After a full day at sea we docked on the eastern shore of the north island so we could visit the inland area known as Rotorua, which sits squarely on the Taupō volcanic zone and is thus rich with geothermal activity. We spent the morning exploring the many fascinating features of the Waiotapu thermal park – deep craters, bubbling pools of mud, and the colorful landscape made as mineral-rich waters evaporated or nurtured underwater fungal life.
David Kotz 