The city of Rotorua sits within a massive volcanic caldera,
which is why geothermal activity is so commonly found here. Close to the city centre there is a large
public park where visitors can go to see geothermal activity for free.
Kuirau Park was named after a beautiful young woman who was
swimming in the lake here when a taniwha (dragon) dragged her to his lair
beneath the lake. The gods above were so
angry that they made the waters in the lake boil, and they have continued to bubble
ever since.
One of the biggest attractions in the Park is the couple of
areas where foot-baths have been built so that people can sit and soak their
feet in the naturally hot spring water.
This is a fabulous place to unwind and relax after spending
a day walking, but it is recommended to take a towel to sit on as the wooden
seats around the edge can sometimes be quite wet.
There are gardens to wander around, and in summer there are shady
trees to spread a picnic blanket underneath.
A great playground is available to keep the children happy.
Most of this area is geothermally active and it is
recommended that you remain on the cool side of the fences!
Occasionally a new steam vent will open up in the ground,
accompanied with hissing steam and boiling mud.
Sometimes these new vents can be quite eruptive, throwing rocks into the
air and frightening any person in the vicinity.
They usually settle down quite quickly, a new barrier fence is
erected, and something else is added to look at in the Park.
Kuirau Park is a great place to wander around for a couple
of hours, with the bonus of being free of charge.
And remember to go and soak your feet for a while. There are indoor and outdoor foot-baths to use
and they really are a great way to unwind and relax after a busy day.
Of course, visit only after lockdown finishes!
Stay safe and be kind,
Margaret.
Thank-you Betty for hosting this lovely link J
Rotorua is a place, out of this world and there was one documentary by a Filipino journalist that showed the beauty of Rotorua which I showed my students on a Media class and everyone was fascinated by the geysers and the bubbling lake! What I found very interesting was the forest of giant ferns which trunks show a shade of yellow. The host said that it's due to the Sulfur that is very much present in the air. Oh new Zealand, you are a paradise! Wish I can soak my feet on those tubs too someday :)
ReplyDeleteThe sulphur also smells a lot! It is worse in some areas than others, and the smell can make some people feel quite ill - so it is not only plants that suffer :)
DeleteSounds like a good place to stop and relax! Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteI don't get to Rotorua very much now, but when I do I always like to soak my feet :)
DeleteBeen to Rotorua many times but never to that park. Max had a cousin there and it is surprising that she didn't suggest it.
ReplyDeleteIt is surprising. It is so easy to access being so close to the middle of town - we often used to take the children there when they were smaller.
DeleteBeautiful place.
ReplyDeleteOh, what a sad, yet cute story. It´s like our legend of Silberhohl google translate can do the job, it´s about a woman, also.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful picture! And aww, that looks relaxing!
I so wish we could make it to Perth, then NZ would not be so far away!!
Can you invent beaming, please?
To a foot bath soon, stay safe, Ixx
Local legends add something special to a place, don't they? I think you would have to do a beam-me-up-Scottie to get from Perth to Auckland - otherwise it is still a flight of over seven hours!
DeleteKeep smiling and stay happy and well, Mxx
One of the great tragedies of the restrictions on movement that we are now subjected to is that wonderful areas such as this become off limits, yet they are the very places that would be therapeutic for so many.
ReplyDeleteHello, the story is sad, what a beautiful park though. Looks very relaxing, beautiful gardens. Take care, wishing you a happy day!
ReplyDeleteI live kuirau park. It was one of our favourite places when all the family visited. Everyone enjoyed the footbaths and the little spouts of steam everywhere.
ReplyDeleteMarvellous place to visit
Our children used to love going there. Years ago they also ran a small train and they loved that as well, but sadly it no longer is in use.
DeleteSuch a beautiful natural wonder. Love it!
ReplyDeleteSomehow my comment went unpublished yesterday but I did remark how lovely the gardens are and how I'd like to soak my feet in the hot spring water.
ReplyDeleteI never received that comment so I am glad you posted again. This morning I find I have a couple of blogs that I am unable to access, so maybe Google is suffering from over-use! Mxx
DeleteI haven't been to Rotorua in a while but it's great that you shared these great places to see :)
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted to read your post at 'My Corner of the World' this week! Thanks for linking up!
I would love to be able to visit this place!
ReplyDeleteThat must be exciting, living in a volcanic caldera! Too exciting for me, I think! It is beautiful though :) Thanks so much for sharing that intriguing area!
ReplyDelete