7. Rotorua: Cultural and Rejuvenation Tour
Starting at the Port of Tauranga by the Cruise Ship gateway, you will begin traveling in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle to Rotorua, Bay of Plenty.
As you travel along Mt Maunganui, local information and places of interest will be provided to you by your personal tour guide. Your journey will continue toward Rotorua, with an interesting stop at Kiwifruit Country where you will receive a close-up view of the kiwifruit vine. Onsite, you will have the opportunity to learn the history of kiwifruit, including which countries New Zealand exports the fruit and fruit products too. You will also enjoy free tasting samples during this visit.
You will then step back in time at Te Whakarewarewa Maori Living Village. This village was built above geothermal land and is home to the largest geyser in the southern hemisphere. Your guide will be blood related to the original settlers "the descendants of Wāhiao", so you’ll be able to hear the guide’s own family story. You will also be provided with a customary Maori Hungi; "kai" or food that has been cooked in their underground steam ovens.
It will then be time to look after yourself, at a Polynesian Spa which will rejuvenate you with its healing geo-thermal waters. For decades this water has been used to bath in, and is fantastic for the treatment of arthritis and other ailments. You can turn back the clock as you regain your youthful skin and complexion!
Once you have finished in Rotorua, the road leads back to Tauranga where you will visit a honey shop with a live bee display. You will be able to observe in complete safety the inside of the honey bee hive, and how things truly work. With plenty of great products and items on display or sale, this a leading destination for locals and holiday makers alike. You will also be treated to a great New Zealand ice-cream during this stop! Your final stop (time permitting) is to Sulphur Point, which provides a wonderful view of Mauao and the port, including the cruise ships. From here, you will return to the Port of Tauranga cruise ship gate.