World Theme Travel – Winter New Zealand as You Like’ Part 4 ‘Hot Land, Rotorua’ will air on EBS1 TV today (19th) at 8:40 PM. Actress Bae Da-bin will also be joining the show.
Walk on the Glorious Glacier! Hooker Valley Track on Mount Cook, New Zealand’s Highest Mountain
Stars pouring down from the night sky, Lake Tekapo
Dive into Nelson’s everyday life, where Kiwis live in a unique way!
Meet the Living Earth! Hot Land, Rotorua
A gift from the volcanic zone, carrots? It’s carrots! Ohakune
The most beautiful train route in New Zealand! Take the TranzAlpine train through the South Island.
Discover the wisdom of the North Island’s geothermal energy on foot, travel east to west across the South Island in a camper van, or take the train through the Southern Alps to enjoy New Zealand in winter, whatever your travel style.
Let’s go to Rotorua, a geothermal city in the North Island that vividly embodies the culture of New Zealand’s indigenous people, the Maori! Rotorua, located on the Pacific Rim of Volcanoes, is one of the areas with the largest Maori population in New Zealand.
Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, embroidered with colorful colors created by the earth! The most popular place is Lady Knox Geyser. This is because every morning, a geyser explosion show that seems to touch the clouds unfolds. Let’s start exploring the geothermal area in earnest! Colorful scenery unfolds at every step. Enjoy the hot and mysterious water color of New Zealand while looking at the artist’s palette, which is not the same color even for a single day.
Rotorua’s roads are also unusual. The smell of sulfur and smoke rises around. However, geothermal energy is a gift from heaven to the Maori. They use it for heating, hot water, and cooking. We head to Whakarewarewa, where the tradition still remains. We take a tour of the town with Turanga, the village guide. No need for an oven in Whakarewarewa?! We boil corn and sweet potatoes in hot spring water, and taste hangi steamed in a natural oven dug into the ground. We also learn the traditional method of making clothes using harakeke, a native New Zealand plant, from Julie, a resident with great skills. Let’s get a glimpse into the wisdom of the Maori who live with passion in the hot land.
The Maori are actively promoting their traditional culture. They participate in the Winter Matariki Celebration at Te Pa Tu, a village that recreates the old Maori village. It is a festival held to mark the end of the year after the winter harvest, and is a kind of ‘Maori New Year’. At the entrance to the village, a traditional performance group welcomes Davin, and they also learn the ‘poi’ dance, which is made by connecting two balls with thread. When the sun sets, it’s festival time! They hold a ceremony to honor their ancestors who have passed away, and participants gather to share food. Through this, they learn about the efforts of the Maori to remember their roots and maintain their identity.
Rotorua, a geothermal area, also has a variety of hot springs. In addition to famous resorts, there are many unnamed natural hot springs hidden along the roadside. Anyone can even use them for free. As you soak in the warm hot springs and relieve the fatigue of your trip, will your heart melt away? Even strangers become friends. A land where you can forget the seasons while enjoying the hot springs, we conclude our journey full of charm in winter New Zealand.
Photo courtesy of reporter Park Yu-mi = EBS World Theme Travel
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2024-09-19 12:00:23