"Rotorua, main tourist attraction i ..." a Rotorua Travel Page by kiwi

Rotorua is an attractive city, on the edge of a lake, with plenty of thermal activity and in the background you can see Mt Tarawera, full of character and intrigue with Maori folklore.

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Maori warrior.

Centre of Maori Culture.

One of the main attractions of Rotorua is the rich Maori culture and there's plenty here to be found. Be sure to take advantage of the array of opportunities (tours, in other words) to see this cultural experience.

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Pohutu Geyser

Thermal region.

Another of the main attractions is the thermal activity natural to this area. Again there are many tours and opportunities to view this phenomenon.

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A lot of the activities in Rotorua cost quite a lot to visit. So after a day or two, it can end up costing a lot of money. I can give you some small tips on a few freebies, that may help you save a few dollars.

Boiling Mud
There is a small pond of boiling mud right beside the road, opposite the entrance to Te Puia. Drive south west from that entrance and before you get to the intersection with Old Taupo Road, on the right hand side, there is a pulloff bay beside the road. You can park there, and right beside you is a pool of hot mud behind the fence. Be sure to remain behind the fence, as the ground here is unstable and falling into the hot mud would surely bring about your demise. Great for seeing it close up and for free! And you can get really good photos of the "plopping" mud.

Geysers and steam
You can see free geysers and steam, and maybe some more boiling mud, at the central Kuirau Park. This can be accessed via Lake Road or Ranolf Street, near Rotorua Hospital to the west of the downtown area. It's very close to the Lake frontage. Degree of pressure changes daily so it's not guaranteed to see a guyser, but there is certainly plenty of volcanic activity to see here.
Again you must respect the barriers, as these earth cavities carry boiling water and will kill you if you fall in.