Henry
North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Kaikohe ▷
2 hours for $40.
Was pretty quiet in mid afternoon, good chance to have a bath to yourself. Worth bringing a book or something if you feel like it. Lots of small pools with different temps between 19 and 46°C. Some of the water appears black - genuine geothermal water of course. Just what I needed for sore legs and ankles after a long hike! I heard the complex had been refurbished a few years ago, it's pretty slick and professional looking.
North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Coromandel Town ▷
So beautiful here, beach is amazing, was lucky with clear skies and a great view of the stars.
Wouldve stayed an extra night but the nearby hiking trail is closed and there isnt much else to do here. Road in from Coromandel town is gravel for about 12km - be warned
North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Tarawera ▷
Quite an intense hike to get here but well worth it!
(Water taxi available). Beautiful forest all around, and of course plenty of hot water. Site is quite sheltered from the wind while also being right on the beach.
Toilets were clean but seemed to all be out of toilet paper. There is a shelter for cooking too (just a table and a roof, no sinks or tap) which is about as clean as you'd expect being out in the bush with plenty of wild chaffinches and other birds ruling the roost most of the time. Ground was a bit tough on my chosen tent site, one or two bent pegs as a result.