Rotorua Town - North Island, New Zealand

The Rotorua region has traditionally been home to the Arawa people, whose origins are the islands of Hawaiki. It was only in the late 1870s that a few Europeans managed to find a foothold in Rotorua.

There was a stream of tourists to view the Pink and White Terraces which were later destroyed in the volcanic eruptions of 1886. The Arawa were quick to grasp the potential tourism in the area and are largely responsible for making Rotorua the destination it is today, and in fact, it is the only city in New Zealand whose origins lie in tourism.

Rotorua, situated on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, is a neatly ordered city noted for its smell of rotten eggs due to hydrogen sulphide drifting through natural vents in the land's thin crust. Rotorua is bordered by two ancient villages that existed before the 1880s; the Ohinemutu village to the north and the Whakarewarewa village to the south.

The I-site Information Centre on Fenton St contains two busy visitor centres. Buses pull up outside this information centre. There are buses from Auckland via Hamilton to Rotorua. Air New Zealand operates flights to Rotorua from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The lakeside airport is located 8 kms north east of the town. There is a super Shuttle bus service running into town. Taxis are also available. City transport is available at a very basic level.

There are lot of bus tours which take you to the distant sights on offer around a 7 kilometre radius of the Rotorua town centre. Biking is a great way to look around the place. Rental cars are also available.

There are a quite a few quality restaurants at the lake end of Tutanekai St. Most of the restaurants and bars are open all week long. Nightlife is limited as most visitors spend the evenings going to the hangis or concerts.

LooknbookNZ can organise your Rotorua town accommodation and Rotorua town activities allowing you and your family/friends have a blast in the adrenaline pumping activities that Rotorua has to offer.