Beaches, Geysers and Maori Village

Yesterday we docked in the beautiful resort area called Tauranga. It is to New Zealand what Brisbane is to Australia - the Gold Coast. The area is spectacularly beautiful with a combination of quiet bays, surfing beaches and inactive volcanoes. We travelled inland to Rotorua to visit an actual Maori village built in an incredible geothermal area. The village has bubbling mud pools, active geysers and hot springs with water well above the boiling point. The residents cook their food in natural steam ovens. We then watched a cultural performance of native dance and music. Wonderful how New Zealand seems to treasure their first nations people and their culture! We also visited a kiwi fruit orchard and a stunning red wood forest.
When we returned, we hiked around the base of a beautiful volcanco while we watched the sun set. Fantastic day!