Top 5 Volcanic Hot Springs in New Zealand

1.Rotorua: Hells Gate Outdoor Mud Bath & Spa Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 398 reviews · 1 hour · from $53Our pick

At Hells Gate, 15 minutes from Rotorua, you spend 20 minutes in warm geothermal mud before rinsing and relaxing in sulphur pools. Add a cool plunge or spring waterfall, and consider the optional reserve walk for Māori history and bubbling thermal features. Towels and swimwear are available to rent.

“It was a unique experience relevant to the place we were at and it was something different”

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2.Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, Rotorua, New Zealand

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 379 reviews · from $29Best value

Walk Wai-O-Tapu’s marked trails at your own pace, passing steaming lakes, bubbling mud, volcanic craters, and bright mineral pools. Arrive by 10:15am for the daily soap-assisted Lady Knox Geyser eruption, then allow 1.5 to 3 hours for the main park. A café, map, displays, and shaded seating are available.

“A fantastic walk through an otherworldly landscape, with all kinds of pools, lava flows, sinkholes containing bubbling and boiling mud/oil/graphite sludge, rivers, and lakes”

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3.Rotorua: Polynesian Spa Pavilion Hot Pool Bathing (12+ yrs)

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 376 reviews · 1 day · from $29

Spend a peaceful few hours at Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa Pavilion, reserved for ages 12 and over. Move between acidic Priest Spring pools, alkaline Rachel Spring pools, a stand-up exercise pool, and a lake-facing soak. Towels, swimwear, and lockers cost extra.

“Too many people with less pools. They should limit number of people.”

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4.Polynesian Spa Rotorua: Deluxe Lake Spa Hot Spring Bathing

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 358 reviews · 1 day · from $47

Spend a full day at Polynesian Spa’s family-friendly Deluxe Lake Spa, soaking in five mineral pools beside Lake Rotorua. You get towels, lockers, toiletries, showers, heated recliners, an indoor lounge, and a cold plunge. Pools range from 36°C to 41°C, with children under two admitted free.

“The serenity and the luxurious feeling of the water are amazing”

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5.From Rotorua: Wai O Tapu & Waimangu Eco Thermal Morning Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 320 reviews · 5 hours · from $131Top rated

Join an English-speaking guide such as Clive, Phil, Shaun, or Clint for a small-group morning from Rotorua to Wai-O-Tapu and Waimangu. See Lady Knox Geyser, Champagne Pool, boiling mud, Frying Pan Lake, and volcanic scenery, with hotel pickup and guided walks included.

“Clive was a great guide! He knew everything about Wai O Tapu, but also about the landscapes that we saw outside the car. It was a very nice day!”

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