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East Coast and the Volcanic Zone

TRAVEL GUIDE

East Coast and the Volcanic Zone

TRAVEL GUIDE

When you get to Rotorua, after a trip through the rolling, sheep-speckled fields of the Waikato and the wild Mamaku Ranges, the aptly named "Sulfur City"—with its mud pots, geysers, and stinky air—comes as a complete surprise. Rotorua, the mid-island's major city and M?ori hub, has been a tourist magnet since the 19th century, when Europeans first heard of the healing powers of local hot springs.

South of Rotorua is the small town of Taupo; it stands alongside the lake of the same name (Australasia's largest) and is the geographical bull's-eye of the North Island. From the lake, you'll have a clear shot at Ruapehu, the island's tallest peak and a top ski area, and its symmetrically cone-shape neighbor, Ngauruhoe. Ruapehu dominates Tongariro National Park, a haunting landscape of c... Read More

When you get to Rotorua, after a trip through the rolling, sheep-speckled fields of the Waikato and the wild Mamaku Ranges, the aptly named "Sulfur City"—with its mud pots, geysers, and stinky air—comes as a complete surprise. Rotorua, the mid-island's major city and M?ori hub, has been a tourist magnet since the 19th century, when Europeans first heard of the healing powers of local hot springs.

South of Rotorua is the small town of Taupo; it stands alongside the lake of the same name (Australasia's largest) and is the geographical bull's-eye of the North Island. From the lake, you'll have a clear shot at Ruapehu, the island's tallest peak and a top ski area, and its symmetrically cone-shape neighbor, Ngauruhoe. Ruapehu dominates Tongariro National Park, a haunting landscape of craters, volcanoes, and lava flows that ran with molten rock as recently as 1988. As part of the Pacific Ring of Fire (a zone that's earthquake- and volcanic-eruption prone), the area's thermal features remain an ever-present hazard—and a thrilling attraction.

Southeast of Lake Taupo lies Hawke's Bay and the laid-back art deco town of Napier. Laze the days away drinking at the local vineyards or, to truly get off the beaten path, head north to Gisborne; it's the easygoing center of isolated Eastland, the thick thumb of land that's east of Rotorua.

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Language

English

Nearby Airports

NPE, TUO, GIS

Electrical Outlets

230-40V/50Hz; Wall outlets take slanted three-prong plugs and plugs with two flat prongs set in a V.

Currency

New Zealand dollar

Language

English

Electrical Outlets

230-40V/50Hz; Wall outlets take slanted three-prong plugs and plugs with two flat prongs set in a V.

Currency

New Zealand dollar

Nearby Airports

NPE, TUO, GIS

November through mid-April is the best time in Central and Eastern North Island. The weather is generally balmy and everything is open. This...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in East Coast and the Volcanic Zone with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

November through mid-April is the best time in Central and Eastern North Island. The weather is generally balmy and everything is open. This...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in East Coast and the Volcanic Zone with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

November through mid-April is the best time in Central and Eastern North Island. The weather is generally balmy and everything is open. This...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in East Coast and the Volcanic Zone with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

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