool’, that is a hot spring with erupting gas of carbon dioxide, making it look like a bubbling champagne glass. The edge of the pool is a bright orange colour resulting from deposits of minerals such as arsenic. The ‘Artist’s Palette’ is another pool with a swirl of colours in its center probably due to mineral deposits. Persistent activity is always guaranteed at the ‘mud pool’ where boiling mud is seen erupting and spurting in this large mud volcano which got destroyed through erosions in 1920’s. The history of the ‘Lady Knox Geyser’ is explained to the visitors via a presentation every morning at which time the geyser can be seen erupting to rise up to 10-20 meters.

The Wai-O-Tapu geothermal area can be traversed by different walks, and the visitors can decide the route they want to undertake. On their way, they will encounter the different attractions and they are strongly advised to keep to their trails which will, at most take up about 75 minutes. The Visitor Centre that leads to the entrance of the thermal area is actually a retail area allowing procurement of souveniers and gifts while the Geyser Café has both hot or cold beverages, and has seating facility for the indoors and out.

A traveler visiting this area and passing through Rotorua will not be disappointed in his search for a modern, decent Rotorua hotel offering comfortable rooms with reasonable conveniences at hand. Since Rotorua has several noteworthy hotels close by, visitors to this thermal wonderland can have an early start. Kingsgate Hotel Rotorua is one such option located in Fenton Street that has all the modern amenities which any hotel in Rotorua can provide, plus additional facilities to indulge in such as a private spa, heated outdoor pool, a sauna, and even affords a game of tennis.