| Once called the closest thing to hell that exists on | | | | the area is the Primrose Terrace which is the largest |
| earth by Bernard Shaw, when one looks at the eerie | | | | silica terrace in the southern hemisphere. |
| landscape and the frothing mud one could almost | | | | Adjoining the Champagne pool is the Artists palette |
| agree with him. The hissing geysers that spurt out | | | | that is vividly hued in an array of different colors. The |
| hot boiling water , the offensive acerbic odor, the | | | | color and the shade of the area changes depending |
| cavernous craters and the loose soil all quite clearly | | | | upon the chemical makeup, the temperature and the |
| spell out why this not a scenic wonder. Yet it has | | | | water levels. The Wai-O-Tapu region has been |
| become one of the most visited tourist attraction in | | | | associated with volcanic activity for the last 160,000 |
| New Zealand. | | | | years and is placed precariously on the edge of the |
| Located south of Rotaura, the Wai-O-Tapu meaning | | | | of the largest volcanic caldera right in the Tapu |
| the sacred waters in English, is one of the best | | | | volcanic region. The water under the soil of the |
| places to observe a natural volcanic environment in | | | | region is so hot that it absorbs the minerals in the |
| New Zealand. Visitors can walk through the thermal | | | | rocks by which it passes and when the water hits |
| wonderland and observe the world famous | | | | the surface it gets converted to steam, the variety |
| champagne pool, steaming geysers, bubbling mud | | | | of colors are a result of the different elements |
| pools, huge volcanic craters and out worldly terrain. | | | | present in the water. |
| Also be sure to catch the daily eruption of the Lady | | | | A number of Rotaura hotels can be found in close |
| Knox geyser that spurts out boiling liquid at 10.15 am | | | | proximity of the Wai-O-Tapu volcanic park as it is a |
| daily to a height of 20 meters. | | | | popular tourist destination. Most hotels would even |
| The Champagne Pool is of special interest at the | | | | offer complimentary shuttle services to the volcanic |
| Wai-O-Tapu volcanic park; the 64 meter deep crater | | | | park and gusts can expect the same standards of |
| is the largest geyser in the area and keeps on | | | | hospitality that are dished out by all New Zealand |
| steaming and bubbling habitually. Another attraction in | | | | hotels. |