6 Best Sights in Rotorua Environs, East Coast and the Volcanic Zone

Even if you’re not an aficionado of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, a delve into this magic, pretend world of the Shire of Middle-earth (aka the Hobbiton movie set) is rather fascinating. Guides will escort you along the paths of the 12-acre set, stopping at little Hobbit houses set into the hillsides. Along the way, they share secrets about how the movies were made and explain incredible, intricate details of the set design. Like the thirsty Hobbits, you’ll enjoy finishing up at the Green Dragon Inn for an exclusively brewed beverage. The standard tour lasts two hours. Meal packages can be added, and transport can be arranged from nearby Matamata and Rotorua. Hobbiton is one of New Zealand's most visited attractions, and reservations are essential for all tours. To think this was once just another New Zealand sheep farm.

Rewind time by spending an evening at Mitai Māori Village, where you can listen to the harmonious chant of traditionally clad warriors as they paddle a waka (war canoe) along the Wai-o-whiro stream, then watch a top-notch cultural show, and enjoy a delicious hāngi feast. Getting the chance to see glowworms on a short, guided bush walk is a bonus.

When Mt. Tarawera erupted in 1886, destroying Rotomahana's terraces, not all was lost. A volcanic valley emerged from the ashes, extending southwest from Lake Rotomahana. It's consequently one of the world's newest thermal-activity areas, encompassing the boiling water of the massive Inferno Crater, plus steaming cliffs, bubbling springs, and bush-fringed terraces. A path (one–two hours) runs through the valley down to the lake, where a shuttle bus can get you back to the entrance. You can also cap your trip by taking a cruise on the lake itself. Waimangu is 26 km (16 miles) southeast of Rotorua; to reach it, take Highway 5 south (Taupo direction) and look for the turn after 19 km (12 miles).

At the end of the 19th century, Te Wairoa (tay-why-ro-ah, "the buried village") was the starting point for expeditions to the pink-and-white terraces of Rotomahana, on the slopes of Mt. Tarawera. As mineral-rich geyser water cascaded down the mountainside, it formed a series of baths, which became progressively cooler as they neared the lake. In the latter half of the 19th century, these fabulous terraces were the country's major attraction, but they were destroyed when Mt. Tarawera erupted in 1886, burying the village of Te Wairoa under a sea of mud and hot ash. The village has since been excavated, and of special interest is the whare (fah-ray, "hut") of the tohunga (priest) Tuhoto Ariki, who predicted the destruction. An interesting museum contains artifacts, photographs, and models re-creating the day of the disaster, and a number of small dwellings remain basically undisturbed beneath mud and ash. A path circles the excavated village, then continues on as a delightful trail to the waterfall, the lower section of which is steep and slippery in places. Te Wairoa is 14 km (9 miles) southeast of Rotorua.

Located 15 km (9 miles) east of Rotorua, Hell's Gate is arguably the most active thermal reserve in the area. Its 50 acres hiss and bubble with steaming fumaroles and boiling mud pools. Among the attractions here is the Kakahi Falls, reputedly the largest hot waterfall in the southern hemisphere, where, according to legend, Māori warriors bathed their wounds after battle. Warm mud pools are available for public bathing; at the Hellsgate Mud Spa, you can soak in a mud bath or try a mirimiri (a traditional Māori massage).

A 2,900-foot cable-car system carries you up Mt. Ngongotaha for spectacular views over Lake Rotorua. At the summit, 1,600-feet above sea level, there's a café, a restaurant, and a souvenir shop. As an alternative, try the luge track, where you can take hair-raisingly fast rides on wheeled bobsled-like contraptions (you can also go slowly; a braking system gives you full control of your speed). The track runs partway down the mountain, winding through the redwood trees; from the bottom, you can return to the summit on a separate chairlift. For further thrills, consider zip-lining or mountain biking.