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City guide

Rotorua, New Zealand

Rotorua is a city in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island, situated on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompassing Rotorua and several other nearby towns.

Type CityPopulation 58,500

Why go

  • City in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
  • Known for Pōhutu Geyser.
  • 2 curated must-see attractions on record, including Mount Tarawere.
  • Served by Tokoroa Airfield (TKZ).

History

Rotorua is a city in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island, situated on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompassing Rotorua and several other nearby towns. It has an estimated resident population of 58,500, making it the country's 13th largest urban area, and the Bay of Plenty's second-largest urban area behind Tauranga.

Must-see attractions

Outdoor
Outdoor

Restaurants & places to go

Fish And Chips, Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo 15:00-20:00; Tu off; We-Su 12:00-20:00 · riverscatch.com
Indoor
Coffee Shop, Breakfast, Local, Cake, Tea, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:30-15:00 Features: vegan options · 1149 Tutanekai Street, 3010 · artisancaferotorua.com
Indoor
Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-We 16:30-21:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, delivery, vegan options · 1198 Tutanekai Street · capizzi.co.nz
Indoor
Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-21:00 · 209 Fenton Street, 3010 · cobb.co.nz
Indoor
Indian, Fast Food · Opening hours: 12:00-21:00 · indianaromarotorua.co.nz
Indoor
Italian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00 · 1093-1099 Tutanekai Street, Rotorua, 1021 · leonardos.co.nz
Indoor
Indian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 11:30-14:30,17:00-22:00; Sa-Su 11:00-14:30,17:00-22:00 · 1123 Tutanekai Street, Rotorua, 3010 · lovelyindiarestaurent.co.nz
Indoor
Japanese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Su 12:00-14:00,18:00-20:30 · 1123 Pukuatua Street, Rotorua, 3010 · yamatojapaneserestaurantrotorua.com
Indoor

200 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Rotorua Regional Airport (ROT) 7.1 km to the centre
Rotorua, BOP, NZ — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 1 airline (Air New Zealand) · direct flights to 3 destinations incl. Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 3 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor
Tokoroa Airfield (TKZ) 33 km to the centre
Tokoroa, WKO, NZ — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Mount Tarawera Airport 25 km to the centre
Mount Tarawera, BOP, NZ
Outdoor
Galatea Airfield 52 km to the centre
BOP, NZ
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Katoa Jet Dock
Ferry terminal · 1.8 km from the centre
Outdoor
Lakeland Queen Dock
Ferry terminal · 1.9 km from the centre
Outdoor
Landing to Hot Water Beach Watertaxi
Ferry route · Totally Tarawera
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
October – March

The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.

Shoulder season
April – May, September

Milder and quieter, with better value.

Worth avoiding
June – August

The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Tokoroa Airfield (TKZ); 3 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: ROT has direct flights to 3 destinations on 1 airline (incl. Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington). By water: 2 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Katoa Jet Dock, 1.8 km); routes include Landing to Hot Water Beach Watertaxi.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Rotorua, New Zealand. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Bus · Bay of Plenty · Schedules & GTFS data

Trains & rail

Coaches & shuttles

About four hours south through the Waikato. · Auckland, New Zealand guide →
Intercity coach

Tours & experiences

Sightseeing