Rotorua Airport Mini Guide
What Can you Tell me About Rotorua?
The city is a magnet for tourists keen to discover the geothermal activity that takes place in the region. Rotorua has four active volcanoes whose craters are filled with lake water with Lake Taupo being the largest volcano in the area. The best place to see all this is Waimangu Volcanic Valley billed as the world’s newest ecosystem in a park where guided tours will tell you all about the formation of the newest parts of the planet. For a more relaxing time, visit the Polynesian Spa, voted one of the ten best in the world where the hot mineral water is used in 26 different spa pools to aid relaxation and give health benefits.
How do I Get to Rotorua?
Just outside the city is Rotorua International Airport which mostly serves domestic flights from all across New Zealand but which also now has a twice weekly Air New Zealand flight to Sydney. International travellers usually book an internal flight after having arrived at Sydney,
Christchurch or
Auckland. You can get into the city easily on the local bus operated by Cityride Rotorua, the Super Shuttle or taxi but for exploring the geothermal wonders of the area it’s best to collect a pre-booked hire car from the airport.
What is the Airport Like?
It’s quite unusual in that, unlike many modern airports which are all glass and steel, Rotorua is mostly a very bright white making it look like a set from a sci-fi movie or a very clean hospital. As an airport serving a very popular part of the country, it's growing rapidly and this growth is expected to continue putting pressure on services and the local environment.
What Should I do When I Arrive at Rotorua?
Despite its modern design, the airport doesn’t have air bridges to disembark you on but it’s only a short walk to the airport. If there’s anything you need for your onward journey, the Relay airport shop is open to arriving and departing passengers. The information desk can help with any queries about onward transport or airport facilities and there are desks of several car hire companies located in the arrivals hall. For travel money or cash withdrawals, you’ll have to wait until you get into Rotorua.
What are the Facilities Like When I Depart?
Once you’ve checked in you’ll find enough to occupy yourself whilst waiting for your flight. The Relay shop sells just about everything a traveller needs including books, magazines, travel accessories etc. If you’re flying to Sydney, you can take advantage of the special prices in the duty free shop too. If you’re a bit peckish, try the Robert Harris Café where as well as serving great coffee, they offer a superb range of snacks and light meals at good value prices. If you want to access the internet, there are two internet stations at the airport as well as Wi-Fi; all access to the internet is chargeable and you should buy a pre-paid voucher from the information desk or the Relay shop.
Rotorua is New Zealand’s version of Iceland with amazing hot bubbling sulphur springs, geysers and thermal pools found along the shore of Lake Rotorua. The area attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year for the geothermal activity which is often hidden away in ponds and lakes in seemingly ordinary parks.
Many tourists have been surprised when a geyser erupts in the middle of the city. The whole city uses geothermal energy to provide hot water and produce electricity making it a green city. You can visit the spas which use the health giving properties for beauty treatments.