""Feel the Spirit"" a Rotorua Travel Page by voodo0

Rotorua is a district located on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. It has a population of 53,000, of which one third is Māori.

The name Rotorua comes from the Māori language. The full name is Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe. Roto generally means lake and rua meaning two, "Kahumatamomoe" is the name of an Uncle to the man who named the area, Ihenga. Literally translated Rotorua means the second lake.

The magnificent Government Gardens, which include a park and sports grounds, lie directly on the shores of the lake. They are trim and well cared for, the flowers providing a riot of color. Visitors can simply stroll in the park or play golf or games if they prefer.

Arrive in Rotorua and you immediately know you are somewhere like nowhere else. The distinctive smell of sulphur together with lazy drifts of steam escaping into the air let you know you are in Rotorua, N.Z. Just minutes from city centre hissing geysers, scaling water, bubbling mud and sinter formations provide more evidence of our incredible earth forces.