The Polynesian Spa in Rotorua is everything that it claims to be - providing you with amazing outdoor hot pools right on the edge of Lake Rotorua, surrounded by native bush, with three or four pools of varying heat intensity. Once you've finished soaking in the pools, you wander inside to enjoy the (very cheap on the £) spa treatments - recommend the hydrotherapy manuka honey body polish. Definitely the nicest winter spa retreat that I have ever had.
PS. Make sure you buy some of the specialised mud soap - looks bad, feels great.

Rotorua, New Zealand
www.polynesianspa.co.nz/Polynesian-Spa/The-
+64 7 348 1328 Water_IDL=2_IDT=1654_ID=9679_.html
Google map: bit.ly/fW0Uax

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Rotorua's historic Maori village, including the Tamatekapua Meeting House (Marae) and St Faith's Church. Highly recommend the excellent tours- personal, informal and full of local details; the guides are clearly proud of what they are showing you.

On the lakefront in Rotorua.

www.ohinemutuvillage.com/

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Very welcoming B&B located right on the lakeside. Private, quiet with great views across Lake Rotorua from the deck, and a breakfast to match.

At Ngongotaha, 15 mins north of Rotorua.

www.shulaslakehouse.com/

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Charles Royal runs these tours and he enthusiastically showed us the numerous wild plants that are edible on the island. He explained that the Kawakawa tree, Maori Bush Basil or Maori Pepper have many uses and gave us little sachets of the crushed, prepared leaves he said we could use to spice up many dishes. Charles told us there are seven edible varieties of ferns and pointed out the Hen and Chickens fern, which is surprisingly soft and sweet to the taste.

When we'd done exploring and sampling, he took us back down to Hinemoa's pool, where we sat dabbling our feet in the warmth as he produced on a camping stove, like a magician bringing a rabbit out of a hat, a selection of quick-cook courses, made with some of the herbs and ferns he'd just shown us.

It's an amazing experience of a Maori tradition and way of existing with the land that is truly wonderful.

Charles Royal, Kinaki NZ, PO Box 1030, Rotorua, Aotearoa, New Zealand. 0064 7 345 3122, www.maorifood.com

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What a beautiful place to while away a few hours having a massage, a mud wrap, enjoying the thermal pools.

Ask anywhere in Rotarua and they will point you in the right direction

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Located in some woods you'll find two streams, one hot and the other cold which meet creating a beautiful natural heated bathing pool. You could even try it at night by candlelight (we did). Plus all of this is FREE, except the candles!
This was my most memorable place on my four month trip around New Zealand with my family.

By a small brige on Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland loop road 27kms South of Rotorua/Taupo Highway. Recommended campsite that we used is the Doc (department of conservation) campsite by Lake Rerewhakaaitu.

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