Hi Heathy,

A few months ago you very kindly offered to discuss our plans to visit Rotorua (e.g., which hangi) with your relatives there and to look into accom and kayaking in the Coromandel area when you were there. Did you receive any information during these visits that might be helpful to us?

The itinerary you had recommended is what I’m still leaning toward: Coromandel Peninsula - 2 nights, Rotorua - 2 nights, Taupo and Tongariro National Park - 2 nights, visit Waitomo caves on way back to Auckland - 1 night. This will be between Nov. 11 and Nov. 18.

I'd welcome comments and suggestions from you or any other Fodorites about things to see and do, places to stay, etc.

Thanks!

Judilie

I may have posted this the first time you asked, but we visited some of the same places you're considering in April 2004. You can see our pictures and a brief trip report at http://community.webshots.com/user/elendilpickle

Lee Ann

Hello again Judillie

In regards to the hangi evening its sounds as though they're all much the same. The one touted the most is Mitai. It seems popular - check it out online. Another option would be the Tamaki Maori village. Im inclined to support this one simply becos the brothers who started it are such great characters. They showed loads of gumption and tenacity to get their very successful biz underway.
We like the location of the Millenium hotel. Directly opposite the Polynesian Spa and just a couple of minutes walk to the lake front. Try the Lime cafe ( the best cafe in Rotorua - excellent place for breakfast and just a 2 minute walk from the Millenium )
We are off to Rotorua again in a couple of weeks. We thought we'd have an evening meal at the Gondola restaurant. Will let u know what its like.
Consider a trip to Mokoia Island ( on Lake Rotorua ) , the Buried Village for its haunting atmosphere, Kuirau Park - you can see loads of bubbling mud for nothing here ! Perhaps a scenic flight ? Heaps to do - you won’t be bored!
The Coromandel Peninsular is a sleepy part of the country in the middle of winter. Even I felt as though I’d stepped back in time !!!! The road from Thames to Coromandel township is very scenic esp in the summer when the Pohutukawa trees are in bloom. Both Thames and Coromandel were founded on gold rushes. As a consequence you can visit old mines etc. We enjoyed the gold stamper battery in Coromandel town. There is a pleasant wee train trip u can do in Coro too. Just out of Thames check out Kauaeranga Valley. Loads of lovely wee walks or day tramps. Well thats just one side of the Peninsular !
On the East side are the gorgeous sandy bays . Try this lot for kayaking

. http://www.seakayaktours.co.nz/ Whitianga is quite a good base with plenty of accommodation. We are rather fond of Whangamata. A beautiful beach, pristine estuaries. Gather cockles and pipis. Good motel called Beaches ( actually not on the beach ! ), owner lovely friendly lady. Each unit has its own outdoor spa bath.
Enuff for now. Happy to answer any questions .

oops correction : )

The Motel in Whangamata is called Breakers. The owner is Marie.http://www.breakersmotel.co.nz/

Motels in Thames are all a bit disappointing. The one we stayed in was very dated.
www.tuscanyonthames.co.nz looks about the best.

Hi

I'm a local and we often go to most of the spots on your itinerary, so I thought I might give a different perspective on your plans.

I can't help with Coromandel, but about an hour south of Thames is Te Aroha, a town that looks like a David Lynch movie when you drive in, but which is really an old Victorian spa town with a great deal of charm. A friend of mine was praising the Te Aroha Mountain Lodge just two hours ago (http://www.tearoha-info.co.nz/lodge/) and I can also recommend it. The key attraction is the thermal springs and the small town charm.

Rotorua used to be called 'RotoVegas' because of the cheesy shows and the Americanised hotels and motels. That's no longer very fair - the Tamaki Brother's village is considered world-class. I haven't been there, but the Buried Village has a magical bush walk, where you walk down to a waterfall. Whaka is also a rather strange place, more loveable for the Maori who live there than the geysers. I would be happy spending one night, but two days in Rotorua. Anyone of the main hotels, the Millenium and the Accor are nice. But nothing really wonderful hotelwise, unless you spend big dollars.

While in Rotorua visit the lakes. The Blue and Green lakes are great and the drive very easy.

Taupo is really just down the road from Rotorua, I think an hour and half's drive, so all the more reason to leave later in the day and not stay another night in Rotorua. Or even commute back and forth. Neither city is particularly interesting, but Lake Taupo is genuinely beautiful and if you get close to it you will have a very restful stay.

My philosophy on hotels is to vary between expensive and cheap, one night on, one night off. The Retreat is a place we used to stay at regularly before the price soared. There are about six log cabins right on the lake, they have pot-belly stoves and bbqs and just about every modern appliance known to man. The best thing is you can sit in the big double bed and look out onto the lake through the trees. They sleep up to six. It used to be that you could pay NZ$700 for a whole week. Now it's $575 a night. But it's worth it, and they probably still do deals as it's a timeshare and the owners would rather it was busy. If you can score a few nights here, you can do Ruapehu easily from here. www.theclarkcollection.com

I'm not one to help you with skiing or hiking info, and the Chateau is recently restored but Kiwi's don't do the Grand Hotel that convincingly, we're not formal enough. I'd skip it and go to the Waitomo Caves hotel. It's another turn of the last century hotel and last time I visited it it was like Fawlty Towers meets Miss Haversham. If you can bear that, you'll have a good experience, albeit an odd one. The caves themselves are worth the visit but it's a one day/one night trip at most.

Travelling north now, I would direct you to Raglan on the West Coast, about an hour and a half away. Kawhia, which is on the route, is worth the detour, a very rural New Zealand fishing town. But Raglan is a gem, a surfing community where you can sit outside a cafe with a good coffee and watch the world go by.

There is plenty of good accomodation in Raglan, but I would be tempted to try to swing Tha Bach (http://www.raglan.net.nz/thabach/) a genuine kiwi holiday home I have stayed in and found very relaxing. Light a fire, or sit out on the lawn with a glass of wine. Play cards or go down to the pub and listen to the local band do a very good Creedence Clearwater Revival. There's a couple of very good antique shops and a range of restaurants of good quality and fair prices.

What will you have seen of New Zealand that the other travellers have missed? I think you would find the Retreat in Taupo one of the nicest simple holiday homes anywhere in the world. You'd have stayed in a real Kiwi bach, and had a real Kiwi beer with real Kiwi blokes. You'd have had your share of hot tub soaks and comfy beds. And you would still have seen the 'sights' - but not from a bus or the non-smoking room of a major hotel.

I took my in-laws to the Sudima Hotel - booked the rooms, show, hangi and buffet breakfast all in one. Cannot fault the food. Rooms were fairly spacious - clean - although a bit dated. Very central. I usually stay at the Novotel on business (not sure whether they have a show?) - but hotel is good value.
The buried village is a "must see" on my list. Husband and parents also went in to Hell's Gate en enjoyed the experience.
Taupo is 80kms from Rotorua - about 1h drive. Beautiful lake - nice little town (my daughter lives there).
Places you might want to visit: Huka falls (as you enter Taupo). Also as you drive towards Taupo from Rotorua: Glass blowing studio.

I've just had another look at the retreat website in Taupo. While it's NZ$590 that's only for the first night. It's $50 each night thereafter. Two night minimum stay.

Heathy, Bradford, and Judith - Thanks very much!

Judilie

Good idea Judith. I think Hells Gate is a good spot. Take your togs as there are mud pools for "soaking " in . NB what is swim wear called in the States ?

IMO the Mitai show is by far the best on offer in and around Rotorua these days, the show takes place on the site of the old Fairy Springs and you will also see some deep springs and glow worms. I went to the show with a friend from England and was very impressed. I used to visit Rotorua every six weeks as part of my job in the tourist industry and the Mitai show is the best ever.