Walking in a Thermal Wonderland

The streak of good weather at the start of our New Zealand trip had finally ended. For the several days we spent in Taupo, periodic rain showers reminded us that it was still shoulder season (and also the green hills don’t come for free). Unfortunately, this meant the famous Tongariro Crossing hike wasn’t going to be feasible. However, it gave us bandwidth to fully embrace another of Taupo’s draws – the geothermally active land.
​
We spent the day visiting two parks that celebrated the earth’s unearthly quirks: the Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland and the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Both were major highlights of the trip!

​The walking path through the Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland provided one stunning feature after another. First were steaming mud lakes at the bottom of sinkholes. Some of the rocks were dusted with colorful mineral powders in shades of ferrous orange and tennis ball green. Then came the “artist’s palette” – a steaming lake with a crescent of eye-popping yellow just below the surface. The path turned into a footbridge crossing the sinter terraces, a vast plane of striated rock coated with a thin layer of water. A viewpoint looked out towards a set of interlocking lakes filled with pale green water.

​One of the prettiest features was the Champagne Lake, named for the fine bubbles that continuously break its dark blue surface. Even more striking was its belt of bright orange rock, a perfect contrast to the water. A constant cloud of steam rose from the surface of the lake, and when the wind blew towards us, we were enveloped in a natural sauna.

​But the craziest lake was the next one… it was the brightest shade of lime green you can imagine! It was honestly hard to believe it was natural, but a sign assured us it was due to minerals in the water refracting light. It also had a very acidic pH of 2. We were surprised to see birds brushing the surface without instantly turning into ceviche. ​We had no idea places like this existed on Earth.

​Outside of this walking loop, but still within the Thermal Wonderland, were two more features – the Lady Knox Geyser and the Mud Pools. The Lady Knox Geyser is triggered by pouring in organic soap, a nod to the way it was discovered – lumberjacks trying to do laundry in the naturally hot baths. Like a giant science fair volcano, the reaction caused a bubbly jet of foam to gradually build up, reaching 20 feet in the air, before gradually subsiding. It lasted around a minute, and was definitely worth the visit. Afterwards, the amphitheater full of tourists quickly dispersed, reminding us of an outdoor musical festival.

​The Mud Pools were a fan favorite among Vincent, Rachel, and myself. Each pool had its own personality. Some pools formed perfectly hemispherical bubbles at a constant rate. Others would wax and wane, each eruption launching a cluster of muddy confetti in the air. It was both silly and mesmerizing. Occasionally a loud burp from across the pool would startle us with its magnitude.

​Feeling jazzed about geothermal features, we headed over to the Waimangu Volcanic Valley for even more. At the entrance, we saw a pretty bird with green wings called a Keruru, which Vincent really liked and compared to the rare quetzal. (We later found out it’s a relatively common bird, and considered a type of pigeon… oops). The hike began at the top of the valley and descended through forests of ferns and blooming kanuka bushes.

The first thermal feature in this park was Frying Pan Lake, a large lake that constantly emitted steam. It’s actually the largest hot spring in the whole world! From the lake, a stream of boiling water trickled through a marsh of otherworldly greens and oranges. It was a work of art with bright, blended patterns. According to the park map, these vibrant colors come from deposits of antimony, molybdenum, arsenic, tungsten, and blue-green algae.

​Next on the trail was the serene Inferno Crater Lake. The bright blue waters were ringed by a curtain of tree-covered cliffs, channeling the rising steam. The lake is known for having a mysterious cycle of filling and draining over the course of several weeks, but of course, we only saw a snapshot in time.

​The final geothermal feature was the cute little Bird’s Nest Geyser. It was just a small cone in the ground constantly spurting boiling water, but it was surrounded with miniature terraces of green and orange. These varying colors are due to differences in water temperature, as blue-green algae can’t survive above 75 C. Something about it made me think of a mini golf course.

The path followed the boiling river downstream, and we passed a small boiling waterfall. The fact this waterfall was a mere footnote speaks to the amazing sights already packed into the day. We caught the bus back to the visitor center, and drove back to Taupo, still in awe at nature’s wonders.
​
For dinner, I made a special treat: a riff on Mapo tofu using minimal ingredients, that I dubbed the “Taupo tofu.” It was a hit with the Thermal Explorers!

​The next morning, the rain continued so we did some light siteseeing in Taupo, including hopping out for a view of Huka Falls and a view of Lake Taupo. The real highlight was visiting the Huka Honey Hive, a bee-themed center with educational videos, honey tasting, and a well-stocked gift shop. The video featured a laidback Australian beekeeper who was totally at ease despite being covered with a whole swarm. We finally got to try manuka honey, a specialty type made from nectar of the manuka flower. They also had mead, honey gin, and honeycomb ice cream (known as Hokey Pokey). Soon, we had to separate ourselves from all the tempting treats.

​Our fearless driver Vincent took us across the mountains to Hawke’s Bay, about a 2 hour journey. We stayed at a cute AirBNB with light blue walls and a stellar view of the bay. It was still raining, but we ventured out to explore the town of Napier.

​Napier was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt with special attention to architectural coherence. Many buildings were constructed in the style we now know as Art-Deco, featuring sharp lines, tidy facades, and colorful geometric trimmings. After so many nature-oriented sights, it was great to mix things up with a self-guided architecture tour. We also enjoyed the street art, browsing shops, and walking out to a pier above the dark sandy beach. One small detail we appreciated: the pedestrian stoplights had a dog included in the walk symbols!

​For dinner, we utilized the newly acquired honey to make honey-glazed NZ yams, accompanied by a supporting cast of asparagus, couscous, and hummus. A giant world map on the wall was a great conversation starter, and the cozy living room was a great journaling spot.