Rotorua is a city on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. Rotorua's suburbs are Ngongotaha, Fairy Springs, Kawaha Point, Western Heights, Mangakakahi, Utuhina, Ohinemutu, Hillcrest, Glenholme, Fordlands, Springfield, Fenton Park, Whakarewarewa, Tihiotonga, Lynmore, Te Ngae, Owhata, Hannahs Bay, Holdens Bay and Rotokawa.Rotorua is well-known for geothermal activity. There are a number of geysers, notably the Pohutu geyser at Whakarewarewa, and hot mud pools located in the city, which owe their presence to the Rotorua caldera.
Rotorua Regional Airport provides daily flights to Auckland International Airport and Wellington International Airport via turbo-prop services and Christchurch International Airport using turbo-props and a daily jet service. Plans are afoot to increase the runway length to allow trans-Tasman flights.
Rotorua Thermal activity is at the heart of much of Rotorua's tourist appeal. Geysers and bubbling mud-pools, hot thermal springs and the Buried Village (Te Wairoa)
Kuirau Park, to the west end of the central city, is also remarkable, hot bubbling mud pools dot the park, lending a surreal air to the setting. Visitors can soak their feet in hot pools.
Mud pool, Tikitere ("Hell's Gate"), Rotorua.Rotorua is nicknamed Sulphur City, because of the aforementioned thermal activity. The sulphur gives off an odour unique to Rotorua that adds to the visitor experience.
The especially pungent smell in the central-east 'Te Ngae' area is due to the dense sulphur deposits located next to the southern boundary of the Government Gardens, in the area known as 'Sulphur Point'.
Rotorua Lakes
With 17 lakes, the Rotorua region is an aquatic paradise. Fishing, waterskiing, swimming and other water activities are popular in summer. the Lake Rotorua is also used as a departure and landing point for float planes.
Rotorua is also home to botanical gardens and interesting historic architecture. Known as a spa town and major tourist resort since the 1800s, many of its buildings hint at this history. Government Gardens, close to the lakeshore at the eastern end of the town, are particularly worthy of note.
Another of Rotorua's attractions is the mountain biking. Whakarewarewa (Redwoods) Forest has been described as 'the Disneyland of mountain biking' and has some of the best mountain bike trails in New Zealand.