We really enjoyed our visit here. Fascinating place It would of been helpful to know prior to starting loop walk that a siren will sound giving you 30 minutes to return to your car or you’ll be locked in!! This then turned our exploration into a speed walker marathon once it sounded only just getting back to office with a minute to spare. Signage should be at start so you can take an alternative route. Prices are excellent staff a little cold and unfriendly.

This is a fantastic little spot to walk and enjoy the earth's magnificent power! A great walk with a regularly maintained track. Very affordable ($10 per adult). The walk took us 1 hour which included plenty of time to take photos and soaking in the amazing view at the top of the track

This is a lovely walk of one hour or so, depending how many times you stop. There are good information and photo opportunities. The staff at the counter were particularly helpful and courteous. The entry fee of $10 is definitely worth it.

Educational, and unique dramatic scenery... you must visit! Well worth the small fee for entry. Visit on an overcast day to enjoy the steam vents even more!

Great park and real special views of the craters. This walk will take you through a valley of different craters, with nice colours and special nature, with the information about their existence. One of the best things to do in the area when you compare the value with the price (cheap here !) You can go for an extra loop for the hikers amongst us, which gives you a nice overview of the valley. Great place!

It's entrance fee is cheaper compared to other walks and less crowded as well. You can truly stay longer and enjoy each viewing spots. It's well-paved so it's also an easy walk. We've already been to several geothermal walks prior, and we couldve skipped this one if we had someplace else to go.

Nice leisurely walk through the experience, but not quite as awe-inspiring as I expected from the price tag of admission.

Amazing experience. Paths are properly paved so no special footwear is needed. It can be pretty hot there. If you remain quiet you will hear or even see a variety of birds living there. Take water with you, this is not just steam, you might feel dizzy from the chemicals. Also the ground just looks cold and solid, stay on the path. Staff is very helpful and nice ask them if you have any questions they know a lot. There are loos at the information centre. Parking is available.

A good opportunity to see geothermal activity for a small price. Entry was $8 each and at a relaxed pace we spent 2 hours walking around the park and reading all of the info-signs explaining crater formation, fumeroles, and various flora and fauna found in the area. It was an overcast day which was nice as it kept temperatures down a bit. In a couple of areas you can feel the heat rising out of the ground which was pretty cool. Well worth a visit.

Came down for a trip from Auckland with my family visiting from South Africa. It was such a cool experience, such a lovely walk. We were more than happy paying the price for the well maintained walkways etc.

Craters of the Moon in New Zealand is an interesting place to visit. It is a unique geological formation located in the Wairakei Tourist Park near Taupo. The area is made up of a series of craters, fumaroles, and other volcanic features, and is a great place to explore and learn about the geology of the region. We enjoyed a leisurely stroll on the well maintained trail, exploring all the steaming sites. The weather was perfect for taking very cool pictures.

Very affordable tourist attraction as compare to others - definitely recommended!!! We took a leisurely walk during very slight showers. We had a plastic poncho which we used twice but this didn't stop us from enjoying the sights, smells and sounds. It brings you closer to nature too even if we where walking on raised paths to protect the environment and the guest too! We enjoyed listening to the roaring sound of steam coming from the geyser holes

The hour-long walk to the geothermal area offers ample opportunities for photography enthusiasts, with numerous picturesque spots dotting the route. From bubbling hot springs to steaming vents, there's no shortage of captivating scenes to capture along the way. However, while the scenery is undoubtedly impressive, some may find that other geothermal spots in the area offer a more diverse or intense experience. Exploring alternative locations might unveil hidden gems or unique geological features that surpass the appeal of this particular spot. Whether seeking larger geysers, more varied thermal features, or simply a quieter atmosphere away from the crowds, it's worth considering other options nearby. Nevertheless, for those looking for a leisurely stroll accompanied by stunning natural beauty and the chance to capture memorable photographs, this walk remains a worthwhile endeavor. With its convenient accessibility and scenic vistas, it provides an enjoyable outing for both casual hikers and avid photographers alike.

"Immersing ourselves in the tranquil beauty of the Craters of the Moon in New Zealand was a surreal experience. The lunar-like landscape, with its steam vents and bubbling mud pools, transported me to another world. The boardwalks offered a perfect vantage point to marvel at nature's wonders, making it a must-visit for those seeking a unique and mesmerizing adventure. The ethereal ambiance and geological marvels of Craters of the Moon truly left an indelible mark on our travel memories.

We enjoyed the stroll of this place. We were not sure what to expect but reminded us of something we’d see from Jurassic Park, the vegetation and landscape. The geothermal activity was interesting but I think we were expecting more a “wow” experience. We did both the walk to the lookout and lava pits, view at lookout was nice. We are reading to Rotorua next so may see more of what we were expecting there..

Its quite scary and exciting at same time . Smell of the sulphur will put you off for certain . The most amazing part is the walk itself . I must say its something that everyone should experience once in life . There are few places which can be rectified or do need bit of an attention . Overall is great experience for family . MUST DO !!!

This was a seriously cool geothermal walk! The entrance fee wasn't too pricey, and there's a souvenir shop to grab some mementos along with the fantastic experience. While there's a hint of sulfur in the air, it's quite tolerable. A must-do adventure!

Definately worth the $10 entry fee. It's a cool little setup to walk around, loop is a bit over 2km of boardwalks and gravel path. Optional steep section. A good way to spend an hour.

Cool place, but it's not especially beautiful. Most of the walk is through flat and sort of boring vegetation. The craters with the steam coming out are cool. At a couple we could hear a deep boiling sound, though we couldn't actually see anything boiling. Ultimately, I'm glad we visited, but there are more beautiful spots than this around the world.

An amazing spot to watch and look around for geothermal activity. Plenty of infocards that educate you about the region, its history and the surrounding rocks, nature and other things. An interesting experience for sure to see the steam come from seamingly nothing in the ground. The entry is only $10 which is not that much.

Regardless of not being able to fish for prawns. There is a lot of things to do. Our wee kids enjoyed themselves running around the park and doing all the activities. The cafe has a lovely big fire pit in the middle. Meals sizes were very generous, however I wished there was a bit more menu item options. Staff provided amazing service.

Its a great shame that you can not go prawn fishing anymore but hopefully with the great work they are doing it will get back on track. This didn't spoil the experience, recommend taking the guided tour only last 30 mins but well worth seeing all the work that goes on behind the scenes at no extra cost. Peddle boats are great. Take the guided path around and it will take you around all the water activitys kids loved them. Feed the rainbow trout. At the end the restaurant is a must the prawns were fantastic perfectly cooked. Think that park just needs a spruce a little and a few more updated water activities to compensate for the loss off fishing

The food was absolutely amazing. Really makes you full, it was worth it. I did not even wait for more than 10 mins. One thing better than the food is the service. The staff and their hospitality were incredible. I came here with my family and we asked whether there’s a room for us to pray and they gave us a room. Overall, dining here was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Much much thank you to the staff

Interesting experience. The restaurant is located at the entrance of the park so no ticket is needed to go into the restaurant. It is located next to Huka lake with beautiful view at their outdoor seats. You can also see jet boat play it's tricks with the tourists. Unfortunately, no prawn fishing is available. Tried their prawns which were very fresh. They also sell uncooked prawns if interested. Personally, I would prefer to buy uncooked ones instead of dining in.

Wish we'd still be able to fish prawns. This pandemic has affected this awesome experience but staff were awesome. Still got the guided tour of prawn farming. Also hopped on the row boats and paddle boards.

Incredible, loved feeding the baby prawns (definitely go on the tour!) and all the foot baths. 10/10 would prawn again.

We came with all the excitement to try out the prawn fishing with the kids and it was not available. As planned we dined in for lunch to have a half kilo of prawn dish which cost around $60 but it seemed the portion was quite small. Also the sauces that came with didn’t taste very good. Kids had prawn cutlets cost around $30 only had about 6 pieces. Chips portion was good but looked like they didn’t change the oil often. I would not come here again unless there is some changes after change of ownership of the business which is on sale currently.

Very disappointed, only three options for prawns?? The crumbed cutlets over cooked and apparently in short supply. I’ve had better from the supermarket freezer. The small side salad was really just that, drowned in dressing and the best part of the dish was the sweet chili sauce (and I’m not really a fan!!). The wine arrived when the meal was almost finished as well. Tourist prices were the bitter icing on the cake. Won’t be back.

Just got take away prawns which were delicious but a bit too expensive.. the half kilo pretty much means 10 prawns when you clean it (so about 4 dollars per uncooked, on the shell prawn). The cafe looks like a great place for a drink, nice ambience but not enough food options. Realistically the place opened at 10, not 9.

I recently dined at the restaurant within Huka Prawn Park, and I must say it was an incredibly underwhelming experience. I ordered the 1kg steamed prawns for a whopping $126, expecting a delightful and unique culinary experience. Unfortunately, what I received was far from extraordinary. The prawns were just regular, lacking any special flavors or preparations that would justify the exorbitant price tag. It felt like I could have easily replicated the dish at home for a fraction of the cost. To add insult to injury, the sauces provided did not complement the prawns at all, creating a disjointed and unappetizing combination. What's more, there were no side dishes to accompany the overpriced prawns. A complete lack of creativity and effort in the presentation and overall dining experience left me questioning the value for money. I expected more from a restaurant associated with a tourist attraction. In conclusion, I cannot recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking a memorable dining experience. The price is unjustifiably high for what essentially amounts to a basic steamed prawn dish, and the lack of thoughtful accompaniments further contributes to the overall disappointment. Save your money and explore other dining options that offer better value and a more satisfying culinary adventure.

Very fun activity park. There is a good variety of activites from little walks to water rides. Almost all of the activies are water themed so particularly for the kids having spare clothes or togs on would be recomended. However in saying that it isnt a water park and there are no swimming zones. The little pond with the boats and trikes etc was quite good fun and without queues you can jump from boat to boat trying them all. It was surprisingly un busy which made the experience all the more nicer. Pricing wasnt too bad however they make up for it at the cafe! Food was good at the cafe and the view was quite lovely but it is pricey.

We love our tour guide (front desk) for the day, we forgot to asked her name, she is so kind and sweet. And all the staff on the day. They are all lovely and so welcoming. And the lady whom I returned the life vest of my toddler, she end our day with a very lovely goodbye. 🥰 For the staff of the resto, so amazing. The food, it's superb. Perfect place for the family. Food and fun 5⭐ Surely, we will visit and spend our family time here 🥰 again.

Great value for money if you’re looking for something fun to do with the kids. Will be even better once you can fish for prawns again but we had a great time regardless. The staff are amazing, very knowledgeable and friendly. Food from the restaurant was delicious and we throughly enjoyed watching the jet boat while we ate.

The flow was in continuous mode for maintenance when we went, but you still get the views. The short trail is easy to walk, with some small rocks on the way so if you're bringing strollers then it wouldn't be too convenient. There's a car park where the Aratiatia cruise is, wasn't crowded at all when we went on the Saturday PM. only thing was the maintenance so didn't get to watch the dam open/ close in action but overall photo worthy.

Just a few minutes from Lake Taupo and Huka Falls you should not miss this dramatic scenery. Here the powerful Waikato River is temporarily restrained in a lake above the Aratiatia Dam until released at scheduled times, filling a lower empty, cavernous lake, swirling, crashing, boiling over then raging into the boulder canyon and the swift, deep Waikato River beyond. Such power and energy is awesome! All can be viewed from safe platforms above the dam and at well signposted points along the high river banks. The Aratiatia RiverJet Boat ride from their centre a km or so downriver, offers the unbelievably thrilling opportunity to skim & ride the waves and whirlpools, the jet boat spinning, doing 'wheelies' and racing up and down the deep, swift river safe in the hands of the informative, skilled Skipper. The experience of a lifetime! Wow! The best fun one can have with your clothes on!

SO WORTH COMING. It was amazing to see the water flowing, the Waikato river is so blue in colour, like a blue sapphire! The dam opens for 20 minutes, both on bridge and lookout would be awesome (we've just stayed on bridge as it was too cold, but definitely coming back for the lookout).

Nice views, easy hiking track. Can get to the Dam if you like it. It's a pleasant walk, but can be crowded. Crowds of tourists on the bridge, so hold your phone tightly, people can and will easily push you and you will lose your phone forever, it can be that crowded. Parking is available.

This visit to the Aratiatia rapids today was fantastic. The gates are opened 3 times daily. To watch the water flow down through the gorge was thrilling. Then we went on a boat cruise down to the Huka Falls. Absolutely marvelous, a very informative guide who provided the best service. Highly recommend

This is a must-see! You will see how fast the area will be filled by natural water and quickly flow down to the lake once the dam gate is open. No ticket is required, simply park at the car park and walk a minute to the bridge!

Amazing to see the water levels rise so quickly when the dam is opened. So cool knowing that this is where they filmed the famous barrell scene from the hobbit! A must do when you're in Taupo

It is advisable to arrive a while before and be able to see all the waterfalls filling up. It is an incredible moment. And then see when they are almost empty.

This is where the barrel scene was shot from the Lord of the Rings movie. Short walk, go to the closest viewing area, it is cool to see the change from empty to very full. But it happens slowly so it is nothing dramatic. It's worth visiting. 10am, noon, and 2pm, and maybe 4pm depending on the season .

Highly recommend a visit. Rapids are absolutely spectacular when let out. If you start at the road end watching the pool fill up for a couple of minutes then head to the mid viewing platform you'll get good views of both the rapids and pool filling. Rapids are let out for 15 minutes at 10am 12pm and 2pm in the winter and also 4pm in the summer.

Excellent FREE experience. Time your visit to be 15 or 20mins before the release. Easy walk to mid platform but does have rocks in the path so no wheelchairs or buggies. Great to see the force of the waters race down the gorge.

Great experience, costs nothing to do and displays mother nature's power all from some amazing vantage points. Well worth the short drive from Taupo.

Really unique experience seeing how quickly the river rises from nothing, came 30 mins before the spillway opened and got to see the dry riverbed, super easy 5min walk to the observation deck.

We came to see the spot where the barrel scene in The Hobbit was filmed and to see the exciting rapids. It was fine. Word to the wise: don’t make the same mistake we did and wait at the bridge facing the gates, it’s a really unexciting view. It’s a much better idea to walk down to the mid-point or higher lookouts (plus the walk there is lovely) and see the water come down through the rocks. A nice, free activity to start the day.

Really cool to come and watch the gates open. They have different times when they open during the summer but during the winter they open at 10 am, noon, and 2 pm. It’s only open for about 10 minutes and the good spots fill up on the bridge pretty quick so be there 15-20 minutes early if you want a good view of the down stream side.

3-4 times a day, for 15 min at a time, they release water, causing the canyon to fill and rapids to form. It’s scheduled specifically for tourism, but can be opened more if needed. It’s a 5 min walk from the carpark to the lower viewing point (though not wheelchair accessible). It releases 65,000 Liters per second - which is very impressive. This little section of the river is also where they through some barrels and filmed a scene from one of the Hobbit movies. It runs at 10/12/2 all year round + 4 in the summer. Well worth timing things out to come and see.

The lookout walk is family friendly and gives you great views of the dam, river and walk bridge. On our second visit, we timed it to watch the dam release. I highly recommend it! Make sure to get 10-15 mins early to get a good spot on the bridge, or at the first lookout.

We arrived with 15mins to spare. This turned out perfect as we were able to look at both sides before the dam gates opened. As time drew closer more people arrived, I'd definitely recommend arriving at least 15mins earlier to get parking, etc.

Great experience, I really love watching the water coming out the dam. They open the dam every 2 hours from 10 am and go on till 4:00 pm summer 10 am till 2 pm winter The best view is from the lower lookout 3 minutes walk, the last half is not suitable for wheelchairs/strollers. Watching it from over the bridge is not as nice as the lookout It is quite hot in lookout, remember you hat, sunscreen and sunnies. You can book the Jet or the cruise form here

Lynden Over and artist Christine Robb, met at art school and have worked together on their creative vision to create Lava Glass. Together they work constantly striving for new innovative ways of depicting the New Zealand landscape in glass ☺ The landscapes are their inspiration, glass their canvas. Lava Glass is the first carbon-neutral certified glassblowing studio in the world 🌍 There are some amazing glass art pieces for purchase in the souvenir shop, a nice little cafe, and for a small fee you can explore the beautiful gardens with glass art installations ☕🍰

The sculpture garden is a very quick walk but had some amazing pieces of art throughout it and some were even available to buy. I would recommend it to adults or art lovers but not a thing for kids. Definitely worth it if you're driving past or in the area though as the art inside and outside is beautiful and there are even demos on glass blowing and a cafe. :) Visited in November but forgot to review so the art may have changed as to what's in my photos.

A good place to visit, nice and clean. A bit more explanation about how they made the artworks would be preferred. Bought a gift for my mum, surely the glass artworks are amazing and very creative.

So amazing to see such beautiful art being created right in front of you. The glass garden is beautifully laid out with excellent displays and information. The gallery has an amazing collection of pieces and for glass lovers, will have something for every taste. Coffee was great and the muffins were fresh and yummy. The sales team were simply great. Thank you Dea.

Amazing place to learn about the world of glass and how is the process of glass blowing. Really good cafeteria service. And the store to buy is beautiful, with lovely quality products. A wonder the things they do with glass.

Look very elegance and luxury at the outside. All products is hand made, one & only product in display, price are remarkable high, at least you are the lava glass lover, if not you won't bother to buy... All activities need to pay, nothing is free, please do a early book to avoid unconvenient.

Always stop here for a coffee & great food. We finally got a lovely day to see the Lava glass garden. What a treat,so colourful & amazing pieces to look at.

This was a great little excursion recommended to us by friends. Really enjoyed the glass blowing demo, we got to see it twice. It's incredible to see how it's all made. We also went for a wander around the garden looking at the glass sculptures followed by lunch & hot chocolate in the cafe. It was a really nice chilled out way to spend an hour or so.

The Lava Glassblowing studio and sculpture garden is a must do when in Taupo. The glass art is mind blowing beautiful and a real treat to view. The sculpture garden is on another level, and you can also get something to eat at their cafe. Highly recommended.

Such a beautiful place to stop by. I’m so glad I got to walk through the lovely garden. I was really keen to bring a piece of NZ and this artist home with me which made me glad to see various pieces in the shop ranging between NZ$40 TO NZ$1000. Also, the coffee in the cafe is the best coffee we had in all of NZ. Kudos!!

A very different experience seeing very vibrant and colorful glasswork. We went through the garden and it was pretty nice but I guess they could definitely add more glasswork to the garden. The shop has some pretty amazing pieces if you got the $$ to buy. Keep you kids in the car and visit the garden as you'll spend lot of time trying to keep then away from breaking stuff 😊

We planned to stopped by for the garden walk but ended up going to the cafe for lunch first. The menu was being replaced when we were there but they did offer cabinet and a la carte dishes. I ended up getting the keto roll in the cabinet which was essentially bacon and cheese wrapped in an omelette. I did enjoy it and it came with a salad. After lunch we took a walk around the garden. the entrance is the red gate in the garden by the cafe. Just let the staff know so they can open the door for you. I did find the garden scupltures quite interesting. It didn't take too long for the walk but it was a nice stroll. The pottery inside the gallery were also quite nice and the studio is located in the back area. You are able to watch them blow the glass. It was quite interesting watching them turn a blob of glass into something resembling their vases. Overall it was a nice place for a meal and wander. The gallery was quite nice to look around by itself and it did look like they are able to ship their products everywhere.

$12.50 entrance fee for the glass garden. Its a short 10min walk around the garden. Worth a visit if you like glass blowing n taking pretty photos.

A cute little stop just outside of Taupo; perfect for a cloudy or rainy day where hiking or going out on the lake is not possible. They sell the most beautiful glass items and have a lovely little glass garden to visit. They also do glass blowing demos but that wasn't happening when we were there. Really kind staff

Beautiful place to visit. The Gallery was Gorgeous... You couldn't help but wander through amd appreciate each piece on show - they are stunning! The Glass Blowing demo with Lynden was great and the Sculpture Garden felt like a place of Happiness. Really enjoyed it. Only let down was the cafe had closed the kitchen early so we ordered cabinet food... which was not enjoyable unfortunately. After a long day we were quite hungry so ate anyway and thanked the staff for the food. Overall, it is definitely worth a visit.

We enjoyed the glass art gallery, glass blowing studio, sculpture garden, and the cafe for a quick coffee fix. We even bought a glass art piece as a keepsake. Going here is definitely worth it!

What a delightful place. The art is original and exquisite. The glassblowing demo completely riveting. We got to talk to the artists, fascinating team who were generous with their time and attention. The restaurant is beautiful, the food creative and fresh. Walk around the sculpture park and take your time reading the info on the work, it’s well written and funny. So glad we stopped by, we almost skipped it and ended up being one of the best stops on the trip.

Booked last minute, was a great price close to town and the room was spotless. Great size room and loved the spa bath. Will definitely stay again. Such friendly staff.

Stayed recently for 2 nights - one at the beginning and at the end of the week, so had 2 different rooms. The first room had a quite uncomfortable bed however on the second night in a different room the bed was much improved. Pretty basic motel but very clean and tidy. Not enough power points for chargers though. No mention of continental breakfast as in our booking confirmation. Check out time was 10am but wifi turned off at 9am surprisingly. Can’t fault location. Very short walk to town.

We stayed in room 5. Loved how clean and tidy units are and nice to have fresh milk. Loved having a spa bath, shower head is very low but great water pressure. Again nice to have hairdryer and toiletries. Parking on site and just can't short walk to town. Would we come back....hell yes.

Great place to stay , handy location and spacious clean rooms - Ling is a great hostess

Found this gem beautifuly clean n fresh, bed super comfy g reat night sleep, staff friendly cant fault specially as town close 1 way lake across the rd other way

Best place to stay in Taupo!! Closest motel to the township. Staff were great and the rooms excellent. Especially loved the spa bath!

Motel, is Nice and clean. Stuff Friendly . The owner, friendly and helpful. Good location Good walking distance to everything. Definitely recommended it

Great stay here for two nights last weekend. Spacious room and a very comfortable bed. Friendly staff, right next to the centre of town yet quiet enough was great. Lovely and clean, happy to recommend here. Thanks for having us xxo

We had a great experience at the Great Lake Motel Taupo, with a location that cannot be beat. Easy walkable access to restaurants around, as well as the lake itself. The room was very clean, with a lovely (bubble) bath as well. The service and staff was excellent. The motel has its own parking as well, which is convenient as the area can get busy with people parking to go to the lake.

One night stop over after Napier. Clean and conveniently close to CBD. Lin kindly allowed us to check in early n out later. Recommend this place.

Spotlessly clean rooms. Comfortable bed, spa bath, excellent location.

Very clean and easy walking to town centre. Needs handrail around spa bath for safety. Nothing to hold onto.

A Beautiful place to stay an so close to town an a walk across the road for great lake views staff are Also very friendly .

The location is super just few steps to the town center and the room is super clean. The only thing they need to improve is that there should be more power outlets for the charger or power supplies.

My wife and I only managed to stay there for 1 night, but we wish we stayed for longer. They were very helpful in accommodating our late check-in, and the room was immaculately clean, with everything we needed. New and good quality appliances and plenty of space made our short stay extremely pleasant. And the location is as good as it gets. Definitely going back to Taupo, and staying here again!

We have stayed here many times. Found it met all our needs. Change of management, and we felt like we were staying in a place we did not recognize. On going to our room upstairs, and looking toward the end of the walkway instead of a view of the lake, we were faced with a drying rack with work clothes on it. Our family room ( the only room available) was very basic and un loved. It needed care. Ants were evident. Tho' someone came and attended to them. The shower with a dome smelt so moldy that it made us gag when we used it. It needed a good clean. Went out for dinner and on returning faced with bras and pants drying on a chair by the stairs. It's such a shame as it used to be our fav place to stay as it is so close to restaurants and town.

Very nice Motel, perfectly located right at the lake and in the city center. Many Restaurants and bars in walking distance. Quick and friendly service. Rooms are clean and spacious.

Accommodation is okay, spacious, clean. We were surprised that +3% surplus on the booked price was added because of using a foreign debit card. We were to a few motels/hotels/AirBnb in NZ already, but this has never happened to us. A second problem that had come up with the breakfast could be easily solved and we are thankful to the management of the Motel for their explication of what had happened and their proposed solution.

Beautiful rooms and very clean and comfortable. The staff is extremely welcoming and friendly. Walking distance to all the restaurants and shops. Thank you for a great experience..

Very noisy water faucets when neighbors shower. Excessive outside lights during the night makes it difficult to sleep. Outside noise early one morning.

The best located motel in the town, just next to the centre restaurants and shops. The staff is friendly. The rooms are clean and tidy, and well equipped. Which provided a great environment for your vacations!

Ngātoroirangi Māori Rock Carvings are beautiful and absolutely worth the effort to get to. We visited on a 2 hour sailing tour from Taupō. We were very fortunate and not only was the late March weather absolutely beautiful, but when we arrived we were the only ones there, so we got to appreciate the carvings in relative solitude - a real gift. So glad we were able to see these.

Really great attraction that is popular around the lake! Best to take a boat tour there for the best view. Attraction has a lot of history with smaller carvings around.

Awesome experience, we went on the supercat cruise boat, the captain guide and two support ladies were amazing and super fun. The atmosphere was lovely, and definitely an experience I recommend.

Enjoyed the boat trip and learnt a lot about the history of the country and the carvings. Would definitely recommend this

Lake Taupo Maori Cave Carving Cruise was one of the top attractions in the Taupo region. As we had some time in Taupo, we decided to give the cruise a try. Known also as the Ngātoroirangi Maori Rock Carvings, the cruise out on Lake Taupo to view the carvings costs $49 per person and takes approximately 90 minutes. We had a really enjoyable and informative cruise this time. Here’s what we learnt during this Maori Cave Carving Cruise… This time, we went with Chris Jolly Outdoors as their website was easy to navigate and payment was rather straight-forward as well. After payment, instructions came to inform us to arrive at which berth for our cruise out this day. We arrived at 1pm for our Lake Taupo Maori Rock Carving Cruise. The cruise started at 1:40pm and we were really glad to have our Captain who took us for the day. Once onboard, we made our way to the upper deck, right next to the skipper… For details of this review, visit 2bearbear today!

Incredible artwork from Māori people. We booked a sail tour from Taupo centre, spend about 1 hour to rocks, stayed there over 20 minutes, make sure everyone can take photo and video. Saw a few people swim and kayak in front of rock. But caption said it’s not allowed to do that in front of rocks.

The boat trip here was so beautiful and relaxing. We jumped off our boat near the carvings for a quick swim, just an overall impressive and beautiful piece of art. Gets very busy with kayaks and boats everywhere, but I guess that just happens!

This experience is just wow! That is all I can say. Highly recommend. Great coffee and the blueberry muffins are so delicious. The crew are fantastic, so friendly and the knowledge of the carvings is top notch.

This place is nice, but I don't think that the carving alone is the reason to take a boat ride and travel to the other side of the lake Taupo. You can see the whole carving picture on Google and I think it's unnecessary effort to pay money to see it in person. In any case, the ride to get to the carving was very nice and I learned a lot about the lake itself and the nature around. If you decide to see the place in any way, check the tours a long time in advance, as end to be booked out.

The carving is best seen on a boat. There are some cruises from Taupo which does this. The main carving on the one on the wall and there are a few other ones along the sides of the main one. It isn' very old but is quite interesting. It was a nice boat ride to get here and look at the carving.

Though only 40 years old (from completion), the carvings are still impressive and cool. It was well worth paddling 3 miles (6 miles RT) out to it from Acacia Bay boat dock. If you don’t have your own paddleboard, you can rent kayaks from a place a little further down from the docks.

Loved this little tour. It was lovely to come onto the lake. Yummy muffin as well...

Absolutely stunning! Comfortable and clean ride on the Chris Jolly outdoors cruise. Hot beverage and small muffin provided. Smooth ride there and back. Ample time for everyone to take lots of photos, up close and personal. Great family day out.

Great experience. Lovely friendly skipper and crew Highly recommend!

We went to find out more when we saw the sign saying you could Camp here. We just stayed for refreshments and a lovely chat with John who was very informative and entertaining 😄. He tried to give me a horse 🐎 boy you don't know how tempted I was but it wouldn't fit in our caravan 😕. There's a thermal walk that is all natural, but hubby wasn't up to walking today. I'd definitely be back with the grandkids. They didn't have alternative milk for my coffee but the herbal tea was delicious 😋 hubby said John makes a good coffee.

Craters of the moon are like a museum while this place feels more like an adventure trip. Very nice with all the animals in front of the entrance.

If you come expecting great things you’ll be disappointed and unimpressed. If you come expecting a pleasant walk through a quiet valley where you can get close to some geothermal features you’ll have a nice time.

Disappointing. Very little geothermal activity (wisps of steam from holes in the ground). Also, maintenance is needed. Firstly some of the foliage growing over the footpath needs cutting back but more importantly, some of the duck boards and steps are broken and in need of replacement. This is a hazard. Also, we didn't notice any signs warning patrons about the steep up and down steps. We are fit, competent walkers and didn't have too much of an problem. That would not have been the case for anyone with mobility issues. We were also really surprised to see that other reviewers had been charged for simply driving up to the entrance of the park. We did not notice any signs warning about that at the main road. It clearly wasn't an issue for us because we paid to do the walk. This smacks of sharp practise.

We had a lovely stay with lots of chickens around. Good coffee the next morning.

Really close to nature. The walk is very steep and not a casual hike or for little kids. Beautiful views and experience. Worth it if you are brave! If you don't like heights or narrow tracks then the walk might not be for you.

This place was soo lovely. Cathy and John accommodated us last minute even though we were the only ones there (Monday night off peak). Small campground, basic facilities, exactly what we were after. Incredibly friendly owners, wonderful animals, nice hot shower, calm, quiet, and peaceful. Also we had some excellent brownies after dinner — which John warmed up for us.

The cafe and animals were great, with very nice food, and really nice owner. However I would not recommend the walk as seemed dangerous, bridges unsafe, with the trail following closely to a steep valley, with large uneven steps as well. This is a moderate difficulty walk, there are also a couple of very narrow bridges that we would like to have been warned about.

Need more trees to shade the camp sites. Would like to see more animals, shelters and accessories. For the cafe and around the grounds- more creative featured displays/ ornaments. Walk would be great; next time. Is there a swimming hole (hot spring) at the end? Is self guided walk for free and belonging to the council?

I had a pleasant stay here, the owners are very friendly. A lot of chickens, peacocks and other birds. Not a bad 30mins thermal walk. I'm giving 4stars because of the only one bathroom (it's tidy), you have to wait in a busy time.

Free hot springs flowing into the river. The water wasn't really hot but a nice contrast with the cold water from the river. Free to visit and park. Plenty of parking space. There is also a walkway and bike trails to the huka falls. I definitely recommend visiting there while in Taupo.

Free entree. It has a little food stand near the river, a little area with warm water source that connects to the cold river. It wasnt super warm but still relaxing. Would be awesome in summer times! Changing rooms for men and women, toilets but no showers

So relaxing in the baths, the tour is great albeit long and amazing variations in thermal activity. Sulphur sure cleans out the sinuses

We went early and there was nobody at the hot water spring. A beautiful area with crystal clear waters. The way in to the river was easy off wooden platforms. Cold at this point, but swim / wade towards the 2 small waterfalls and it soon warms up. Never hot, but very pleasant. Small changing rooms nearby make it easy to dry off afterwards.

A very pretty area, it was too cold for us to swim but we did see a few youngsters braving it. I felt the water running from the hot spring and it was nice and warm. I can see the attraction on a cool day. Water was a beautiful colour and photos don't do it justice.

Went on the thermal walk. It seemed shorter than last time but still worth a look we got tickets through grab one so was worth what we paid for. Got great photos.

The park walking trail link to Huka falls, returned walk 1.5 hours, very nice walk

Really enjoyed having a dip in the river, but the only warm part is right under the thermal spring falls. As soon as you swim away alittle the water gets cold fast so be prepared. Would definitely recommend is someone is looking either a warm or cold swim.

Excellent free natural hot spring. Small area that would only hold about six comfortably. Not super hot but definitely hotter than the river! Free toilets and changing rooms there

Nice free hot pools, that join a warm waterfall and a cold river. It is a 800m walk or so from the carpark to the hot pools, there is a cafe located adjacent. there is also a change room and toilets. Access into the water is quite poor and uncomfortable - but largely depends on the water level. It is interesting to see and to bathe in the water, but access makes entry uncomfortable.

This is a lovely spot to visit, swim, experience a geothermal spring and enjoy a coffee and an ice-cream. Also dog friendly.

Very good place. It's a spa that can swim. Love it!

The water hasn't been warm at all in the past 4 years I've been here. A real shame since they did a lot to make the place nice and even added changing sheds. Unless you were raised in NZ or some cold country, it's gonna feel cold even in summer so be prepared. The playground area is great and walking tracks are fun to explore. There's a cave in the bush too if you can find it.

Played disc golf here and the course was amazing. The rest of the park amenities were good though, saw a really nice playground and the bathroom was clean :)

Nice and relaxing environment. Clean Plenty of parking Not much privacy in the ladies changing rooms to get changed. The pools were lovely and hot

The gallery is a 5 star experience and the cafe a 4 star. Service was good, but food was just fine. It was the walk through the outdoor gallery that was the absolute highlight, and reason we would return. So many beautiful pieces to enjoy. If they were easier to put in our luggage we definitely would have bought many many things!

Flat whites are single shot as standard (all others are double) which is perfect for me. Scrambled eggs was huge! The mosaic is pretty cool, even in the rain.

Walking through the gallery was a treat to add to our lunch. So many beautiful pieces that I wish could fit in luggage! Staff and service was great and quick. The food was good, nothing amazing.

This was the saddest meal of my life. I came here because of the stellar reviews and was sorely dissapointed. The menu was nothing special and my meal was just runny scrambled eggs plopped on a plate with a tiny piece of old bread. The place was really loud with food orders yelled across the room with poor customer service. Overall a terrible experience and I left mid meal to go eat somewhere else.

Great coffee nice sculpture with it's own lemon tree 🍋. Very nice place to come. They have a lot to offer. Chill and relaxing under rainy weather. Great get away from busy life. Hey focus on the beautiful vibe and coffee okay 😊. 10 out of 10 lovely place.

Last minute decision to stop in at L Arte this morning. An amazing display of food in the cabinet. Normally can’t have anything much but then saw my friend Jo who owns it filling in for her sick chef today. I said ‘ can you do A French toast without the eggs (I’m allergic) on gf? I saw the clogs in her brain working She said ‘I can do that ❤️’ Delicious homemade gf bread

Very good coffee! What a great garden! You can buy something you like and take it home

Fantastic indoor and outdoor gallery with amazing art from on-site and local artists. Beautiful gardens - with a number of mosaic pieces. The cafe is also lovely and makes a mean iced coffee. Highly recommended!

L’arte cafe is a short drive from the busy centre of Taupo. Set in rolling bush at Acaccia Bay you first see pottery and mosaic work set among the trees and lawns. The cafe is well staffed with young enthusiastic locals, the food is superb, and in a busy day the wait was more than acceptable. We will be back.

Such a cute place to go with my family. Loved the service provided and the food was yummy.

Quite a unique look! Plus even before midday they had live music which really added to the ambience. A cute gift shop for after your coffee or a meal. All day lunch and breakfast so you can get any meal item at any time ! The food didn't look particularly exciting on the plate but was delicious !

Absolutely must-visit place if you are on Taupo. This place wasn’t in our schedule. We were so lucky to drop by. It was amazing from the entrance. You can see how well this place is took care of with details. Your eyes will have fun from just looking around this place. Even pave stones are great fun to step on because they are a part of amusing art pieces.

Lovely little Cafe, coffee was yummy and caramel slice was the nicest I've had in a long time well done

Went there, had a fun little ‘treasurer’ hunt and made new friends there. Left a tad more knowledgeable. Definitely visit if you have the time. Entrance fee is cheap, more so for kiddies, so why not support a museum by visiting? Learn more about history in a fun way. Plus there’s a nice rose garden just by the side, but that’s a whole other review by itself. :)

Learn a lot of Maori culture and history from the hand-made exhibition. I feel very impressive. Somehow it is similar to Taiwan aboriginal life style.

Very fun and interesting. A small fee of 5$ is expected if you are not local. You will get everything explained but there is still some lack of information on how to go around and it's rather small. (Taupo is small, too, so it was expected.)

Easy to view this exhibition. The thrill of flying. Fiona Tunnicliffe. Potter

It's a small museum and what you see is what you get, but that's perfect! Museums don't need to be big to be good, and this proves that point. Well documented and detailed information about the history of the area, including amazing Māori exhibits. The gallery was a nice touch too and featured some genuinely interesting pieces of art.

It's a good place to bring your family in for a visit and they have little quest for the kids too. Great things to look at and good history to read about Taupo. There are artefacts, newspaper clippings which you can read, see, and touch. And next to the museum building there is a beautiful rose garden which you can walk about, sit and relax and enjoy the colourful roses surrounding the you. Take a whiff at the different roses and immerse with the delightful surprise scents from each of them.

This is a lovely and well organised museum. We only had an hour and we ran out of time before it closed. It has some interesting information on the volcano, the forestry history and is well balanced with the Maori stories. One of the highlights for me were the journal entries for peoples caravan holidays to Taupo in the 50’s & 60’s. Well worth a visit.

Great museum to see the New Zealand culture and history

I had to wait an hour or two for the InterCity bus and decided to visit this museum. It is really lovely to spend some time! Small collection but very informative, friendly staff and a small shop to buy some souvenirs.

Very interesting. Enjoyed the Iron man exhibition

It's a small cute museum ! If you are a student it's only $3 entry fee (this includes any uni here in NZ). There is a bit of history on Taupo - especially on the hot steams. They have couple of local maori things in the museum Overall it can be done within 20minutes. Highly recommended - don't forget to check out their mini garden

Stopped off here for a quick break on my way north, and Taupo never fails to amaze, Come See!😄😀🤪😁😄😀

The weirdest thing happened to me at Taupo information center. The Intercity Bus I was on had a ½ hour break in Taupo, so I'd headed to the Taupo information center to get a weeks supply of DOC Hut passes and a Topo Map from the Taupo Info Centre. Ahead of me was a queue of 3 people getting "information ... so I waited ... for 20+ minutes. The first 2 customers (finally) understood the wonderfully helpful staff's directions to their special campervan park and they headed out, ... meantime, I'd already (politely) chatted to the person in front of me, he knew my bus was leaving at ½ past, all that I needed to do was to quickly buy a book of DOC hut passes and pay for my topos, and I'd (politely) asked could I go in front of him... he had agreed I could... and so we had swapped. What could go wrong? Well, I took my place at the counter, but then was curtly told to go to the back of the queue... ??? Because I'd "jumped queue" Even, my polite assurances to the "professional" had no effect... Sadly, I REALLY had to get back to the bus, so I quietly reshelved the topo maps, and I ran back to the waiting bus. I will never forget this Taupo shemozzle. Maybe the other Taupo staff were no so authoritarian, but I will never know. I had to leave. I was heart broken. Moral: If you have authority, then don't abuse it. Don't assume. And real respect must always be earned.

I was stuck in Taupo on Tuesday when my bus back to Auckland was cancelled. There were about 20 passengers waiting at the bus stop. The people at the Visitor Information Centre were just so helpful, they spent a lot of time trying to contact Intercity and came up the road several times to pass any information on. Such an amazing team.

Went today to get support as we arrived to Taupō from Wellington. The lady at the counter was marvellous, excellent help for newcomers. Thanks so much and Merry Christmas

Free information centre to ask and get to know best activities, places to visit and accommodation. They also give coupons of some places for discount. You can buy suvenior as well.

very poor service we walked in with 2 grandkids in tow looking for activities to do with young children. of the 4 staff there not one of them said hello how can we help so we looked around found nothing and left. also as a nz destination maybe some parking for campervans would be great other towns like whanganui new plymouth are all motorhome friendly town why not taupo we like to spend money also.

Very informative office Free Tourist information of Taupo and other part of New Zealand Friendly staff Short term parking available

Nice place for getting information about attractions around Taupo. (No toilet)

If you're heading to Taupo and need some advice or information, call or call in to see the friendly helpful people here. If you're interested in the history of the area, ask about walking tours. Our group was very impressed with his informative friendly tours.

Awesome. Fun for adults and kids. I think I had the most fun. I'm the nan. Really an awesome place to take the kids, hours of fun. Lots to learn, and all activities are family oriented. The awesome lady, (sorry, didn't get her name), thank you for the warm welcome and being so good with the kids. It's a 10/10, for everything

Absolutely loved our time here, something different for us doing a Maze. The staff were super friendly and welcoming to our little dog Rocco as well. He loved the Maze (till he got tired) and enjoyed laying in the shade while we played mini putt. We will be back again for sure. Super dog friendly and even gave him a bowl of water after his hard work in the maze.

Great morning had by all. It ain't no Disneyland but the kids had a blast doing the maze, mini golf, Legoland and the Discovery room. Just awesome to see the kids really getting into it :) (and adults too 😉). Father in law did the flight simulator and enjoyed it. What really impressed us was how friendly the staff were. Really go out of their way to make you feel welcome even went as far as noticing my mother in law didn't do many activities so gave us a free pass for next time :) Bonus that we could bring our dog too. Very clean facilities. Happily recommend to all families. Thank you.

The staff were amazing. I think the first man was called Luke and he was awesome. We spent ages there, so much so that we ran out of time to do the outside stuff so they gave us a voucher to do it another time!

Found this place driving by. Hands on enjoyable experience, liked the discovery zone. Outdoor maze very good. Haven’t tried the mini golf but will try w upon return to Taupo. Thank you

On a rainy day there was no better way to spend it, we all had so much fun. The staff were so helpful 😁 3 hours whizzed past. The Lego room was fantastic.. my grandkids love Lego so this was a real treat 🥰

The place is very dated, very 1990's. Seriously needs updating. They do drip pricing where you have to pay for each individual attraction. The only thing they got going for it is the $5 Lego exhibit. A Maze N Things in Cowes, Victoria, Australia is way better, you should go there instead.

Though designed for kids/families we still had a pretty good time even with some of the more juvenile activities. Definitely worth stopping in :) if I had my time again I’d swap out one of the activities but the staff insisted we try the more educational room - not necessary for 30+ year olds.

I'm sure it used to have its better days but this place is run down, poorly maintained and a huge waste of money.

Not bad, it’s maybe a tad pricey. The VIP pass is $35 which includes Mini Golf, Maze, Discovery Center and the LEGO Exhibit. The VIP pass does not include the Flight Simulator or Shooting Simulator. The maze and discovery centre are cool, kids had a blast. The mini golf is good but a tad tired... all in all we spent about 3.5 hours there. One thing to note is the Remote Control Boats are not there anymore

An absolutely mind-blowing experience. An amazing LEGO city on display and heaps of informative, interactive displays. Outdoor maze and mini-golf, cafe. Kids and adults alike will love this place. Very highly recommended.

Visited the Discovery centre with our family recently. We were pleasantly surprised at all of the fun activities and learning opportunities. We had a great time. Perfect place to visit on a rainy day.

Very beautiful place. Pram friendly and long walks with many places to set and enjoy the views of flowers. Will be going back just for photography

Lovely peaceful walks on easy forest paths, would also be good for kids to explore nature. Picked up a leaflet with map at the front entrance (near toilet) then drove to do different walks, which are clearly signposted. In March, rhododendron and camelias are only just budding, it must look amazing when they're all out - but we still enjoyed 2hrs here eating our sarnies and wandering, watching Fantails and Silvereyes bathing, and spotting NZ pigeon, Whiteheads, Tui and a Bellbird.

We had a short stop at this place and I'm not sure we went through all the territory but anyway I liked everything what I saw💐 Just good way for relaxed walking👌

These gardens are unlike any other botanical gardens that I've been to. It's not the seemingly normal open park with a few bits of bush and or rose gardens. Perhaps an Avery or a fish pond. Even some associated sports field. No, this place is almost natural on its own terms. Through the entrance gates, the road narrows, and you leave Taupo and all the issues of your day behind you. The narrow one way road twists through the native bush, very reminiscent of back country NZ. Every so often you come across parking options, benches, water supply, picnic spots and walkways. I didn't see any rubbish bins, or rubbish, so congrats to all the visitors who clearly value this gem and leave only footprints when they visit. The walking tracks feel very like a maze. But you can't get lost, and if you did, well just enjoy the peace, the bird song and all the beautiful trees. Such an asset to the town. Like us, you'll return

A real local gem of a place to visit in Taupō. Lots of great walking tracks and beautiful indigenous and exotic bush. A very popular location for taking your furry mate for a walk or taking the kids to look for painted rocks or spotting native birds. The great think also is the internal road which means you can also drive in and access the gardens no matter what your age or physical attributes so it suits everyone. Highly recommend for something free to do with your kids or visitors.

This message is for dog owners⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ Please don't let you dog poo on the path way,and please don't let the bags with your dog poo everywhere. I will keep an eye on you.

Beautiful gardens throughout & very well maintained. We found an impromptu tour guide that happened to be a local gentleman called Jeff from memory. Top bloke & he gave us a very comprehensive tour around the grounds & divulged a wealth of knowledge about the local flora & fauna . Yes indeed , wonderful 🙏

Visited in spring when the rhododendron and camellias were flowering. Just magical.

Beautiful botanical gardens less than a kilometer from our home. Definitely a place to find peace and tranquility.

Nice and very easy walk, many little loops link to main road, suites family activity and relaxing walk

Taupo Botanical place is very nice. Here they have multiple collections of plants. Every site they got car parking. There are lots of walking way in side the reserve. Wheelchairs and kids strollers accessibility very nice. Love this place very Much. Every plant got there number tag so you can find way to come out from inside without any guides, if you lost some where.

We visited Waipahihi Botanical Reserve in autumn and the colours on display in the gardens were stunning. There are walking tracks throughout or you could drive (slowly) on a one-way road through the gardens, as well as a vantage point to see the Taupo area from up high. This is also a Toyota Kiwi Guardian site. Public toilets available.

Botanic Reserved Garden must visit for peace of your mind.

A beautiful place. It was only a short visit, but family & I will be back to explore more. Visited in October, Kowhai's flowering, Tuis a plenty.

No form tour but worth a wander to appreciate the scale of geothermal power generation!

They do not do tours any more. Turned up just after lunch at 2:30pm on a week day, there was a sign that looked like it had been there for years saying 'No tours'. Shame, looks like it could be pretty interesting.

I had to do a school project on it and it was easy.

I work there.