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Introducing Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty
It was Captain Cook who christened the Bay of Plenty as he sailed into harbour in 1769, and plentiful it remains to this day, blessed with buckets of sunshine and a stunning sandy coastline. The Bay stretches from Waihi Beach in the west to Opotiki in the east, with a sprinkling of seaside towns and the bustling hub of Tauranga in between. Mt Maunganui – the sand-spit suburb that takes its name from the green mound at the end – has been popular with Kiwi holidaymakers for generations who love it for its lashings of salt-licked leisure activities.
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East along the pohutukawa-covered coast is Whakatane, the launching point for tours to New Zealand’s most active volcano, Whakaari (White Island). Volcanic activity studs the landscape from here to the Central Plateau, constant reminders that under this fertile soil lies a molten core, oozing upwards to the surface.
This hotbed of activity is no more obvious than in Rotorua, NZ’s most famous tourist destination. Here the daily business of life goes on among steaming hot springs, explosive geysers, bubbling mud pools, and the clouds of sulphurous gas responsible for its unique eggy smell.
Rotorua and the Bay remain strongholds of Maori tradition and history, so there are plenty of opportunities to explore the rich culture of the indigenous people of NZ – whether it’s attending a powerful concert performance, chowing down at a hangi or discovering the meaning and techniques of Maori arts and crafts.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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