Missed out all the lakes mate , lake tarawera is beautiful , Blue lake , redwoods forest , there's so much more to see in Rotorua . But good to see my old home town being shown to people , and glad you allowed people to keep their dignity definitely a town of contrasts
Another way of telling the difference between the Kanuka and Manuka trees is, 'Kanuka kind, Manuka mean'. Run the Kanuka leaves through your hand, its soft, Manuka is prickly.
I grew up in Rotorua. I lived there for 17 years. As for the smell, you don't notice it when you live there. It rains one day in three, all year around except for 2 weeks in Summer, but you can never tell what two weeks it's going to be! It is a very beautiful place and the geothermal activity is amazing! These days I live in North Central Victoria, Australia. Sometimes it doesn't rain for five months, during the Summer. When that happens, I really miss "Rainy Rotorua"! Once, it didn't rain for five weeks, and the whole town went into a panic, thinking they were heading into a severe drought! Mum and Dad came from Geraldton, West Australia and they laughed at the "Drought Panic", of five weeks with no rain! If you get a chance, definitely visit Rotorua. It is a beautiful and amazing place!
Lived in Rotorua most of my life. Good to see some familiar landmarks and stores, and how it's changed since I moved away a decade ago. Even though it wasn't shown here, I hope you got a chance to visit Rotorua lakefront, Ohinemutu, Government Gardens and The Redwoods. Ngongotaha is also nice to visit, part of Rotorua but almost like a small independent village with a charm of its own. Hoping to come back for a visit later this year.
My FAV place to send visitors, Rotorua is incredible!!!! Whakarewarewa, The Buried Village, Lake Tarawera etc - just amazing and SO magical!!! Make friends with every elder you see, buy them lunch, be blown away by the stories they tell :) Forgot to add - read the story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai, then visit Mokoia Island in the middle of Lake Rotorua. The story is considered a myth or legend, but you can actually sit in the hot pool (where Hinemoa waited for Tūtānekai) from the story! Aotearoa is one country where myth and history collides :) Mokoia Island, The Buried Village (and the pre-eruption warning/story of the ghost canoe) etc will help you understand a little more about Māori culture and the importance of places like Rotorua. What many would call myths or supernatural occurrences are actually recorded historical events. I am not sure they still teach these stories in schools, but when I was a kid (70's/80's), every kiwi kid knew them and a trip to Rotorua was one of the greatest trips of your childhood :)
Its a shame our city has gone to shit, used to be the crown of NZ tourism. Now no one comes and it's just a timber town. Thanks to the awesome lets fill Rotorua's motels idea.
Went to Rotorua a couple years ago not expecting much but it was one of my favourite holidays ever, the park around Lake Tarawera was a particular highlight - just like stepping into the Jurassic and the lakes all around the region are stunning. Definitely helps we hit beautiful summer weather the whole time.
It's funny because I found the homelessness in Napier WAY worse when I lived there, they were every few meters in town. I go to Rotorua all the time for work and I can't say I see it as a confronting place, It's pretty relaxed, I've always thought the shopping is pretty good! They have everything you can find in a big city.
1:11 In NZ it's known as *steam* s-t-e-a-m you get it when water boils The state that Rotorua is in is what you get when your national economy only has tourism to rely on and your national economy is nothing more than the property market. If anything disrupts either of those , everything turns to crap
Oh, please, film them to SAVE their fucking dignity. Homelessness is not a mark of shame but an indictment of the state of government for the last few years.
It's literally a 10 minute video showing how dead and intensely boring Rotorua is. A load of shops the same as every other town, no shoppers, no tourists, a few views of Kirau Park.
The homeless problem in Rotorua is awful. The flipside is the use of Maori culture to bring tourists to their city, they do it better that anywhere else in my opinion. Love Rotorua, been there lots.
Thinking back, I want to cry for the guy and give him some money. I said he walked funny. Guy was looking through the rubbish. Came into the gas station to look at the paper and left. Sad.
I have been many times passing through on the bus from Auckland to Gisborne. I've seen the place change from a sleepy industrial spot with a well-contained tourism industry, to a super- tacky tourist trap that it felt unsafe to walk around in. I visited and stayed there twice. Scary at night (people screaming, breaking glass, police activity) and the takeaway food? Grossly overpriced (just like everything else). My advice to people: Go on a day trip and leave at sunset. Get your 'Rotorua' souvenirs from the $2 shop when you get home!
The Maori women who live at Whakarewarewa (Whaka) about 5 miles from the CBD use the hot springs to cook their evening meals. They also have earth ovens cut into the rock, there, that they use to cook roast meat and vegetables.
Ive always lived here. Its pratically a ghost town now and its gone to the dogs when we got used as a homeless base during lockdown. Crime is out the ass and its not as friendly as it used to me. I used to work at a certain tourist place there and a few people talked abojt how much of a pass through it felt because we have zero character.. and theyre right. Despite having one of the most Maori dense areas, we dont show off the culture anywhere that isnt just a tourist location that can be monitzed. Its sad af.
mybe stop in opotiki if you go past it? it ain't the greatest place and it's very small but it would be interestig to show people what's going on there with all the gang stuff and media coverage.
the homeless issue wont be addressed by politicians on either side as they both hold responsibility as i the left created the cost of living to rise and now the right are continuing raising the costs to suit their big businesses profits. Homelessness has risen 40% in the last year in NZ
Rotovagas best town in NZ, spent many a holiday there its so very central to everything in the BOP has the most amazing sights & outdoor activities to do, yeah sure the main town center went through a bit of a scratchie spot no thanks to Arderns brain dead Covid policies, thankfully its bouncing back to its good old self..🤠🥳😎
