Located along the southern shore of Lake Rotorua, the quaint city with the same name lies in the Bay of Plenty region of northern New Zealand. The name of the city and the lake are rooted in Maori.
It is derived from the term ‘Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe’ which means ‘The second great lake of Kahumatamomoe’. Rotorua is the twelfth most populous city in New Zealand.
The city is a popular tourist destination for both national and international tourists. The city and its vicinity are characterized by geothermal activity and numerous geysers are located in this region.
Benefits of Living in Rotorua | Drawbacks of Living in Rotorua |
| Rotorua has a mild and mellow climate. | The pungent smell of Sulphur. |
| The region’s geography is dotted with geysers. | Rotorua is poorly connected by railways. |
| Roto-Vegas is an exciting place to be. | Alcohol and drug abuse. |
| The Rotorua Lake systems are a natural treasure. | |
| Rotorua boasts beautiful gardens. | |
| The thrill of mountain biking. | |
| Rotorua is a hub of adventure sports. | |
| Museums in Rotorua provide an insight into the city’s history. | |
| Rotorua is a well-connected city. | |
| The tourism industry is booming in Rotorua. |
Advantages of Living in Rotorua
Rotorua has a mild and mellow climate:
The climate in Rotorua is generally a pleasant one. The city is located significantly inwards from the pacific coast and is bound by higher landforms in the eastward and southward directions of the city. This feature cumulatively makes the region less susceptible to strong winds. Snowfall occurs once every three years on average.
The region’s geography is dotted with geysers:
Active geothermal activity is one of the most notable characteristics of the region. Geothermal features in the area include geysers, bubbling mud pools, and hot thermal springs.
There exists a ghost village called Te Wairoa roughly translating into ‘The Buried Village’ which was buried in mud during the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886. The geothermal features are major tourist attractions.
Roto-Vegas is an exciting place to be:
A nickname the city of Rotorua is given by its inhabitants and visiting tourists is ‘Roto-Vegas’. This is because the city is lined and characterized by various restaurants and businesses similar to the ones in the iconic city of Las Vegas.
Rotorua has its own strip resembling the one in Vegas. Roto-Vegas is one of the features that attract numerous tourists to the city every year.
The Rotorua Lake systems are a natural treasure:
The name of the city is derived from the Maori terminology ‘Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe’ which means ‘The second great lake of Kahumatamomoe’. There exists a total of seventeen lakes that make up the system of water bodies that collectively make up Lake Rotorua. The lake is used for various water-sporting events and often as a landing and take-off site for sea-planes.
Rotorua boasts beautiful gardens:
The city of Rotorua has several scenic botanical gardens. The biggest and the most beautiful garden in the city is the Government Gardens. It was originally known as the Paepaehakumanu Motutara.
The garden includes various attractions and facilities like baths, swimming pools, bowling greens, croquet pitches, and spas. The Government Garden is a notable tourist spot in the city.
The thrill of mountain biking:
Another attraction in Rotorua is that of mountain biking. The mountain biking scene in Rotorua is globally acclaimed. Red Bull has declared the Whakarewarewa Forest as one of the top 8 mountain biking locations in the world.
Various mountain biking events like the UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships and the southern leg of Crankworx had been organized in Rotorua.
Rotorua is a hub of adventure sports:
Apart from mountain biking, the city and its vicinity are also famous for various other adventure sports. These include Kayaking, shooting, and angling. The Rotorua Pistol Club is one of the largest in the world and has hosted the prestigious Australasian IPSC Handgun Championship.
While the Kaituna River near the city is a site for kayaking lovers, angling enthusiasts flock in the Rotorua Lake for fishing and related sports. Water ski and sailing are also common in the lakes. 2007 World Waterski Championships and the 2009 World Blind Sailing Championship was hosted in the Rotorua Lakes.
Museums in Rotorua provide an insight into the city’s history:
Located within the boundaries of the Government Garden of Rotorua is The Rotorua Museum of Art and History.
The museum houses relics of local art and social history and indigenous cultures including Maori, especially Taonga artifacts. The museum is under a Tudor-styled structure which also functions as a public bath.
Rotorua is a well-connected city:
The city of Rotorua is well-connected via roads and air. Various state highways connect the city to various parts of New Zealand. A well-structured interconnection of roads makes commute accessible and efficient.
Rotorua Regional Airport is located six miles away from the city center and is connected to cities in New Zealand such as Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch via Air New Zealand. Charter planes and helicopters for site seeing can be hired from the airport as well. The service is provided by Volcanic Air.
The tourism industry is booming in Rotorua:
Rotorua attracts a large number of tourists every year. The various attractions in the city and its vicinity ranging from natural formations like hot springs to museums and gardens Rotorua is truly an enriching destination for tourists.
The city is well equipped with all the facilities including hotels and transport to cater to tourists.
Disadvantages of Living in Rotorua
The pungent smell of Sulphur:
Nicknamed the ‘Sulphur City’, Rotorua faces enormous hydrogen sulfide emissions from the various geothermal activities in the region. This results in an overwhelming ‘rotten egg’ stench in various parts of the city. Some people even refer to the city as ‘Rotten-rua’ due to this phenomenon.
Rotorua is poorly connected by railways:
Due to various reasons such as poor advertisement of passenger train services, poor location of train stations, and increasing popularity of freight being transported by roadways, numerous train lines connecting Rotorua were discontinued.
Alcohol and drug abuse:
The issue of substance abuse is one of the rising concerns in Rotorua. There are ever-increasing reported cases of addiction-related problems in the region.
The quaint city of Rotorua with its natural features, unique culture, and well-developed facilities is surely one of the most ideal locations in New Zealand to settle down, raise a family, and live life to the fullest. You can never get enough of Rotorua.
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