Rotorua's Essential 50: Day 10 - Geothermal wonderland

A visitor checks out the Devil's Bath at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Photo/File.

It's not a holiday in Rotorua without taking in the geysers and mud pools of Rotorua's geothermal wonderland.

The geothermal activity attracts visitors from around the world - and the good news is there's plenty of places you can go to experience it.

Kuirau Park offers a free glimpse at the geothermal wonders while the walkway at Sulphur Point is another free way to look at the activity.

Te Whakarewarewa geothermal valley at Te Puia is an area of enormous geological significance with thermal activity ranging from boiling mud to the world famous 30m Pohutu geyser, which erupts up to 20 times a day.

Hell's Gate is set in 22.2ha of geothermal features including steaming fumaroles and hot pools of boiling mud, as well as the Kakahi Falls - the largest hot waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere.

Waimangu Volcanic Valley, which dubs itself as "the world's youngest geothermal system", was created after the 1886 Tarawera eruption and visitors can take a cruise of beautiful Lake Rotomahana or check out the features through a range of walking options.

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland has a range of mudpools, geysers and sulphur pools including the Lady Knox Geyser with a show daily at 10.15am as well as the spectacular Champagne Pool and the Mud Pool.

There's also Orakei Korako which features geysers, hot springs, bubbling mud pools and some of the largest and most amazing silica terraces in the world. It includes the thermal Ruatapu Cave which extends down more than 36m to the Waiwhakaata or Pool of Mirrors hot pool at the bottom.

The Rotorua Daily Post Essential 50 lists the city's must-see, must-do and must-try activities and experiences thanks to reader nominations. We'll highlight one every day over summer.