Things to do at Lake Rotoiti

Lake Rotoiti sits about 20 minutes northeast of Rotorua off SH33, a narrower lake than Rotorua itself and mostly walled in by forested hills with limited road access. Its main draw is Manupirua Springs, a set of natural hot pools on the lake's eastern shore that can only be reached by boat, kayak, or a shuttle service from Okawa Bay - there is no road in.

Entry to the pools runs a small per-person fee, paid at the springs themselves. Evening kayak trips paddle out at dusk to see glow-worms clustered along the shaded banks, a two to three hour outing best booked with an operator who supplies lights and life jackets.

Water temperature drops noticeably below Rotorua's warmer, shallower lake, so summer is the more comfortable window for swimming.