Sulphur City – Rotorua

On a royal visit to Rotorua in 2010, the Duke of Edinburgh was heard to remark:

“You could pass wind, and nobody would notice!”

Indeed, the first thing you notice in Rotorua is the distinctive smell of sulphur — that sharp scent of rotten eggs rising from the earth. But believe me, if you haven’t visited this geothermal wonder in New Zealand, you’ve missed one of the most enthralling experiences the continent has to offer.

A Legend and Its Lakes

According to Maori legend, some 600 years ago a chief named Ihenga discovered the two lakes — Rotoiti and Rotorua — while searching for food for his pregnant wife. Ihenga named them Te Rotoiti-kite-a-Ihenga, meaning “the small lake seen by Ihenga,” and Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe, “the second great lake belonging to Kahumatamomoe.”

Over time, descendants of Kahumatamomoe and Ihenga from the Te Arawa waka settled around the lakes. The abundance of drinking water, fertile soil, rich food sources, and geothermal waters for bathing and cooking encouraged settlements at Ohinemutu and Whakarewarewa.

Te Puia

Our guide told us that it isn’t unusual for locals to experience an earthquake-like shaking and suddenly find a mud geyser erupting in their garden. Beneath Te Puia, magma lies just six or seven kilometres below the Earth’s crust — the source of all this dramatic geothermal activity.

The Te Puia geothermal reserve is a sight to behold in full eruption. As I crossed the wooden bridge, steam hissed through fine cracks in the rocks along the manuka-clad slopes. (Manuka is a shrub with delicate flowers; its honey is famed for its antibacterial and antifungal qualities.) Fine droplets of geothermal mist enveloped me as I walked, the air thick with warmth and mystery.

The star of the reserve is the Pohutu Geyser — the largest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere — which erupts up to 30 metres high once or twice every hour. I was lucky to arrive just in time to witness this natural marvel. Nearby, bubbling mud pools gurgled and popped like molten chocolate fountains, completing the surreal landscape.

Despite its pungent aroma, sulphur is revered for its healing properties — soothing skin irritations, arthritis, and body aches. Across Rotorua, from the historic Blue Baths to naturally occurring springs, you can soak in these mineral-rich waters and feel their restorative warmth.

Whakarewarewa Redwood Forest

I had always wanted to hug a truly massive tree, and I finally ticked that off my list when I stood before a majestic sequoia — 72 metres tall and 169 centimetres in diameter. The Redwoods and Whakarewarewa Forest Park in Rotorua is famed for these towering giants.

In 1901, several species of redwoods were planted here to test which would thrive; the California Redwoods proved the most successful. Today, a vast forest of them stretches across the landscape. We chose the 30-minute tree-walk — a series of suspended bridges offering spectacular aerial views of untouched forest.

The walk was tranquil and deeply calming. A tiny fantail bird followed us for a while before fluttering away. We also spotted the native kererū pigeon, its green-bronze head gleaming against a snowy white chest. Ferns framed a crystal-clear stream that sparkled beneath the canopy — nature’s quiet perfection.

The Maori Village Experience

Our next stop was Whakarewarewa, site of the Maori fortress of Te Puia. As we entered the village through a carved archway bearing the words Haere Mai — “come here, welcome” — four warriors suddenly appeared, chanting with fierce energy, eyes wide and tongues extended in a traditional display of strength.

Though startled at first, we soon learned this is the Maori pōwhiri, a ritual of welcome. The lead warrior placed a leaf before us; one member of our group stepped forward to pick it up, maintaining eye contact to demonstrate courage and respect.

The ceremony concluded with the hongi, the traditional greeting in which guests and hosts press noses and foreheads together, sharing breath and spirit. It felt intimate and humbling — a symbolic blending of lives, if only for a moment.

Inside the oxblood-red meeting house, carved in intricate tribal motifs, we were served kai (a light snack and tea). A cultural group dressed in bright woven garments and adorned with bone and feather ornaments performed Maori songs and dances. The highlight was the haka, the famous war dance. Some of us joined in, laughing as we tried to imitate the fierce movements — tongues out, arms slashing. Watching city dwellers attempt tribal choreography was a moment of shared hilarity and joy.

The evening concluded with a hangi — an authentic Maori feast. Food wrapped in flax baskets was placed in the hot springs and geysers to cook. Sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, and rice made a hearty plate, followed by fruit salad, pavlova, steamed pudding, custard, and chocolate log cake. Everything was delicious and comforting, infused with a sense of place and tradition.

Hokohokohoko – The Joy of Shopping

By now, I had picked up a few Maori words, but hokohokohoko — “shopping” — made me laugh out loud. Naturally, we had to indulge in the experience.

We browsed through local shops selling indigenous herbs such as kawakawa (a grassy-flavoured leaf that slightly numbs the tongue) and horopito (from the pepper tree, with a spicy base note). We also found freshly gathered piko piko, tender fern shoots that can be steamed and dressed with a mustard vinaigrette. And of course, no visit to Rotorua is complete without buying Manuka honey, produced by bees that pollinate the native manuka bush — long valued by the Maori for its healing powers.

Epilogue

Rotorua — the Sulphur City — is a place where the Earth breathes visibly, where culture and nature coexist in a delicate dance of steam, soil, and spirit. The smell may first overwhelm you, but soon it becomes part of the rhythm of the place — a reminder that beneath the surface, life is constantly in motion

Author Bio

Nita Bajoria is a travel writer and cultural storyteller whose wandering heart has taken her from desert forts to Himalayan monasteries. With a camera in one hand and a notebook in the other, she seeks places where history lingers and people greet you with stories rather than postcards. Her work has appeared in several leading travel journals and magazines, blending personal narrative with cultural insight.