Just five minutes from downtown, this is one of Rotorua’s top attractions: It’s a one-stop shop for Māori culture, nature, and conservation. The 60-hectare (148-acre) Te Puia complex is situated in the Whakarewarewa geothermal valley and is home to a kiwi house, more than 500 steaming, bubbling, seething geothermal features, plus the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. Established in 1926, the latter has interactive galleries where stone, bone, and wood carvers and flax weavers work. (A portion of the entry fee goes towards scholarships for Māori students to learn these handicrafts.) Over in the geothermal area, the Pōhutu Geyser (the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere) erupts up once or twice an hour, up to heights of 30m (98ft.) If you come back at 6pm for the Te Pō cultural performance and feast, you'll get the chance to try food from a hāngī (earth oven).

The lowdown: Spending both the day and evening here can add up cost-wise, but its kapa haka performers are among the best in the country. Whatever you do, take advantage of the free hourly tour that’s included in your admission; led by local Māori tour guides, it will deepen your understanding of the area’s history, culture, and geology.