Rotorua 1.5-Day Adventure: Sulfur Smells & Surprises! 🌋

🌿 Highlights Review 1️⃣ Hamurana Spring 💙 1-hour walk—worth every cent! Turquoise waters + giant redwoods (even thicker than the paid Redwoods area!). Peaceful AF, even on cloudy days. ☁️ 2️⃣ Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland 🌈 1.5hrs for the full loop (including geyser eruption!). Rainbow-colored pools + steamy vents—nature showing off! 3️⃣ Redwood Treewalk 🌲🚫 Skip it—"tree canopy" view isn’t much different from ground level. Trees too skinny (Hamurana’s redwoods >>). 4️⃣ Kuirau Park Foot Soak 🦶🔥 FREE + soaked for 1hr—ultimate relaxation hack! 5️⃣ Polynesian Spa ♨️🌧️ Near-empty at night (just ~10 people!). Lake views + rain-soaked dip = magical. 6️⃣ Paradise Valley Springs Zoo 🦁🐾 2hrs of cuteness: Pet lion cubs (feels like a house cat!). Pro tip: They nap fast—catch them early! 😴 Bonus: Crystal-clear streams + deer/ducks/birds. 7️⃣ Mitai Māori Village 🎭🍛 3hrs of culture + dinner (mediocre food, EPIC dances). Glowworms (tiny but charming). Dark humor alert: They joke about their cannibal history. 💀 🗓 Itinerary Breakdown Day 1: Morning bus → Zoo (walk-in tickets) → Māori night show (booked via Fliggy, incl. pickup). Day 2: Private local guide (shoutout to the awesome Chinese sister! 👏): 8:30 AM: Wai-O-Tapu + geyser. 12 PM: Hamurana Spring. Afternoon: Redwoods hike → Lakeside stroll → Free foot soak. Night: Polynesian Spa chill. Final Verdict: Rotorua > photos! The raw beauty hits different IRL. 📸💖 #RotoruaDiaries #NZMustDo #SulfurAddict #TravelGram #Wanderlust