Soak up the scents for few cents
From Ma¯ ori culture to action adventures, or relaxing in a spa, Rotorua is a one-stop shop. It can be expensive to try all the fun on offer, though it doesn’t have to be. The great outdoors is as free as the slightly sulphur-laden air.
On a sunny day in late summer, I decided to visit Rotorua on a budget of $30 for the day, excluding petrol.
Okere Falls is 21km east of Rotorua. It’s a place where visitors who time it right can see whitewater rafters, or kayakers, hurtle down a waterfall set amid native bush.
From the car park, it’s an easy half-hour bush walk to one of the four waterfalls along this stretch of river.
A viewing platform offers the perfect spot to watch intrepid travellers emerge on their boats into the swirling water below.
I had high expectations when I saw rafters getting ready at the upper car park, but somehow my timing was off. A treat for another day.
Instead, I took the stone steps that cling to a rock cliff on one side, with the turbulent river rushing by on the other side.
The steps descend to Tutea Cave, named after a local chief.
An information board states that during times of war, women and children may have descended by rope to hide in the cave. It would be a fearful descent, as the river here is an uncompromising, swirling maelstrom.
The steps were cut into the rock in 1907, and quickly became a tourist attraction, with a photographer stationed at the bottom. There were no cellphones and selfies back then. A photo on the information board shows two women in long skirts and dainty shoes.
I definitely suggest good walking shoes and no jandals, as it can be slippery.
Okere Falls is also not a place for swimming because of strong currents and signposts warn against it.
For a more chilled out experience, I head to Lake O¯ kareka, between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera, about 15 minutes’ drive from Rotorua.
On a hot, long weekend, the lakeside is busy with swimmers, kayakers and picnickers, but there are plenty of walks to get away from the hustle and bustle.
Along the route are excellent outcrops for diving, jumping or bombing into the lake below and plenty of young, and not so young, seemed up for it.
A short 10-minute walk takes you past native
mistletoe, and a 51⁄2km boardwalk passes through wetlands with an array of birds, including pu¯ keko, black swans, stilts, coots, and various ducks. All this walking builds up an appetite, so spend some money on lunch at Okere Falls Cafe, which is a great place to eat. Or, as I wanted to try somewhere I hadn’t been, there’s Saigon 60s on Fenton St. It hit the craving for Asian food, with a piquant and spicy bowl of noodles for $17.90.
On the way home, I stopped at my secret spot for a hot soak. Waitangi Soda Springs is a Ma¯ oriowned natural spring, which is open to all, near Lake Rotoma, just off State Highway 30. Historically, it was a place to relax, heal, prepare food and weaving materials, and learn. Many people use it today for joint pain, and to ease tired muscles after a strenuous game of sport. The place is low-key, modest, mostly used by locals, and one of the best places I know. For an adult, entry is just $10. I made it through my $30 day with change to spare.