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Bay of Plenty

This region is bordered by the Kaimai and Mamaku Ranges in the west and extends through sparsely populated forest land towards Rotorua, with its bubbling mud pools and geysers. Several spectacular islands grace its coastline - in particular the highly active volcano of Whakaari/White Island.

Must experience:

Visit Rotorua, a great place to experience a Maori concert and hangi (feast), as well as to see the mud pools, boiling water and geysers
Walk into the moonscape of the active volcano that is White Island
Trek to the top of Mount Tarawerea
Walk, explore or raft along the stunning Katuna River
Drive the 300 km of the beautiful under-populated coastland from Opotiki to Gisborne - a land that time has forgotten. Rural New Zealand at its best, with fantastic avocados and macadamia nuts

Facts at a glance

The area was settled around 1000 years ago by Polynesians.
The warm, almost tropical climate allows crops like kiwi fruit, avocado and citrus to grow in abundance.
The bay was named by James Cook after he noticed the abundant food supplies at several villages there.
Walking on White Island is like walking on the moon. Virtually no vegetation survives the harsh acidic environment inside the crater walls. Instead, lush beds of yellow and white sulphur crystals grow amongst hissing, steaming, bubbling fumaroles.