The best way I can describe this place is the "Pompeii of New Zealand". I have to be honest to say…read moreI was not expecting more than another tourist trap, but it far exceeded my expectations! Firstly, the gift shop you enter the ladies are dressed in era appropriate garb and you automatically feel like you have kinda gone back in time a bit. So that was comforting. One of the nice ladies behind the register even gave me a bit of a "rainy day discount" since it was raining pretty hard at that point and she took pity on me. She also provided an umbrella upon request, which was very nice. You get an informative little laminated map card that tells you your route and all the things you are looking at. You start in the museum, which was one of my favorite parts! The Maori art they had in the museum were just incredible! Seriously, some of the woodworks were jaw-dropping in the grandeur of the piece and the ornate details. There is a piece below the story of the day the volcano erupted about the ghost war canoe that had me mesmerized for what felt like hours! It was just so beautiful and intricate! They did an excellent job explaining what happened, why the village was such a tourist hotspot prior to the eruption, and the aftermath. They even had handwritten excerpts from a journal of a family member who lost his family in the eruption that day. It was extremely poignant and I highly recommend taking your time to really appreciate the museum portion. There were a group of people who came in after me that literally just walked through it w/o even stopping once before going outside. The grounds are pretty spread out and you basically just see the excavation sites of the different features that existed in the village. Some have artifacts that were recovered on display, which are pretty neat, especially the bottles, tea cups, and welding tools. It is a bit somber. As you come to one of the last excavation sites, you start to walk along a stream and it is simply gorgeous! Because of the rain, I basically had the place to myself as the group that ran through the museum was long gone, and it was just very tranquil standing by the little waterfalls of the babbling brook with the sound of the rain on my umbrella. It was a great experience to have in a place like this. When you end the grounds tour you have a choice to hike down to a waterfall. This is a must! The waterfall is just wow and you can get right up to it! You hike down steps and dirt and then hike back up a different way, but the boardwalks by the waterfalls are just awesome! I had it to myself and it a pretty spiritual experience. I could have stood there in front of the initial thundering falls all day! The hike back to the visitor center is about 5mins and they have some great Maori inspired pieces and art work to purchase for souvenirs. All in all a great experience for the price of admission (with my discount it was $22US) and I left with a little trinket that will have sentimental value tied to that experience here!

So going to all the touristy places this is one that you definitely want to come and see. In 1886 a…read morevolcano my tarawera had erupted in the early hours of the morning and molten lava and mud had covered a little village. Recently excavations have happened and items and parts of buildings have been discovered and restored. You'll walk through a museum to see the history of the town and then walk outside and see buildings around. Eventually this will lead you down a path to a beautiful waterfall and great views of the lake below. Entrance to the museum and walk is about $50 for a family if 2 adults and 2 kids but it's well worth it. Also you'll need comfy and sterdy shoes for the walk to the waterfall preferably runners, and be relatively fit it has a lot of steps! But so good for the views

There are very friendly and helpful staff here. They have brochures on local attractions and…read moreattractions for all around New Zealand. You can book some of your adventures here. There is a nice gift shop here for you to buy some souvenirs. They have restrooms available if you need a potty break from walking around town. It was a nice area to dodge the rain for a bit.

Bus Stop for Rotorua! This bus station/tourist info place…read moreis a good place to start your adventure of Rotorua. They have a place where you can grab as many tourist brochures as you wanna get, and they have some people standing around to answer any questions you might have. There were only two people when I went, and they were quite busy with the influx of tourists asking questions. There's also a gift shop, which had higher quality souvenirs, but higher prices than the places around here. I skipped that stuff. It's a good place if you need to stop in and enjoy the climate control, and charge your phone. They have lots of plugs along the bar seating that looks out the windows. The clock tower will keep you informed of the time. The buses from out of town seem to stop on one side, and the local buses stop on the other side of this building, over by the playground.

Absolute must visit for us -- Maybe better than Yellowstone…read more Drive to Lake Rotomahana. and be prepared for geothermal wonderland Well worth the drive and the time Geothermal areas are through out the north island, and this is one of the best

This is a must visit if you are in Rotorua! From the Inferno Crater, the Frying Pan Lake to the…read morewetlands and Lake Rotomahana, Waimangu provides a primordial landscape-an otherworldly atmosphere! Huge ferns tower above you while bubbling craters and streams lead to wetland "jacuzzis" perfect for native and introduced birds such as ducks, geese and swans. There is a boat at Lake Rotomahana that ordinarily takes you to see other geothermal delights but it was under maintenance during our visit. You can contact Waimangu to see whether the boat is operational before booking your tour. The walk to the lake includes a nice ride back to the visitor center via bus. You can catch it at two previous locations along the way if you are not interested in the full walk.

Way back when in 2015 we came to NZ as one of first bucket list trips. This location is must to…read moreappreciate the nature of NZ. One gets a guided tour and see nature coming up out of the ground. Bonus points if you can pronounce the name place. And appreciate the Maori culture and lifestyle.

We went on a day tour to this village from Auckland and the experience was worth the long drive. It…read morewas freezing on the day we went but our village tour guide was still informative and entertaining. We learned a lot about the Maori culture and how some still live day to say in their old school customs. We saw and learned about the geyser and boiling pools used for cooking and bathing. We saw active geysers from a distance. We saw a native performance that was upbeat and cool to see. You were able to take pictures with the performers at the end. There are a few local vendors selling native products. The best part of my experience was the local food that was delicious. We were able to taste the local dish, hangi pe that was very tasty and hearty. Definitely a place to check out!

Hobbit bus stop! This bus stop serves Matamata, or…read moreHobbiton! This place looks like it's for hobbits. A bus station that looks like it was built by tiny people out of scavenged local materials, in a whimsical fashion that only Hobbits can do. The windows are rough, with old style glass, with beautiful curves. The Intercity bus serves this station, and you can pick up buses and tours out to see the Hobbit movie set out here. You can even book the tour here at the I-Site! Restrooms are provided, and the bus area is safe and easy to access.

Customer service chief Gay saved my holiday with her help! Intercity bus stop is also very…read moreconvenient for budget travelers.

This was an absolute stunning visit for us, fulfilling our lifelong dreams to go see where the…read morehobbits lived in the Shire. Of course, everything is to scale in real life, but it was an unbelievable experience walking on the paths shown in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. We had purchased our tickets beforehand online on their website. Upon arriving, it was easy to find parking and the check-in lines. There was a cafe and gift shop available to peruse through while we waited. An attendant checked our ticket times and allowed us to board a bus that took us to the grounds. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about everything we saw, heard, and touched. Anything that was within arm's reach, we could touch. Everything we saw was a real flower, plant, vegetable, or fruit. Nothing was plastic. Everything was made with raw materials as shown in the movies. Different places we walked past and through, the tour guide explained which scenes in the movies were shown. The tour guide was kind enough to take pictures for each group. Pictures and videos were encouraged. The tour itself lasted nearly 2 hours, which we thought was well worth our money spent. Near the end, a free beer was offered at the tavern and light snacks were sold. Any additional beer was extra. It was relaxing sitting inside the tavern as it was enjoying the cool outdoor summer of New Zealand. Hobbiton is a must-visit and we would love to come back if we can!

This review is for the behind the scene Tour…read more I am a huge fan of Lord of the rings. I watch it every year. So this was one of the bucket list that I want to check off while I was in New Zealand. They pick you up from the meeting area, where there is a plenty of parking spot for you, you meet up with your tour guide and at least 15-20 other people in your group. You start out with the main part of the hobbit area where you'll see many many hobbit doors, and almost to the end you get to go inside of the hobbit house where it is all decorated with kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, so it's really fun to check that part out. This was my favorite part of the Tour. After that, they take you to the green dragon inn, where you're able to get one free drink that could be cider, nonalcoholic or beer. I really like their cider and you get to kind of chill till this massive dinner that they have planned for you. You go to this separated VIP area where they have a huge table full of food for you to enjoy. Food was amazing. I have zero complaint which is saying a lot. They were able to accommodate to people who had dietary restriction, which is amazing as well. And then the actual behind the scene part of it starts. You go on another bus ride to this more like a warehouse area. Where they show you the sketches of The Hobbit and the little model of the hobbiton as well. However, I felt that this portion could have been much better. I felt that it wasn't much of a behind a scene Tour. You got to walk around another part of Hobbiton area and they offer another snacks with cheese and wine. Honestly, without all this fantastic food, I felt that it probably would not have been worth the behind the scene portion of the tour. If I would go back or recommended to others, I would recommend just going to do the regular tour.

Visiting Hobbiton was easily one of the highlights of our trip to the north island. The experience…read morebegan with a scenic bus ride across a working sheep farm, during which we learned about how the location was discovered and transformed into the iconic film set that it is today. Once we arrived, we were taken on a guided walking tour through the beautifully preserved set. Along the way, we saw some of the most memorable spots from the films, including the famous hillside where Frodo sets off on his adventure. One of my favorite parts came toward the end of the tour, when we were able to step inside a hobbit hole. The interiors were meticulously decorated, making it easy to imagine what life in the Shire might actually feel like! At the end of the tour, we stopped by Green Dragon Inn, where we enjoyed a complimentary drink (there's both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available). Overall, this was such a magical experience! Be sure to book ahead, as the popular tour times tend to get booked out pretty far in advance during peak season.

Hobbiton is exactly what you think it will be. If you're a fan of the movies and most importantly a…read morefan of Hobbiton, you are stepping into a real life fantasy. I was there for a wedding and we received our own private tour, so I can't say whether it was like the standard tour. You start off from essentially their home base. You get on a bus and drive across to an active live sheep and cattle farm. The sets are built on the farm. The hobbit homes are all exterior and gorgeous. The details are immaculate. They even have real smoke coming from chimneys! There is a built out interior for tourists to traverse and the details are amazing. I found an accordion in one and it worked! There are alcoholic beverages at the Pony, but alcohol content is low. Probably to keep us from acting out scenes from the movies. The tour guides were also awesome, funny, and knowledgeable. Magical place. 10/10

Spent a great day here at the Southern Enclosure with the whole family (hubby, boys 7 and 4). I've…read moreheard a lot about this place, but it's taken us a while to finally make the short trek down from Hamilton. When you arrive, there is a car park and visitor centre. Pay for your tickets at the visitor centre. They have some souvenirs and a small cafe there as well. There are toilets near the visitor centre. They have passes for adults, children, a family pass, yearly pass and various options for guided tours. We opted for the self-guided experience (though, I might have chosen the guide if I went without the kiddos). We also had a coupon from the Entertainment Book (buy one get one adult entry). Mostly, this is a great bush walk and place to see native birds. Bring some binoculars if you have them. The pathways are all gravel or raised wooden walkways. We stuck to the Rata path on this occasion, which had some up and downhill parts, but nothing exceptionally strenuous. We packed about 3 bottles of water and brought our own snacks, which was good since the boys expended a lot of energy running around on the trails. I definitely recommend the viewing tower. It was there that we were visited by a kaka. It just landed on the railing of the tower and walked up and down, checking us out, before flying away. There was another toilet along the way. I just constantly encourage everyone to go when there is one, and we didn't run into any troubles by doing this. I also recommend going to the pond. My boys loved looking at the numerous crayfish scuttling along the ground of the pond - water was so clear you could see right to the bottom.

Great place to learn about Maori culture. Highlights & Recommendations for Te Puia:…read more1) NZ Maori Arts & Crafts Institute (NZMACI) - A fascinating school that allows Maori adult students to study (tuition free) traditional crafts such as wood, stone, and bone carving and weaving, using tradtional methods. This allows the students to perpetuate Maori culture. Recommendation: NZMACI should offer classes (for a fee) for Pākehā (non-Maori people) who could also learn the techniques, and their fees would also help subsidize the school. The classes could range from the full course for NZ residents, to shorter courses for tourists. 2) Geyser- Spectacular! 3) Cultural Show - Interesting, Informative, Entertaining. Recommendation: Do a full Haka, and outside where everyone can see. Also, give a more full explanation of all the parts. 4) Maori Staff - All of the staff were superb! I was with Kia (sp?) and she very patiently answered all my many questions about the Maori language. Recommendations: I would like to have known a little about each Staff member- origin, tribe, etc. 5) Maori Culture- I cannot imagine a better place to learn about Maori culture! Recommendations: I would like to have known more about Maori tattoos - designs, placement, symbolism, etc. It's such a visible part od Maori culture that it should be featured. If it would be offensive to do so, I would withdraw this comment. Overall, and exceptional visit to a very entertaining place. Nga mihi!

We got the ticket for the full guided tour, dinner, and the show. It's pricy but we enjoyed it very…read moremuch and it's a unique experience. The tour starts with some quick stops at the traditional way the food is cooked and at a carved canoe to give a glimpse of Māori life. You get to see some kiwi birds, then cruise around the geyser area. Lots of lookouts and viewing sites. You finish the tour in the art center where the intricate carvings and weaving are done. Next is dinner. The buffet has a ton of meat (meat coma) along with vegetables, salads, desserts, etc. so many options. You are given a seating assignment so we conversed with folks from Denver and California. Funny we go all the way to New Zealand and end up hanging with folks from the US. Finally, you end with the show. It is well done. You get a good variety of battle, love, and storytelling songs. It was an educational and enjoyable experience.