Aquarians
-
Posts
777 -
Joined
Content Type
Forums
Store
Blogs
Downloads
Events
Gallery
Posts posted by Aquarians
-
-
Hi All,
We are trying to decide which of these will be better? If you were to only go to one which would you go too?
Thanks!
Kia ora,
As Aus Traveller says, they are different. Hells Gate is solely a geo-thermal area (very active) on the way from the Port. Te Puia, like adjacent Whakarewarewa is in an active geo-thermal area and and both provide Maori culture shows. Te Puia is one of the most visited. At Whaka (as we call it), you can see where and how the tangata whenua live in the area (maybe even cooking in the hot pools or eating some delicious hangi cooked food?). There are a number of other geo-thermal areas in the district so in making your decision RotoruaNZ.com may help.
Aquarians
-
I am looking for some advice on doing a fishing trip while in NZ. In Auckland, Gisborne or Akaroa, going late Nov/early Dec. There will be 5 of us, looking at about 4 to 5 hrs of fishing, and obviously will need rods, tackle etc. I did check with one charter service in Auckland, but nearly fell over with a price of $230 each, especially since we don't get to eat whatever we might catch :)
Any ideas on something a little cheaper?
Kia ora,
What sort of fishing are you looking for? Trout, big game, snapper?
Aquarians
-
To do both the thermal area of Rotorua and Hobbiton would be too much.
Kia ora,
As a local I agree with Kiwipete. To do both would involve spending more time travelling. Hobbiton is a ''single'' attraction on a farm whereas Rotorua has a huge number of interesting sites and would be my first choice. There are extensive geo-thermal areas and there is the added attraction of the unique Maori culture, plus of course the lakes, forest, adventure sports etc. etc.. Suggest try googling both spots to give you an idea of what's on offer.
Aquarians
-
Thank you for all the valuable information!!! :)
My parents and I will be sailing on Celebrity Solstice Dec 16~Dec 28, 2015. I am overwhelmed at work and did not do much trip planning yet, your posts really helps.
We'll arrive Auckland on Dec 12 evening. My parents are in their early 70's and both in fairly good physical condition, I like to check out Hobbiton and Waitomo cave but don't want to do it within one day to avoid long drive. Here is what I am thinking:
12.12 flight land AKL around 6:30pm, take taxi or airport bus to Auckland CBD. Stay two nights in Auckland.
12.13 city tour, maybe take ferry to Waiheke Island
12.14 rent a car from Auckland downtown Avis, drive south to Waitomo, Waitomo Cave tour, then head to Rotorua Gondola, stay over night in Rotorua
12.15 visit Agrodome farm for the sheep show and tour, and take the Hobbiton tour in the afternoon, return to Auckland this evening.
12.16 return car back to Avis and take a taxi to cruise terminal. (can I drop off luggage to cruise terminal early? Like maybe 10am? I am thinking to keep the car till afternoon to drive to Auckland North.)
Any suggest to add or modify the route? Any scenic route I should take or attractions on the way I should check out?
Thanks in advance!!
Kia ora,
A good choice but you may be pushed for time in Rotorua. Two nights in Auckland would give time for 'recovery' after the journey to Auckland. Rotorua would probably be the highlight and should include a visit to one of the geo-thermal areas and an experience of the unique Ma`ori dimension (suggest google Rotorua). The Hobbiton set is near Matamata, about an hours drive over the hill from Rotorua and on the way back to Auckland (aprox a further two hours driving).
Aquarians
-
Lastly, which tour would give us more appreciations of New Zealand on our first trip. Other port stops are - Akaroa, Wellington, Tauranga, Bay of Islands and Auckland. Thanks
Kia ora,
They all manifest aspects of what makes up AotearoaNZ with each place making its contribution. Eg. Akaroa for its French connection and rural life, Wellington for its hills, wind and colonial architecture and being the capital, Tauranga for its ease of access to Rotorua with its extensive geo-thermal areas, the unique in the world living Maori culture, lakes, forests etc., Bay of Islands for its setting and history (Eg. the country's first capital), Auckland with its harbour and being the largest city and Dunedin for its Scottish influence and being the gateway to the rural hinterland of Otago.
Having been born & grown up in Auckland & having lived in all the above places except Akaroa my comment would be that they are all different both scenically, culturally and weather/temperature wise with tours in each place correspondingly being quite diverse. Eg. It was both climate and culture shock for us when, midsummer, we left Banana palms growing in our garden and arrived in Otago (Dunedin() to have snow on the hills!
Aquarians
-
I am a travel agent and we come across this all the time, by the way NZ'ers are allowed into the USA within 6 months of passport expiry. Some nationalities require passports that have 6 months at least to go but not new Zealand. I have sent many clients to USA with less than 6 months to go on their passports and none have had a problem.
kia ora,
Suggest you check as US immigration require passport to expire MORE than six months hence! NZers need a Us visa too, even though we don't require a visa for Us citizens except in very limited prescribed situations
Aquarians
-
It's the foreign countries that have the problem.
The U.S. has no such number for citizens.
Kia ora,
The U.S. applies the same rule and doesn't admit tourists from other countries into into their country if their passport expires within six months. We have been forced to renew our passport early to comply with this U.S. requirement (and renew our tourist visa).
Aquarians
-
We are interested in going to Hobbiton and to Rotorua area to see some geysers and geothermal places. Anyone has any experience of either?
Is it too much to do in a day?
Is it possible to get a tour that does both?
Are there tours available at the Port?
We are docked 8am - 6pm on a weekday.
Kia ora,
To take in both is doable but would be very rushed. Rotorua is about an hours drive from the port with Matamata (Hobiton) being a further hours drive, plus of course the time to get back from the Hobiton set to Mount Maunganui (where the port is). Rotorua is so much more than a geo-thermal area so suggest you look up the two on web sites before deciding.
Aquarians
-
Kia ora,
We are coming off a TA cruise in September & are looking at the Comfort Inn which offers a good rate & has free shuttle from port & to airport. We are staying four nights before taking a pm flight to San Francisco. As we have never been to Boston we would appreciate any comment on the location, must do places to see (especially scenery & people) & access.
Aquarians
-
kia ora
Please add us as follows:'
3 Sep 2015, Aquarians - Brilliance of the Seas - TA Harwich to Boston 15 night
Aquarians
-
Does anyone know how easy it is to get to Papamoa Beach in Tauranga?
Supposedly Tauranga has some of the best beaches in New Zealand. I'm sure I can catch a cab to there but I am not sure how easy it would be to get back.
Kia ora,
Papamoa is basically an extension of the beach on the seaward side of the Mount (the ship will dock a few hundred yards away on the 'inner harbour side'). Papamoa beach will probably be much more empty than the Mount beach, which is indeed a great beach. That part of the coast is really one long expanse of sand and you could walk it from the ship to the nearest part in an hour. however, unless you have a particular reason to go to Papamoa your time may be more beneficially spent at the Mount beach, which is where we go if in the area (rather than Papamoa beach)
AQUARIANS
-
Rotorua is unique, not just the pong but the thermal areas, the lake, the buildings, got to go there. We have spent several days there previously but this next trip will hire a car and drive down from Tauranga as we are travelling with friends who haven't seen the north island. A visit for a day is definitely better than no visit if time is short.
Bay of Islands, Piahia and Russell are also worth a few days if you can spare the time, head off to cape reinga at the very top of the island.
If you can spare the time I would go one way, gives you more freedom. Having said that we have decided to go Dawn Princess from Melbourne for our next cruise to nz for the convenience of not having to fly to and from Sydney and Auckland, and the fact we have "done" a lot of NZ so look at the cruise as being as much the enjoyment of a holiday as the ports we are visiting.
Kia ora,
Rotorua is one of NZ's main tourist destinations and in addition to the above mentioned is a centre of the unique Maori culture and has the NZ Maori Arts & crafts Institute - Te Puia. People from Australia fly direct from Sydney to Rotorua just to go mountain biking in the Whaka Forest over the weekend! Travelling from the Port of Tauranga by car to Rotorua takes a little under one hour. For a sample of what's on offer try http://www.rotoruaNZ.com
Ka Kite
Aquarians
-
Do you have a recommendation of another? I'll be doing a 10 day stay on the North Island after my cruise, and I'm not sure where in the Taupo/Rotorua area I should put on my list. (My list is still in the preliminary stages and changes frequently, so there's lots of research left to do, but Wai-o-tapu also caught my eye).
Kia ora,
Rotorua has is a vibrant Maori culture, spectactular thermal areas, forests, lakes and numerous outdoor activities (eg. world class mountain biking, rafting and trout fishing to name a few.). Some other thermal areas are: Whakarerewa (which includes a 'living' Maori village) http://www.whakarewarewa.com, Waimangu (the youngest geo-thermal system formed after the Tarawera eruption) http://www.waimangu.com, Te Puia which shares part of the Whakarerewa system and which evolved from the Maori carving school is one of the most visited by tour operators http://www.tepuia.com. Thermal activity is evident around the town and in parts of the region too, Eg. kuirau park with its small hot lake and boiling mud pools and historic Ohinemutu with its marae and St Faiths church which boasts an interior with Maori caring and piopio panels and is soon to be designated as what we believe will be the smallest cathedral church in the world!. Trust the above helps - http://www.rotoruaNZ.com may help too.
ka kite ano
Mike
-
We have a day in the Rotorua area of New Zealand, and have two thermal areas that we can visit. Has anyone been to both Hell's Gate and Wai-o-Tapu? If so, which is the better choice, if you could choose only one?
kia ora,
Tikitere (Hells Gate) & Wai-o-tapu are but two of a number of geo-thermal areas in the Rotorua region. They are both good. Wai-o-tapu (my personal favourite) has a good variety and has some amazing colours and is some twenty minutes drive once you reach Rotorua. Tikitere is quite active in parts, smaller and is just under ten minutes drive before town, so has the advantage of being closer to Mount Maunganui where your ship will dock.
http://www.waiotapu.co.nz and http://www.hellsgate.co.nz may help in your deliberations.
Aquarians
-
Thank you for the information. I think we'll definitely plan on going to Rotorua this time, though I would also be content to simply stay in the Mount Manganui area... sounds relaxing as at the moment (exhaustion post Christmas) I need to chill.
So there is every chance we'll pick up Rotorua tours at the port upon arrival? On other cruises we've disembarked and often found heaps of options for tours from the operators waiting at the dock. Seems that would be the case too at Tauranga?
Kia ora,
If from the wharf, you are picking up a private tour to Rotorua I suggest you check that the guide is a LOCAL, what his qualifications/experience are and if the Company has NZ Qualmark accreditation, is Department of Conservation approved and how versed in Maori culture & tikanga he is. Checking CC for experiences is a good source too. Eg.In a recent case I had a guide ask me where to find tourist attractions which would have been known by a local and in another case I was asked, presumably for the benefit of his passengers, if I was a member of a tribe which doesn't exist! (The tribe he was referring to was the name of the region).
Aquarians
-
From experience I would give the Gondola a miss. When we did a private tour (DH was driver of a mini bus full of Americans Canadians and Aussies - boy it was fun) the queues of people from the cruise ships excursions were horrendous. Some of our group basically queued, went up and queued to come back down - 1 hr!!!
Hell's Gate is worthwhile as it is not on the cruise excursions so is not 'full' and is an enjoyable place to see the mud pools etc. Our group gave the carving a go to which as a laugh!
Kia ora,
I think if you check you will find Hells Gate is offered as a cruise excursion
Aquarians
-
Hi fellow cruisers :)
We are cruising on HAL Oosterdam to NZ in just under 2 weeks! Looking for some advice to plan our day in Tauranga...
I have already rented a car and a Hobbiton tour at 10.30am. We will then make our way to Rotorua. The ship leaves Tauranga at 6pm so just trying to figure out just how much we can fit in...
Looking at a "Super Pass" which includes admission to the gondola, Te Puia and the Polynesian Spa. I know these attractions are close but will we have time to do them all and drive back to port on time? The gondola looks fun and we definitely want to see some geothermal activity.
Would love to see Hell's Gate but is this better than Te Puia? If anyone can help us plan our short time in Rotorua, it would be greatly appreciated!!
Thank you so much :D
Kia ora i Rotorua,
From Matamata it is about an hours drive to Rotorua and from Rotorua back to the port is about another hours drive so you will need to factor this in to your plans. To do justice to all three you could be pushing it. Rotorua is in an extensive geo-thermal area so by just driving around town you will see evidence of it, eg. as you drive to Te Puia steam coming out of road drainage holes and from from the bubbling mud pools (both sides of the road) & if you come along Lake Road from Matamata you will pass a small hot lake in Kuirau Park with steam rising as well as from the mud pools etc. Bear in mind that in Rotorua you can experience aspects of Maori culture in a natural setting rather than in (say) a museum. As for which is better, all I can say is they both have good thermal activity to see & while Te Puia has the advantage of being the site of the Maori Carving Institute etc. Hells Gate has a spa on offer. Viewing http://www.tepuia.com & http://www.hellsgate.co.nz may help you decide.
Aquarians
-
Depending on the time of year it wont get dark until 9pm.
It now light until 8.30pm.
The drive should only take 1.5 hours at the most, it about 60km.
Seeing the boiling mud etc in the parks will close by 6pm at the latest (that is a guess, check closing times).
There is White Island, but that is a 1 hour drive to get to the tour start point.
Kia ora,
Closing times vary & tend to be later during the summer season. Parks are not closed and one is free to wander round places like Kuirau Park or Ohinemutu at any time. I would not consider White Island if I was on a cruise ship as things like the weather and volcanic activity can affect sailings Many cruise ships do a sail past and visiting a thermal area in Rotorua will give you a good impression of what it is like on the island.
Aquarians
-
In preparing for our Jan. 20-Feb. 3 Celebrity Solstice Sydney to Auckland Solstice cruise, I am debating for our Tauranga-Rotorua stop on whether at Te Puia to do the Maori culture/dance show . . . or not?? We have a group of seven couples from Central Ohio and want to research in advance in order to make the best, smart decisions.
From looking at the pictures from this program, plus reading some reviews, am getting very mixed/divided comments on the question for whether that program would be too "touristy" and/or fake. In talking with others in our group who have traveled much, these types of programs around the world sometimes seem to lack the "authentic" reflection of the culture and history. Just a question for if it is really worth the time and cost to do this 45-minute program??
Learning more on the Maori culture seems good, but how does it really work out? Added reactions, insights that others have seen and/or experienced at this location? What was the talent and quality level for what is presented, how it is done at Te Puia?
THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio
Kia ora i te Rotorua,
Te Puia had its beginnings as the Maori arts & crafts Institute 50 years ago and provides training for Maori carvers etc. It has evolved into Te Puia, probably the most visited attraction in Rotorua. As a local who has been to Te Puia I can assure you that Marae culture with its symbolism cultural and spiritual aspects which make Aotearoa unique is authentically presented by tangata whenua. For those with limited time Te Puia has the advantage of not only show casing Maori arts and carving, but promoting Maori culture with the added advantage of being situated in one of the many geo-thermal areas which abound in the region. Hope this helps. If you scroll back on the Australia New Zealand board you should also find a number of postings which will help.
Na
Mike
-
Does anyone know if the LIVING ART SANCTUARY WILDLIFE PARK at Barkes Corner, Greerton is still operational. I have twice sent emails to them but they've bounced back... thanks
They are not listed in the 'phone book
Aquarians
-
Any one else for the list ?
I'll post the June update tomorrow.
Kia ora,
Please add us - Radiance OS 27/4/14 Hawaii to Vancouver & B2B 9/5/14 Alaska ex Vancouver.
Mike & Anne
(Aquarians) -
On Feb. 18th, we used Carlton Tours and they were GREAT. We had two vans. Drivers were Tim (he and his wife Jody bought the company from his father) and Les (not too sure about his name). They were prompt, drove us through the city sites,, yellow eyed penguin reserve, royal albatross rockery, had lunch at a great cafe on a lake with a paddle boat that was docked. Went by lots of areas that used geothermal heat, saw the public baths, lawn bowling games., Kiwi 360 where they grow kiwi and into the gift shop (loved the golden kiwi juice), Maori cultural center, saw the geyser erupting and so much more.
Kia ora,
Fairy Springs in Rotorua is a good place to see various native birds and undertakes breeding programmes for birds such as the Kiwi but I wasn't aware that we had yellow eyed penguins or royal albatross this far inland. Are you sure you saw them in Rotorua during your visit from Tauranga?
Aquarians
-
Kia ora,
While Rotorua doesn't boast winery tours, a visit to the Agrodome in Rotorua would provide a good experience for the day you are berthed at Tauranga. You would see a variety of sheep breeds, shearing demonstrations, sheep dog work etc. and still have time for other activities in the region. www.agrodome.co.nz may help.
Aquarians
-
Kia ora,
Please add us for September 15th 2012 on Celebrity Eclipse sailing Southampton to Mediterranean.
Thanks David, you sure are an active poster!
Aquarians
Fire on Mount Maunganui , Tauranga ...
in Australia & New Zealand
Posted
You CAN currently walk around the Mount!
Aquarians