Rotorua - Whakarewarewa Thermal Village

Whakarewarewa Village was our first stop at 9am - way way too early for our family. Back our childless backpacking days, Dan and I went to a culture show at a different location so thought it would be good for the boys to experience one too, but this was different. Whakarewarewa is an actual Mauri village which is still inhabited by local people who live and work there. We were taken around their various steaming eggy pools and told a brief history about the village and its culture, a brief "ooh" and "ahh" at the Prince of Wales geyser followed by a culture show.

(now does this carving have a certain resemblance to a famous yellow cartoon character?)

I have to say in truth that this tour is probably aimed more for adults rather than families as it was (in my opinion) quite dry. Other culture shows which we've seen back in the day, whilst more contrived being aimed at the tourist industry and far more expensive, are far more theatrical and possibly more entertaining and memorable for the boys - you get what you pay for as they say!!!

Still it was quite interesting and amazing to think that people still lived there, building their houses on quite unstable ground. Back in the day they didn't have fences around all their hot boiling pools of water - quite a hazard if you had children I think - talk about a health and safety issue.

The name on the plaque that greeted us as we entered Whakarewarewa Village was their Maori name Tewhakarewarewatangaoteopetauaawahiao, there me little Welsh friends, that should give you a run for your money!