Culture Trip’s Feel-Good Places to Visit in 2021 – Rotorua

Embracing manaakitanga – the traditional spirit of kindness and generosity – Rotorua, whose name comes from the Māori word for “second lake”, has been welcoming visitors since the 1800s and has developed a reputation not just as a fantastic place to live and work but also a great place to visit. The name Rotorua is quite apt, too, given the amount of water you’ll see in the area, with dense forests and geothermal geysers adding to the dramatic landscape.

The main reason we’ve picked out Rotorua as a place to visit in 2021 is the delightful mix of relaxation and adventure you can experience here, with activities to suit every mood. From exhilarating bike rides to calming therapies, everything is here – and with a sustainable mindset from the outset.

If you’re looking to head into the great wilderness, there are 18 lakes of varying sizes and three rivers in the area. One of the most magical ways of seeing Rotorua is an evening boat ride across one of the lakes, where your tranquil paddle will be illuminated by countless glow-worms below the surface of the water. During the day, you can track down one of two secluded thermal hot-water beaches to soak away any residual stress from 2020 – they’re only accessible by hiking, luxury catamarans and floatplanes.

The world’s tallest rafted waterfall, Tutea Falls, is a potential adventure if you’re up for a more strenuous challenge, but we’ll stick to calmer waters for now.

The food scene in Rotorua makes the most of the seasonality the region experiences. Local produce is of the highest calibre, and chefs utilise both the steam box (meals cooked using geothermal streams) and hāngī (traditional Māori underground cooking method) techniques to prepares tasty dishes. You can find several restaurants in the al-fresco dining district known as Eat Streat.

Rotorua is a unique place to visit and one where ecotours have taken off in popularity. Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park is one of the world’s few remaining prehistoric forests, and a hike here is like a walk back in time. There are also more luxurious experiences available, such as taking to the air and viewing this destination from above, but we think there’s nothing quite like feeling the ground beneath your feet.

Finding a place to stay in Rotorua is the easy part, but what you really want to know is what accommodation you should pick to suit your budget and taste. Here are four of the best options.

The Culture Trip list features places with a feel-good factor that we can’t wait to visit in 2021 and beyond (once we can travel again). It celebrates travel that’s good and makes you feel good. The destinations are dedicated to sustainability; they offer something new and exciting, or an unforgettable moment that will make us fall in love all over again with the world we’ve missed in 2020.

Culture Trip compiled the list based on insights and recommendations from its global community of travel experts and local insiders, combined with search data from millions of users from around the world to understand interest in those destinations.

Read more about our 2021 list of places to go and where to stay here.