From Rotorua Hot Springs to Mud Pools: Wellness Redefined in New Zealand

Here in Rotorua, a volcanic landscape is channelled into a masterful wellness scene of mud spas, hot springs and geothermal pools.
 

The potent smell of sulphur lets you know when one of the famous Rotorua hot springs is nearby, like a game of ‘hot or cold’ readying your body, mind, and soul for complete and utter relaxation. This city, built within a large volcanic crater formed by a world-building interglacial eruption approximately 240,000 years ago, is primordial wellness punctuated by deep cultural ties and dramatic scenery. 
 

And so the geothermal pools are not only among the best things to do in Rotorua, they rest at the apex of New Zealand’s wellness tourism, thanks to the dizzying amount of geysers, hot springs, and mud pools. Here, daily life is blessed by the earth’s core with restorative mineral-rich waters that offer a wide range of proven physical and mental health benefits.
 

This dramatic history has made Rotorua one of the world’s most coveted destinations for geothermal activity. Not that anyone’s counting, but there are over 1500 recorded geothermal surface features that make up the 15-square-kilometre Rotorua Geothermal System that stretches beneath the city streets from the southwestern end of Lake Rotorua to the Whakarewarewa Valley. 
 

Rotorua’s unique wellness attractions have endeared for centuries because of such activity. Here’s where you can soak up these heated waters and find your zen.

The nuances and rituals of Māori culture inform the wellness offerings at the Hell’s Gate Mud Spa, which is surrounded by calm, natural beauty. Drawing out toxins and impurities, blanketing yourself in a youthful glow and stimulating blood flow are just some of the noted physical benefits of a mud bath. This local favourite channels them perfectly, making this one mud spa Rotorua locals can be fiercely proud of. 
 

The complex is filled with cooking pools, steaming cliffs, even the largest hot waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere. As volcanic mud eruptions pop through the cracks, and land coral snakes around to help build the atmosphere, it’s obvious Mother Nature herself was in her design era when she carved this sanctum of mud and sulphur. 
 

Chiselled, battle-scarred Māori warriors would retreat to these mud baths centuries ago, healing their scars and refreshing their mind for the next trial. And while you mightn’t be fighting any epic battles in the flesh, letting these nutrient-rich pools embrace the mind, body, and soul is exactly what turns a trip into a holiday. 
 

Insider’s Tip: There are almost 20 water and mud features spread around the area, but one of the most popular is Devil’s Cauldron. Here, black mud creates mesmerising circle patterns, in constant motion as steam is released. There are three types of geothermal muds here, and they all offer different healing properties. Let staff suggest the best spots for your particular concerns. 

If you only have time to visit one geothermal spa in Rotorua, make it the world-famous Polynesian Spa. The city’s most symbolic thermal bathing experience was established in 1972, but has a history dating back to the mid-1800s when priests claimed they were cured after bathing in these springs over three months.
 

Don’t fret if the best you can give Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa is three hours of your time. You’ll still walk away replenished and awakened, with everything tied back to wellbeing from the health-promoting food at 88Ra Cafe to the natural geothermal waters that flow into the spa from two nearby springs: Priest Spring, where the waters help with muscle tension, and Rachel Spring, which is richly-rounded with alkaline materials to massage and soothe the skin. 
 

You’re side-by-side with the shores of Lake Rotorua when bathing in this beauty. The dramatic landscape is part of the appeal, stretching across four distinct areas with a total of 28 mineral pools. As with the mud pool, the best approach here is to talk to staff about your individual concerns and they will suggest which pools to tackle, so that you’re maximising your time in this beautiful complex.
 

Got some little ones with you? Kids need de-stressing more than anyone when on a holiday, so help quell any inner-chaos by taking them to the Family Pools. Here, you’ll find a freshwater swimming area with a hydroslide while you can keep a watchful eye from either of two alkaline mineral pools. 
 

Couples are best off skipping the Adults-Only pool and booking their own. You can reserve a Lake View Private Pool for a little over NZ$100, giving you 45-minutes in pure, leave-me-alone-and-let-me-heal tranquillity. Sharing with strangers can often be a detriment to a proper, holistic wellness experience, so the approachable price means this is the Polynesian Spa’s most popular offering.
 

Insider’s Tip: Polynesian Spa may primarily be for bathing, but there are several other wellness experiences that enhance your time here. Book into The Retreat Day Spa for a geothermal mud wrap, facial therapies or sound healing classes to create your own ecosystem of personal evolution. 

Rotorua thermal pools may get all the attention, but these masterful health benefits wouldn’t nearly be as potent if it weren’t for the deeply impactful visuals and unique atmosphere of the city’s most cherished institutions. 
 

Another one of these is the iconic Wai-o-Tapu, the most picturesque and pinch-me-perfect spot in Rotorua. The hyper-bright grouping of Rotorua hot springs sits next to a series of geysers and massive volcanic craters, as well as bubbling mud pools and the cover-worthy Champagne Pool with its naturally coloured springs. 
 

Peter Jackson may have stuck to the mountains to film The Lord of the Rings, but this scenic sanctuary could have easily stood in for Middle-earth’s more sinister locations. Although the trilogy did at least grab sound effects from boiling mud here, using them to create the black volcanic plains of Mordor.
 

Insider’s Tip: Wai-o-Tapu is as much a tourist attraction as it is a functional geothermal complex. The gates open at around 8:30am and you’ll want to be early to witness the Lady Knox Geyser erupt, which is usually just past 10am.

Relaxing in buoyant mud pools and absorbing Rotorua’s powerful geothermal waters may be the ultimate form of relaxation. But you might want something a bit drier to help you get a restful sleep. For that, the five-star Novotel Rotorua Lakeside Hotel completes that necessary picture of day-to-night wellness.
 

Sitting on the shores of Lake Rotorua, the 199-room hotel offers notably spacious and stylish rooms, taking the more minimal approach to design to lessen any distracting visual clutter. Everything comes back to wellness in Rotorua so the 24-7 fitness centre is large and well-kept. 
 

The real kicker here is that the hotel has its own geothermal spa and hot pools, sliding up to the lakeshore so even if you don’t want to leave the hotel, you can enjoy the benefits of Rotorua’s defining trait. There’s even a way to lessen any financial stress; as with all Novotel hotels, kids under 16 stay and eat breakfast for free when sharing a family room with their parents.

Although Rotorua is fabulously walkable, you’ll still want to cling close to the shores as this is where most of the geothermal activity, and the main pools and hot springs, are located. The hotel is but a mere 15-minute walk to the famous Polynesian Spa Rotorua has rested its identity on since 1972.