Rotorua- Te Whakarewarewa review
Whakarewarewa means “The uprising of the warriors (war party) of Wahiao”. Wahiao, being a Warrior Chief of the Tuhourangi Tribe.
Whakarewarewa - The Thermal Village, is located in the beautiful city of Rotorua, which is situated in the central North Island of New Zealand.
The closest international airport is in the city of Auckland, which is a comfortable three hour drive to Rotorua.
There are many activities available to keep your days and nights filled with fun and laughter.
The village people called Tuhourangi - Ngati Wahiao (a Maori family group) have lived in and around the geothermal activity of Whakarewarewa for over 300 years
Jaap, a tourist from Netherlands, visited Te Whakarewarewa and commented:
“Whaka is one the most visited thermal areas in Rotorua. It is still a living Maori village in the middle of hot water pools, bubbling mud and mineral springs. After paying the entrance fee we entered the village through an archway and could join a guided tour (or stroll alone) along the several points of interest. The first thing we saw, was an area with some hot pools, used by the Maori people as kitchen, bathroom and laundry. This is where the ‘hangi meals’ are cooked on a natural way. Stroll through the village with some shops and a café. Or follow the tracks along bubbling mud pools, a hot thermal lake, thermal springs or spurting geysers. From several lookouts we did enjoy the views over this impressive geothermal scenery. On the way to the lookout for the geysers we passed the cemetery of ‘Whaka’ with its graves which are placed above the earth, because it is too hot to do it on a traditional way. Twice a day (11.15 am and 2 pm) there are performances of Maori dancers and singers, including the poi dance. They were hold in front of the Marae (meeting house) or the special performance venue. To be honest: ‘Whaka’ was one of the first thermal areas we ever saw and we were rather impressed, but now having visited more of these reserves we have to admit this place is more or less a little bit too touristy/commercial. “
Rhianon Berry, a local tourist from Auckland NZ, visited Te Whakarewarewa and commented:
“This is a major attraction in Rotorua and in my humble opinion a must see on anyone’s trip to Rotorua. There are three main parts to the place and all have the same admission price. There is the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute where you can see young maori training in the art of carving - a sacred art. There is a Marae where you can participate in a traditional powhiri welcome (daily at 12am) and maori concert (one of the best in Rotorua) with poi dancers, the haka and other traditional songs and dances. Finally there is the geothermal part of the park where you can see boiling mud pools and the infamous Pohutu Geyser erupting throughout the day. There is also a kiwi house and a few walks around the various mud pools. It is possible to come here in the evening also for a hangi and concert.
“
More info: http://www.whakarewarewa.com
Filed under: Travel, Australia-Pacific