Geothermal Wonderland
Trip Start
Mar 11, 2011
1
78
217
Trip End
Ongoing
Tokaanu, North Island, New Zealand
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Yes, there's a whole region with it's own highway. It seethes with steam visible from the road, bubbling cauldron-like mud-pools and gurgling old geysers. Almost every hotel, motel and Holiday inn have their natural hot pool, not forgetting the B&Bs, hostels and motels. All they really need to do is dig a hole. Volcanic activity has also shaped the amazing landscapes over thousands of years, nature's own art form. I hope the pics do some justice.
We drove the stretch from Tokaanu all the way up to Rotorua, the region's money-making centre. That's where the most hot spots are and the biggest geysers. But here at Tokaanu we had free access to explore and it's a lot less well-known.
So we could pretend that (just for a little while) it was all ours! The Maoris used the hot water to bathe and the hot steam to cook their meals, and in fact, at this spot you can bring your own pot of meat and veg, leave it in a steam pit and collect your cooked meal a few hours later. It was way to hot too take a dip though!
