Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Roturua hangi/geothermal recommendations

We (my family and I) will be spending a few days in Rotorua while in NZ. My plans here included taking in a Maori cultural show and hangi meal as well as the geothermal sights (seeing as how this is what Rotorua appears to be most well known for). After having researched these activities I've found a number of options in both categories, but little info on what might be recommended (aside from each website "recommending" their own show/location), and no personal experience of my own to depend on. So I was hoping some here could provide some of their own recommendations/experiences to help me make a more informed decision. Thanks.

The options (that I could find) are:

Maori cultural show and hangi meal:
Te Puia
Tamaki Maori Village
Mitai Maori Village
Whakarewarewa Thermal Village

Geothermal sights:
Wai-o-tapu Wonderland
Te Puia
Hell's Gate
Waimangu Volcanic Valley
Whakarewarewa Thermal Village

We did the Show and hangi at our hotel in Rotorua and visited Hell's Gate, if I am remembering correctly.
I just tried the virtual tour and this is the one we visited. :)
Hell's Gate info (http://www.hellsgate.co.nz/Hells_Gate/General_Overview_IDL=2_IDT=623_ID=3466_.html)
Virtual tour (http://www.hellsgate.co.nz/Hells_Gate/Virtual_Tours_IDL=205_IDT=623_ID=3305_.html)


There were some public places which were not part of a thermal spa business, which you could possibly visit.
I think it is better to check about going to some local places, just in case locals do not appreciate it. ;)


It's all coming back! :)
Grand Tiara Hotel, aka Distinction Rotorua (http://www.distinctionrotorua.co.nz/Distinction_Rotorua_Grand_Tiara_Hotel/Virtual_Tours_IDL=205_IDT=1757_ID=10522_.html)
We really enjoyed the Maori Dinner Show (http://www.distinctionrotorua.co.nz/Distinction_Rotorua_Grand_Tiara_Hotel/Maori_Dinner_Show_IDL=2_IDT=1766_ID=10404_.html). Much better than our Lauau in Hawaii, which still had a very good Maori component
We enjoyed the bottle of sparkling wine included with the package, after the show and hangi.

Make sure, if you stay, to ask the location of the Gym. ^

NZ tourism link to Rotorua (http://www.newzealand.com/travel/destinations/regions/rotorua/rotorua-home.cfm).

I chose to visit the hangi recommended by Frommer's:
The best concert and hangi is at Tamaki Maori Village . The World of Maori, Rotoiti Tours (tel. 0800/476-864 in NZ, or 07/348-8969; www.worldofmaori.co.nz)

As I expected, the experience was very similar to a tourist luau in Hawaii: You walk around a Maori village and learn a little bit about the culture from fast-talking tourist guides, then you proceed to crowded tables full of other tourists to wait your turn for buffet-style dining on traditional foods. I don't know how the other hangi compare, but I'd be (pleasantly) surprised to learn if one specific hangi is head-and-shoulders above the others.

I purchased my hangi ticket from the tourist office in Rotorua, and they gave me the choice of a free visit to one of several other attractions in the area. I chose the Hell's Gate geothermal attraction, because it seemed like the least unimpressive of the options, but it turned out to be the highlight of my visit to Rotorua! I spent hours walking through every inch of the attraction, and I found it fascinating. I don't know how the other geothermal areas compare, but I don't think you'd be disappointed by Hell's Gate.

Totally the best geothermal area.

There are from memory 19 or 20 different sites within the park, most of them show different types of activity.

Even silica terraces. It is the least touristy and totally laid back, you pay at the office/cafe/tourist shop and then follow the guided path. The signs or paper guide tell you all you need to know, you can do it at your own pace, take photos, sit and watch, explore etc.

While its 20 or 30 mins down the highway between Rotorua and Taupo its a pretty drive, and if you are going to Taupo, or even if you do a triangular route, Auckland - Rotorua - Taupo- Auckland its worth the effort.

Enjoy

Adam

PS cannot comment on hangi etc as I have not done them.

Am just back from my AKL trip, which included 3 nights in Rotorua seeing and doing lots. I arrived early afternoon on day one and on the advice of the friendly staff at the tourism info centre where the bus terminal is I booked into a guided 90 minute tour at Te Puia followed by a Maori cultural show, also with a Maori guide to explain the events, followed by a steaming hot meal. The whole thing ran from 1615 when a shuttle bus picked me up at my hotel and dropped me at Te Puia until around 2130 when the same shuttle dropped me off again.

I quite enjoyed the activities and sights and really fell for the sweet as pie Maori elder lady who met us after a young staff member toured us around the geothermal geysers as she was quite willing to answer any and all questions during the cultural show as well as during the meal. At the end of the night she even came to see us all off at our shuttle busses and it was a nice warm, friendly and sincere feeling I left with that night and will remember.

That was my experience and since I didn't take in the others I can't comment. Have fun in Rotorua. :)

I agree about Te Puia. We spent our cruiseship port day there in February and had a wonderful experience, beginning with the show in the Marae and ending with - probably - the same lovely Maori guide. She was not only charming, but extremely knowledgeable and spent an amazing amount of time with us on our tour. Since Te Puia is also a learning institute for young Maori weavers and woodcutters, we had the feeling it was not as commercialized as many other "sightseeing" possibilities.
We had rented a car for the day with Pegasus and everything worked out perfectly -- including the car being at the cruiseship dock when we arrived.

Totally the best geothermal area.

There are from memory 19 or 20 different sites within the park, most of them show different types of activity.....Absolutely agree -- far better than the other places (some of which are quite disappointing). This is stunning and gives you some feeling for why the 8th wonder of the world was here (until it collapsed in the 19th century). I arrived just before closing which had its good points (circa 5 people there, otherwise desolate which suits the setting) but wished I had several hours to take it all in. More info at

http://www.geyserland.co.nz/

I too recommend Wai o tapu; I spent over 5 hours there wandering around.

Have also done the Tamaki thing, and while touristy (as described), it was fine.

Thanks, all, for the feedback. ^ I wanted to post to let you know I'm still here and have been busy checking out the recommendations and links you provided. No firm decisions yet, and intend to drop by the Rotorua Tourist Information Office which another FTer pointed out to me (by PM) as well as generously providing their remaining account time. Again, thanks.

Bear in mind that the very best thermal displays that Rotorua has to offer are a pale shadow of what is at Yellowstone National Park. So don't get your hopes up too high if you have been to Yellowstone.

Incidentally, we tried to find Maori food in Auckland and absolutely no one we asked could even name anyplace, let alone give a recommendation. So touristy as the hangi meals are in Rotorua are, they may be your only option.

Bear in mind that the very best thermal displays that Rotorua has to offer are a pale shadow of what is at Yellowstone National Park. So don't get your hopes up too high if you have been to Yellowstone.

Incidentally, we tried to find Maori food in Auckland and absolutely no one we asked could even name anyplace, let alone give a recommendation. So touristy as the hangi meals are in Rotorua are, they may be your only option.
Geysers are certainly better at Yellowstone, but the color-changing effects in the pools at Wai o Tapu are really impressive and worthwhile. Like serfty we spent many hours there, and the difference in some pools over time was realy stunning.

We had no problem finding Maori food at the Saturday morning market at Otara just south of Auckland.

Bear in mind that the very best thermal displays that Rotorua has to offer are a pale shadow of what is at Yellowstone National Park. So don't get your hopes up too high if you have been to Yellowstone. ....Wai o Tapu is more artistic -- the silicate displays are far more impressive than Yellowstone. But of course the best geyser in the world is Yellowstone and NZ is completely different. Overall I like NZ better for geothermal (Hot Water Beach by Whitianga is another must see).