Rotorua. Jetboat. Polynesian Spa

We docked at Tauranga where you get beaches and hills in the same photo

and we took the bus to Rotorua for our hot springs experience.

But we had time for a bit of excitement first!

JETBOATING!!

What thrill seekers we have become in our "old" age.

THIS IS WHAT WE DID...

Book a 30min Jet Tour on Lake Rotorua and experience the excitement and exhilaration of one of the areas most popular adventure activities. Feel the rush and the power as our V8's push you through the water at approximately 80 km/hr, while our professional drivers thrill you with speed, spins and adrenalin. 

Visit iconic landmarks such as Kawaha Point, Mokoia Island and Sulphur Bay and learn the history of the area, the people and the events that have shaped this special place into the cultural and event capital of New Zealand. 

IT WAS BRILL!

Fast, exhilerating, exciting, bouncy, educational and entertaining, our pilot gave our little party of 5 a great ride with lots of spins and fast bumps and a bit of amusing history every now and again.

30 minutes was enough for us thrill novices! 

It was plenty. We are so delicate!

Don't forget we were still recovering from The Tandem haha.

We needed to wallow in a hot volcanic thermal pool! 

So we headed across the road to the Polynesian Spa.

Rotorua is renowned for its healing waters.

 People have been flocking here since the 1800s.

Nestled on the shores of Lake Rotorua lies a geothermal bathing retreat called Polynesian Spa with

28 hot mineral pools with varying temperatures and differing acidity levels. Rachel Spring Waters are alkaline which soften and nourish the skin, whereas the slightly acidic Priest Spring relieves the aches and pains of arthritis and rheumatism.

This pool was just under boiling point, you can see the steam

There are two types of mineral waters used for health purposes in Rotorua: “Rachel”, which is alkaline, sulphur water, softening the skin and sedative, and the “Priest”, which is free-acid water.

The Rachel waters and mud baths are used to manage rheumatic diseases that required a “softening effect”. The waters are regarded as soothing and sedative, relieving pain and reducing swelling in joints and tissues.

We tried several of the pools, even the cold plunge (!) and all had a lovely view of the lake.

The acidic mineral water in this pool comes from the world famous Priest and Radium Spring, renowned for the relief it gives to sufferers of  arthritis and rhematism and general aches and pains as it reduces swelling in joints and tissue.

Certain minerals in geothermal water react with each other as the temperatures are lowered due to atmospheric conditions. The minerals like sulphur and silica bond together as the water cools and becomes visible in the form of opaque milky water or as white particles in the water. This is 100% natural

Polynesian Spa is the only facility to have access to the Priest Spring

It was the perfect place to relax and unwind...and we were most certainly relaxing and unwinding until we had a little incident...but all in all it was A FABULOUS afternoon. Top place.

We were going to make a Christmas Card when we got home but I got a bit waylaid

with parties, 

last minute stockings 

and general Christmas fun 

but it was a good photo!