Cruise Day 12 - Tauranga & Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand - Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Today's destinations: Tauranga (port) and Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand. 

The port city of Tauranga is set on the beautiful Bay of Plenty. Rotorua is a thermal area 1-1/2 hours away by car or bus.

Ship's arrival: 7:45 am.
All aboard: 6:45 pm.

Today's forecast: partly cloudy, 70° F.

Our tour bus took us through Tauranga on the way to "The Rotorua Experience." The NCL Spirit's tour description says, "Depart the pier and drive south from the early-1900s town of Tauranga to Te Puke, the world's largest kiwi-growing region. This small, furry fruit, once known as the Chinese gooseberry, has greatly boosted the area's prosperity. 

"Passing through Rotorua, you'll head to Te Puia, home to the internationally renowned spouting Pohutu Geyser. Te Puia also boasts silica terraces, pools of boiling mud, and dramatic steam vents. During your visit, you'll see young Maori apprentices being taught the ancient arts of carving and weaving before discovering moving on to the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve, Rotorua's largest and best-known thermal area. Exploration of the site is on foot as you pass boiling mud pools and the soaring Pohutu Geyser. 

"Then enter the sacred Marae and enjoy a Maori performance, including the famous 'haka' war dance, before being guided into the Wharekai for your hangi-inspired lunch."

We boarded the tour bus this morning for an all-day tour to Rotorua, a center of thermal activity. In my mind, I pictured something akin to Yellowstone National Park. We will visit Te Puia, home to the Pohutu Geyser, learn about the Maori culture, and have a buffet lunch.

On the 1-1/2 hour drive to Rotorua, we traveled through an agricultural area on the North Island of New Zealand. Our driver/guide was a wealth of information. First, we passed through cornfields.   

Cornfields south of Tauranga.

Soon, we were traveling through Te Puke, the world's largest kiwi fruit-growing region. The original kiwi fruit were green when imported from China as the Chinese gooseberry (later renamed kiwi fruit in New Zealand). The old kiwi trees with green fruit have thick foliage and chaotic, heavy branches.

A new, genetically engineered, more delicate golden kiwi fruit was developed with thinner vines. Hail or a freeze can damage this delicate golden fruit. The new trees' thinner vines are trained to grow up strings similar to hops. When the season is over, the vines die making it easy to prune them. If you want to know everything about kiwifruit, as the Kiwis call them, read this in-depth article: https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/kiwi-jackpot/

An orchard with the old green kiwi fruit.

This orchard is growing the new golden kiwi
fruit. You can see them growing up the strings.

These windbreaks protect kiwi fruit
from damaging winds.

When we arrived at Te Puia, I was confused by the signage. Our written tour information (see quote above), discussed Te Puia as having the Pohutu Geyser, but later it said Pohutu Geyser was at the Whakarawarawa Thermal Reserve. I had to look this up online later and find out the difference. I went straight to the horse's mouth: https://whakarewarewa.com/comparing-rotoruas-maori-villages-which-experience-is-for-me/. If you are interested in the history and the differences, you can read it all on the link. I'm glad I read it.

In the photo below, the buildings reflect a variety of tribal carving styles and intricately decorated, and impressive wooden panels.

Living Village at Whakarewarewa. This is
Rotowhio Marae, a tribe's gathering place.

Our tour guide taught us how to pronounce this
and then had us repeat it three times! Funny!

The trail to the Whakarewarewa Geyser Terrace passed by and through the Kiwi (bird) Conservation Centre. Numerous signs gave information on the elusive kiwi. The inside of the centre is kept dark as kiwi are active at night. They are very sensitive so we had to be very quiet. We could not take photos or use lights.

Pohutu Geyser is ending its eruption.

Pohutu Geyser goes back to steaming.

Whakarewarewa Geyser Terrace.

Silica formations.

Information about the natural steam vent
cooker below. 

Natural steam vent cooker.

The Blueys Pool in Te Whakarewarewa, 
Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand.

From the volcanic to the creative, our next stop was the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. Here, we watched locals create works of art using different mediums and techniques from ancient to modern.

Maori Arts and Crafts Institute.

Patterns inspired by nature.

Tattoo patterns.

New Zealand flax designs.

New Zealand flax creations.

Kiwi are nocturnal birds so it is hard
 to spot them. This exhibit lets us see one.

Below is a video of the "Haka" war dance at Te Whatarewarewa, New Zealand. I'm sorry about the jumpiness of the video. Oops!

 

We finished our tour of Te Whakarewarewa at their huge dining complex for a marvelous buffet lunch. In my opinion, this was the best part of our day. The food was fresh and the variety was bountiful. We did not want for anything. Oh, and the Pavlova for dessert, OMG! I have never had Pavlova before. They had to keep bringing out fresh platters of it (and not just because of me LOL!). I had THREE servings. Pavlova is a pillowy, pudding-y, whipped cream dessert covered in fresh berries. My taste buds were in heaven!

When our meal was finished, we boarded the tour bus for the 1-1/2 hour trip to the ship. We did a little sightseeing on our way back. Our tour driver drove us through neighborhoods and town. He talked about the volcanic activity in the area. People who own property here may have their yards, homes, or businesses swallowed up by mud pits or develop hot pools and steam vents in their yards.

The Rotorua Museum below is housed in the former Bath House building which was opened in 1908. The Bath House is a half-timbered building that has been called the most impressive Elizabethan Revival building in New Zealand. 

Rotorua Museum opened in the south wing of the Bath House in 1969; Rotorua Art Gallery opened in the north wing in 1977. In 1988 the museum and gallery combined to become The Rotorua Museum of Art and History.

Our tour bus driver told us the museum closed in 2016 because it did not meet New Zealand earthquake standards. He said it's a shame that this gorgeous, historic building is rotting. In August 2023, the Rotorua Lakes Council which owns the building, voted to restore and reopen the Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga

o Te Arawa In Government Gardens. No word on when that might happen.

The Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga
o Te Arawa In Government Gardens.

The Gate House in Government Gardens.

Hot Pool at Kuairau Park - we only saw it
from the tour bus window.

Here, the hot water of Lake Rotorua meets Puarenga
Stream at the head of the lake. The water
smells like sulfur and has a lot of minerals.

Lake Rotorua.

Beautiful forested hillsides with tree ferns.
This photo shows how tall tree ferns get!!

Looking through tree ferns to Lake Rotorua.

On our way back into Tauranga, we drove past the beautiful beaches on the Bay of Plenty.

Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, North Island, NZ.

Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, North Island, NZ.

Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, North Island, NZ.

Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, North Island, NZ.

Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, North Island, NZ.

A campervan park in Tauranga, New Zealand.

The Norwegian Spirit is in front.

Upon our return to town, our tour bus was stuck in traffic. It took us quite a while to return to the ship. Bob decided to go on walkabout in Tauranga. I went back to our room. Bob made it back to the ship before it sailed.

Dinner tonight was our last specialty dining experience on the NCL Spirit at Le Bistro French restaurant. It was an amazing culinary experience.

This evening, we packed our bags and put them in the hall for the porters. Thursday morning, we disembark in Auckland, New Zealand where we will spend three nights.