HELLS GATE

Located 20 minutes from Rotorua, it's well worth the detour. At the "Gateway to Hell", aptly named by Irish author George Bernard Shaw, you can not only bathe, but also walk through a series of mud pools and hot springs, such as the "kettles of hell" with regular evaporations of sulfuric acid and arsenic.

As with all geothermal phenomena in the region, the spectacle is fascinating. To be able to bathe in the middle of such a setting (with or without mud) is an incredible experience.