24 Hours In Rotovegas

Rotorua set itself up as a tourist destination in the 1800s; its pink-and-white terraces became New Zealand’s first attraction with people having to pass through sleepy Rotorua to reach them. “Today, Rotorua receives 3.2 million visitors a year and they don’t come just for a good soak,” The Sydney Morning Herald’s Louise Southerden writes on a 24-hour visit to the city. Nature’s roulette wheel, that’s Rotovegas. Southerden recommends a visit to the 5667-hectare Whakarewarewa Forest; a guided tour of the Buried Village; a tumble in a Zorb and a swim at the 26-pool complex, Polynesian Spa. “For the ultimate indulgence, try Lake Spa — it has four outdoor alkaline pools, ranging from 36-42 degrees, on the lake.”