5. The Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley
The Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley is a region of active hot water geysers. The area holds the single largest active geyser in the world. Some of the pools in the Valley are so hot that they exceed 94° C. Sometimes, the wind carries the salty spray to the side, which causes the branches of trees and shrubs around the geyser to become covered with snow-white “hoarfrost.” If you want, you can walk up to the Maori Heritage Center and ask for a steam box meal, a meal cooked in the natural heat of the springs.
In addition to geysers, in the Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley, you can watch the kiwi, a nocturnal flightless bird, the national symbol of New Zealand. Tourists from all over the world come to admire this incredibly beautiful sight.
