HOT SPRINGS · NEW ZEALAND

The 15 Best Hot Springs in New Zealand

33 tours  ·  from $23 a head

Rotorua steams in the middle of town and the geothermal parks charge at the gate. These 15 cover the mud spas, the geyser parks and the quieter pools, priced, with how long each one really needs.

Rotorua: Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park Entry Ticket - Three trails let you set the pace
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Rotorua: Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park Entry Ticket

1.Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,601 reviews · 3 months · from $28Our pick

Visit Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland at your own pace with full-day entry, three marked walking routes, colourful hot pools, bubbling mud, and the Champagne Pool. Arrive by 10:15am for the Lady Knox Geyser presentation, then return to the park for its café, native bush, and otherworldly geothermal sights.

“Great selection of geothermal things going on. Spend a couple of ours here and watched lady Knox geyser erupt.”

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Rotorua: Hell's Gate Outdoor Mud Spa & Guided Walk - The geothermal walk through steaming ground
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Rotorua: Hell’s Gate Outdoor Mud Spa & Guided Walk

2.Hell’s Gate Outdoor Mud Spa & Guided Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,140 reviews · 3 hours · from $68

At Hell’s Gate, walk through Rotorua’s active geothermal field with a map or guides such as Liam, Tee, Zia, and Ngati. Then enjoy a 20-minute mud bath, sulphur spa, cool plunge pool, and Māori carving. Bring old swimwear, since the sulphur smell lingers.

“We had a wonderful time exploring the geothermal pools here. It’s truly a sight to marvel up close when you see how brutal nature can be, and things start to feel real. The mud pools are a lot of fun and feel very rejuvenating and relaxing. If you are in Rotorua, you should not miss out on this experience as it’s a novelty and you only get to experience this in a few places across the globe. We didn’t get a guided tour guide which we were hoping for. They asked us to do the self-guided tour, which is one thing I regret to an extent.”

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Rotorua Forest Hot Tub Soak at Secret Spot - The café turns a soak into a longer stop
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Rotorua Forest Hot Tub Soak at Secret Spot

3.Rotorua Forest Hot Tub Soak at Secret Spot

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 556 reviews · from $27Top rated

Book a private 45-minute cedar hot tub in Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Forest. You’ll soak beside the Puarenga Stream, order drinks from the tub, try complimentary cold plunges, and use lockers. Bring swimwear or hire it on-site. Check in 15 minutes early.

“Very relaxing! Loved the scenery as we soaked! The water was the perfect temperature and the ambiance was great!”

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Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, Rotorua, New Zealand - The colors, smells, and sounds of an active thermal area
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Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, Rotorua, New Zealand

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

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

Make your own way from Rotorua to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland for a self-guided visit. Walk marked trails past steaming lakes, volcanic craters, bubbling mud, and colorful pools. Arrive by 10:15am for the daily Lady Knox Geyser presentation, then use your all-day ticket at your own pace.

“Great deal getting ticket from Viator. Enjoy the trip. Highly recommended place for visit in Rotorua.”

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Rotorua: Polynesian Spa Pavilion Hot Pool Bathing (12+ yrs) - Starting with Priest Spring’s acidic pools
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Rotorua: Polynesian Spa Pavilion Hot Pool Bathing (12+ yrs)

5.Polynesian Spa Pavilion Hot Pool Bathing (12+ yrs)

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

At Polynesian Spa’s Pavilion Pools, you can spend the day moving between seven geothermal pools for ages 12 and over. Expect acidic Priest Spring pools, alkaline Rachel Spring pools, a stand-up exercise pool, lake views, changing rooms, and a peaceful setting without a guide.

“Wonderful SPA, right by the Rotorua lake. Great price! We enjoyed the hot springs a lot.”

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Polynesian Spa Rotorua: Deluxe Lake Spa Hot Spring Bathing - Four Rachel Spring pools for a gentle soak
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Polynesian Spa Rotorua: Deluxe Lake Spa Hot Spring Bathing

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

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

Spend a relaxing day at Polynesian Spa’s family-friendly Deluxe Lake Spa beside Lake Rotorua. Soak in four shallow Rachel Spring alkaline pools and one Priest Spring acidic pool, then use the cold plunge, heated recliners, indoor lounge, towels, lockers, and showers included in the $47 entry.

“Loved this so much. Recommended to us and definitely worth the visit”

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Rotorua: Secret Spot Hot Tubs - What happens from reception to the water
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Rotorua: Secret Spot Hot Tubs

7.Secret Spot Hot Tubs

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 326 reviews · 45 min · from $26

At Secret Spot Hot Tubs in Rotorua, you get 45 minutes in a private cedar tub beside a forest stream. Share it with up to six people, order drinks from the tub, try the cold plunge pools, and finish with a complimentary foot spa. Bring swimwear, a towel, and photo ID.

“Secret spot was amazing! Great pools, perfect temp and great atmosphere, would be nice to get a bit longer but really enjoyed it”

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From Rotorua: Wai O Tapu & Waimangu Eco Thermal Morning Tour - The 8:00 AM pickup and drive from Rotorua
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From Rotorua: Wai O Tapu & Waimangu Eco Thermal Morning Tour

8.Wai O Tapu & Waimangu Eco Thermal Morning Tour

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

Join an English-speaking guide such as Clive, Shaun, Phil, or Clint for a five-hour morning tour from Rotorua. Walk through Wai-O-Tapu and Waimangu Valley, see Lady Knox Geyser erupt at 10:15 AM, and learn how volcanoes, minerals, Māori culture, and the 1886 Tarawera eruption shaped the region.

“Tour guide was very knowledgeable and made sure we were on schedule.”

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Polynesian Spa Rotorua: Deluxe Lake Spa Hot Spring Bathing - Four Rachel Spring pools for a gentle soak
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Polynesian Spa Rotorua: Deluxe Lake Spa Hot Spring Bathing

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

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 227 reviews · from $49

Spend up to four hours at Polynesian Spa’s Deluxe Lake Spa in Rotorua. Soak in five mineral pools ranging from 36°C to 41°C, try the cold plunge, rest on heated recliners, and enjoy lake views. Family-friendly access makes it a practical choice for children aged 2 and older.

“Not hi end at all very commercial catering to groups of tourists from India , China. Nothing personal about it . Wouldn’t recommend it. We only did this because all others around us didn’t allow kids between 10 and 12. Very crowded and not modern looking .”

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Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa - What your day at the pools looks like
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Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa

10.Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 218 reviews · from $26

Spend the day at Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa, where 22 outdoor pools range from quiet 38 to 40-degree mineral pools to family water-play areas. Your pass includes four waterslides, a lap pool, kids’ activity area, and family pool. Bring a towel, or hire one on-site.

“Absolutely loved the different hot pools and the 2 tube slides were so much fun. My favourite pools we're the ones with the cold waterfall feature. The lockers with wrist bands for lockers are a great idea. The only reason for the one star off was the girl that was at the entrance when we first came in wasn't friendly or helpful. But we will definitely be back.”

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Rotorua: Hell's Gate Geothermal Walk - The one-hour route: mud, steam, pools, and bush
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Rotorua: Hell’s Gate Geothermal Walk

11.Hell’s Gate Geothermal Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 217 reviews · 1 hour · from $26

Walk through Hell’s Gate, Rotorua’s most active geothermal reserve, on a self-guided route or a 10:30 AM or 2:30 PM English tour. See the largest active mud volcano in New Zealand, hot waterfalls, steaming fumaroles, sulfur deposits, and boiling pools. Māori carving and a mud foot pool may be available.

“The place is genuinely incredible, felt like I was on another planet”

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Self-Guided Geothermal Tour in Orakei Korako - A Boardwalk Through Boiling Water and Silica
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Self-Guided Geothermal Tour in Orakei Korako

12.Self-Guided Geothermal Tour in Orakei Korako

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 178 reviews · from $35

Take a short ferry from Orakei Korako’s visitor center to a geothermal park with up to 23 active geysers, boiling pools, colorful silica terraces, and Ruatapu Cave. Follow the clearly marked 2.5-kilometer boardwalk at your own pace, then return by ferry on demand.

“A really exotic experience. It wasn't as crowded as other tourist attractions, so it felt more wild. The boardwalk was so well-made that it was easy and a decent workout. It was so nice to go over to another island by boat. The boiling mud pool and cave were so mysterious.”

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Ōpuke Thermal Pools: Adults-Only Entry with Swim Up Bar - Arriving at the adults-only Tranquility Pools
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Ōpuke Thermal Pools: Adults-Only Entry with Swim Up Bar

13.Ōpuke Thermal Pools: Adults-Only Entry with Swim Up Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 163 reviews · 2 hours · from $40

Spend two hours in Ōpuke’s adults-only Tranquility Pools near Methven. Your $40 entry includes a robe, towel, solar-heated pools, swim-up bar access, and Discovery Pools access outside the 7 and 8pm sessions. Expect mountain views, quiet surroundings, and a polished spa setting.

“It was a beautiful spa and facility. The fact that the water is chlorinated should be advertised and made readily available on all sites.”

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Taupo: Orakei Korako Geothermal Park and Cave Entry Ticket - Starting at the visitor center
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Taupo: Orakei Korako Geothermal Park and Cave Entry Ticket

14.Orakei Korako Geothermal Park and Cave Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 158 reviews · 1 day · from $34

Take an on-demand ferry from the visitor center to Orakei Korako, then follow a marked self-guided trail through hot springs, bubbling mud, silica terraces, and up to 23 geysers. Allow about 1.5 hours for the walk, wear sturdy shoes, and save time for Ruatapu Cave.

“It was a lot of fun! Definitely worth seeing - it’s a once in a lifetime type of experience. We felt like we did it too fast but it still took us 45 to 60 minutes. You do need some level of fitness but if you take it slow you’ll be fine and there’s a lot of seats to take in the views.”

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Polynesian Spa Rotorua: Pavilion (12+ yrs) Hot Pool Bathing - The lake view is a major part of the visit
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Polynesian Spa Rotorua: Pavilion (12+ yrs) Hot Pool Bathing

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

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 154 reviews · from $31

At Polynesian Spa’s Pavilion, you get all-day access on your booking date to eight naturally heated pools for ages 12 and up. Move between acidic Priest Spring pools, alkaline Rachel Spring pools, a stand-up pool, reflexology walk, changing rooms, and a lake-view soak. Towels and lockers cost extra.

“We had a nice couple of hours in the Pavilion section. It was calm and we could fully relax. It was a rainy day, which I’d say is perfect to soak in a hot pool outside, overlooking the lake.”

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New in New Zealand Hot Springs

★ 4.2Full-Day Trip to Rotorua Geothermal ValleyFrom $2052 reviews
★ 3.8Wai-O-Tapu, Maori Haka & Hot Springs Rotorua TourFrom $2335 reviews
★ 5.0Rotorua Highlights w Redwoods Treewalk & Hot TubsFrom $1832 reviews
★ 4.9Rotorua Māori Cultural & Geothermal Tour & LunchFrom $2649 reviews
★ 4.5Boutique tour , Mt Maunganui, NZ farm, Rotorua lakes/geothermalFrom $13750 reviews
★ 4.5Hell’s Gate Geothermal Park & Mud Spa Day TripFrom $18341 reviews
★ 4.5Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Jet Boat Day Trip from ChristchurchFrom $14516 reviews
★ 5.0Rotorua Cultural & Geothermal Small Group Tour From AucklandFrom $29422 reviews
★ 5.0Ex Auckland: Rotorua Māori Village with Haka and Hot SpringsFrom $24555 reviews
★ 4.8Rotorua Māori Village & Hot Springs with HakaFrom $23658 reviews
★ 4.7Half-Day Tour – Ex Rotorua: WAI-O-TAPU Thermal WonderlandFrom $107101 reviews
★ 4.7Hanmer Springs: Thermal Pools Single or Return Entry TicketFrom $25107 reviews

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Pick your kind of hot water

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The famous water

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