Several hours south of Auckland is the amazing geothermal area of Rotorua. We stayed at the Regal Geyserland Hotel, the only hotel in the area that has views of thermal areas. We could see the steaming geysers of Whakarewarewa from our rooms and the restaurant where we ate breakfast. Here is the bubbling mud volcano that was beneath our room window.

There are several thermal parks that can be visited in Rotorua. We first went to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland.We spent several hours walking through the stark, steaming landscape.

Here is the Champagne Pool, which was steaming so thickly that we lost the path and almost walked straight into it!