Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty
The central North Island pairs geothermal wonder with a sunny coast. At Rotorua the earth steams and geysers erupt beside living Māori culture; an hour away, the Bay of Plenty spreads golden beaches beneath the cone of Mauao at Mount Maunganui. Add hot pools, the Redwoods and kiwifruit country, and you have one of the island's richest and most family-friendly regions. Here's how to explore it.
Rotorua — geysers & Māori culture
Rotorua is New Zealand's geothermal and Māori heartland. Watch the mighty Pōhutu geyser erupt and mud pools plop at Te Puia and Wai-O-Tapu, share an evening hāngī and haka with the Te Arawa people, ride and walk the Redwoods, and soak in lakeside hot pools. It's vivid, affordable and wonderful for families. See our in-depth Rotorua guide.
Tauranga & Mount Maunganui
East of Rotorua, the sunny Bay of Plenty coast centres on Tauranga and Mount Maunganui — a laid-back beach town beneath the striking cone of Mauao, with a fine surf beach, a summit walk and hot saltwater pools. It's the country's kiwifruit capital too. An easy add-on to a Rotorua stay. See our things to do guide.
Whakaari / White Island
Off the Bay of Plenty coast steams Whakaari / White Island, New Zealand's most active volcano. Following the tragic 2019 eruption, landing tours are suspended and access is restricted, so it can only be seen from the coast or by air, not visited. For volcanic and geothermal experiences you can enjoy safely, Rotorua's thermal parks and the Tongariro region are the places to go. See our Rotorua geothermal tour.
Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty: your questions
Rotorua is New Zealand's geothermal and Māori heartland — watch the Pōhutu geyser erupt and mud pools bubble at its thermal parks, share a hāngī and haka with the Te Arawa people, ride the Redwoods and luge, and soak in hot pools. It's vivid, cultural and superb for families. See our in-depth Rotorua guide.
The Bay of Plenty is a sunny coastal region east of Rotorua, known for its beaches and the twin towns of Tauranga and Mount Maunganui — the latter beneath the striking cone of Mauao, with a great surf beach and a summit walk. It's also New Zealand's kiwifruit capital, around Te Puke. See our things to do guide.
Whakaari / White Island, New Zealand's most active volcano off the Bay of Plenty coast, is not open to visitors — landing tours were suspended after the tragic 2019 eruption, and access remains restricted. You may still glimpse it steaming on the horizon from the coast or by air. For volcanic experiences you can visit, see Rotorua's geothermal parks. See our Rotorua geothermal tour.
It's the best place in the country for it. Rotorua is home to the Te Arawa people, with hāngī feasts, kapa haka, living geothermal villages such as Whakarewarewa, and the historic lakeside village of Ōhinemutu. Engaging with this living culture is a highlight of any North Island trip. See our Māori cultural experiences page.
Tauranga and Mount Maunganui are about an hour's drive north-east of Rotorua, making the coast an easy day trip or add-on. Many visitors pair Rotorua's geothermal wonders with a beach day at "the Mount". See our Rotorua guide.