Saturday, February 22, 2025 – Tauranga is the biggest/busiest port in New Zealand. The population is about 160,000, and it’s the fastest growing city in New Zealand. The growth is attributed to the moderate climate and the many retirees moving to enjoy the pace of life and outdoor activities available.
We docked mid-morning and were able to disembark shortly thereafter. Fern, Larry and I took a shuttle to Lake Rotoiti. It’s located in an area of geothermal activity and several lakes. It’s about an hour from Tauranga so it attracts weekend visitors for water sports and fishing.
We got on a water taxi at a park just off the main highway and cruised across the lake. The most interesting part of the boat ride were the beautiful black swans in the lake. They are not native, rather migrated from Australia (without a visa it seems), and enjoy the fish and plant life of the lake.
It took about 30 minutes to reach the Manupirua Hot Pools, where there are eight pools of various sizes and different temperatures.
After we got changed and became accustomed to the smell of sulfur, we settled into a pool and enjoyed a good soak. Later spent some time sitting by the lake and soon returned to the ship in time for dinner.
Travels with Nance 