WAI-O-TAPU

If you have to visit only one geothermal site, this is it. Wai-o-Tapu (sacred waters) is New Zealand's Yellowstone. It's featured on every brochure extolling the country's beauty, and its photos have been seen around the world. The beauty of this reserve is reflected in its sumptuous hues: yellow for sulfur, reddish-brown for iron oxide, purple for manganese..

Also worth seeing are the Mud Pools, boiling pools of mud. Allow at least 2 hours to visit this magical place, cross the Champagne Pool and watch the Lady Knox Geyser awaken at 10.15 a.m. every day. The site is very touristy, but well laid out and absolutely unmissable. They allow you to fully appreciate the richness of the region's earth; you can soak up its vivid colors, so unusual in nature, and the smell of sulfur that gives these sites their personality, making them seem a little out of this world.

Guided tours are available to fully understand the cultural significance of these places. After the visit, and to avoid returning too quickly to the real world, you can relax in the on-site Café.

Your ticket allows you to enter and leave the park as you please, for 3 months! You can go to the park at 10 a.m. to watch Lady Knox erupt, and come back a little later for a stroll to avoid the crowds that often arrive immediately afterwards.