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All 68 Rotorua Attractions »

Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland

Wai-O-Tapu Loop Rd, Rotorua, New Zealand
64 7 366 6333
Ranked #4 of 40 attractions in Rotorua
4.5 of 5 stars 487 Reviews
Type: Hot Springs/ Geysers
Owner description: THOUSANDS OF YEARS IN THE MAKING, explore spectacular nature at New Zealand's most colourful natural volcanic area. Walk at your own pace - view the...... more » Owner description: THOUSANDS OF YEARS IN THE MAKING, explore spectacular nature at New Zealand's most colourful natural volcanic area. Walk at your own pace - view the unique Champagne Pool, Sinter Terrace formations, Steaming Ground, Bubbling Mud, Expansive Vistas, Huge Volcanic Craters. The Lady Knox Geyser erupts daily at 10.15am. Excellent facilities at modern Visitor Centre. « less
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487 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
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    159
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Date Rating
Hong Kong, China
Top Contributor
104 reviews 104 reviews
Reviews in 36 cities Reviews in 36 cities
57 helpful votes 57 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 May 2012 NEW

Skip the staged geyser eruption and head straight to the many walks, they offer much better things to see. If you like to see mud pools and all sort of steaming mineral pools in various colors, this is the place to see them all! More

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See 4 more reviews by la_speranza for Rotorua
Brisbane, Australia
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2012 NEW

This area is very natural. Enjoyed wandering through the bush and around the large thermal pools. More

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See 9 more reviews by Evelyn W for Rotorua
Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2012 NEW

This is the second time we have visited this park. The first time was over 10 years ago and we were concerned as to whether we would be as amazed second time round. But we needn't have worried. It was just as good, although more expensive, this time. Now we have kids and they were fascinated by all the different... More

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See 2 more reviews by loveholidays52 for Rotorua
Melbourne, Australia
Senior Contributor
44 reviews 44 reviews
Reviews in 22 cities Reviews in 22 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2012 NEW

We had a wonderful time here. We bought tickets then drove to the Lady Knox Geyser to watch it be artificially erupted. It was amazing. The thermal park was fasinating. There was so much to see. The clours of the pools is amazing. It was not over comercialised. The cafe had great food and lovely staff. The souvenir shop and... More

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See 4 more reviews by neds0 for Rotorua
Singapore
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 May 2012 NEW

A bit pricey at $30 but something we did not want to miss. You're given a map of the park with descriptions of all the points of interest. You can also choose between a short, medium, and long route depending on how fit you are. The steaming vents, bubbling mud, and colored pools did not disappoint. It's was like being... More

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Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 21 May 2012 NEW

Professionally run. Incdibly beautiful. Very friendly staff. Unforgettable More

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Tokyo, Japan
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 21 May 2012 NEW

The springs are beautiful, and the geyser is worth seeing. However we went an hour before closing, and we got a bit lost trying to find our way back out! More

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See 2 more reviews by Lindsey N for Rotorua
San Diego, California
Top Contributor
179 reviews 179 reviews
Reviews in 140 cities Reviews in 140 cities
280 helpful votes 280 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2012 NEW

Thermal wonderland to be explored with explanatory grounds map in hand on comfortable pathways and boardwalks. Hissing, steaming and bubbling smelly vents to the earths core await at every turn. Bacteria in warm and hot pools make an artist's palette to marvel over. A highlight is the daily erupting geyser, be sure to be there early to get to the... More

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See 4 more reviews by silvergate for Rotorua
Wellington, New Zealand
Top Contributor
50 reviews 50 reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2012 NEW

As a New Zealander I am appalled at the admission price of around $30 per person. I feel this is double that of a fair price. Yes it is pretty, and you will discover lakes/pools with bright colours - separating it from similar parks in Rotorua. For a naturally occurring geological feature, I am let down by the price for... More

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See 3 more reviews by linkste for Rotorua
Hong Kong
Top Contributor
1,091 reviews 1,091 reviews
Reviews in 72 cities Reviews in 72 cities
1,854 helpful votes 1,854 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2012
3
people found this review helpful

We recently visited three thermal park/ground attractions in North Island and Wai-O-Tapu, while easily the most expensive (NZ$32.50 per adult, NZ$11 per child, NZ$80 per family), this was easily our favorite of the three as well. We choose to visit Wai-O-Tapu, due to the larger park grounds, higher number of thermal attractions within the park to see as well as... More

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See 4 more reviews by BradJill for Rotorua

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