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Taupo Attractions
Most of Taupo’s interesting attractions are just north of the town in a cluster around the Wairakei Tourist Park. The visitor center has a good brochure on this area. At the top of the hill as you leave town heading north, turn right onto Huka Falls Road and stop first at the Huka Falls Lookout. The falls themselves aren’t huge, but they are impressive for the speed at which the blue-green water of the Waikato River moves over the 24m (79-ft.) drop. You can walk alongside the gorge on a path and across the rushing water on a footbridge, which provides a safe but thrilling way to enjoy the falls. It’s a dramatic spot to get photographs of the jet boats and cruise vessels as they come right up to the foot of the falls. You can also walk to the falls from Taupo.
After you visit the other attractions in this area, divert down Aratiatia Road on your way back into town to see the Aratiatia Rapids. The gates of the dam above the rapids open every day at 10am, noon, 2pm, and 4pm from October to March. In less than 10 minutes, the dry riverbed goes from an empty basin of boulders to a raging river. After about half an hour, the gates close, the released water flows downstream, and the dry bed reappears. It’s fascinating to watch. The best view is about 5 minutes’ walk downstream, but you can also observe from the lookout.
The Taupo Museum, Story Place, Tongariro Domain, Taupo (tel. 07/376-0414; www.taupomuseum.org.nz), is open daily from 10am to 4:30pm (closed Good Friday and Dec 25). Galleries display Maori art and culture, and a wide selection of exhibits related to fishing, the timber industry, geology, and the lake. Check out the unique New Zealand garden that was a gold medal winner at England’s Chelsea Flower Show in 2004; and their caravan and New Zealand camping holiday display is delightful. Admission is NZ$5 for adults, free for children 17 and under. They offer a free guided heritage walk on Sundays at 2pm.
Just for Kids
Lilliput Farm, 136 Link Rd. (tel. 07/378-2114; www.lilliput-farm-park.co.nz), is a 4-hectare (10-acre) treat for kids who like animals. They can hand-feed 20 different species and enjoy pony and donkey rides. The farm is open Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm, weekends 10am to 4pm. Admission is NZ$12 adults, NZ$6 children 5–12, NZ$30 families. Follow SH1 to Hamilton. Link Road is the first left, 4.5km (2 miles) from the Wairakei turnoff. Watch for signs.
Soaking in Taupo Hot Springs
Set in the unique natural Onekeneke Thermal Valley, Taupo De Bretts Resort, Hot Springs & Spa, Napier/Taupo Road, State Highway 5 (tel. 07/378-8559; www.taupodebretts.com), has been a favorite bathing spot for over 120 years. The water here is said to be the ultimate in providing therapeutic relief for muscular, bone, and skin ailments. Pools are filtered, drained, and cleaned every night. The pool complex is not as big, as modern, or as attractive as Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa, but it’s definitely cheaper and feels just as good, and there is no sulfur in the water here. Facilities include 12 private pools, a children’s pool, two Jacuzzis, a hydroslide, a volleyball court, pétanque, and a barbecue area. Admission to the public pools costs NZ$15 for adults, NZ$4 for children ages 3 to 12; NZ$5 for the giant dragon slide; barbecue rental from NZ$10. Private pools cost from NZ$18 for adults, and spa treatments range from NZ$60 to NZ$160. The complex is open daily from 8:30am to 9:30pm.
If you don’t have time for a soak in Taupo, you can stop at the Tokaanu Thermal Pools.
Fun Savings
If you plan on making the rounds of adventure activities, check out the savings that package deals represent. The visitor center and Experience Taupo will point you in the direction of seasonal savings.
6 Results
- The Performing Arts
Great Lake Centre
Taupo's major events center is the place to see plays, concerts, and shows -- either in the 350-seat theater or the amphitheater, used for big concerts by visiting national or international acts. The amphitheater is on the banks of the Waikato River and can hold about 15,000 people.… - Cooking Class
Honey Hive
Dare I say it? This place is buzzing with activity, and you don'?t need to be a bee enthusiast to appreciate the astounding array of bee-related products inside. You'?ll see an excellent range of gifts, from cosmetics and fruit wines to chocolate bees and woolly bees. Suffice to say… - Cooking Class
Huka Falls Jet
Just in case there are any sensitive digestive systems among you, it might pay to do your jet-boat ride before lunch. This is not the only jet-boating company operating but it’s the one that specializes in 360-degree river spins and close-ups of Huka Falls—an adrenaline-pumping… - Zoo/Aquarium
Huka Prawn Park
This is the place to see Malaysian river prawns happily getting fat in Wairakei's geothermally heated prawn farm. Interesting 30-minute tours operate hourly between 11am and 4pm. You can feed the prawns by hand, then end your visit at the Prawn Works Bar 'n' Grill, where you can eat… - Museum
Taupo Museum
As tiny as it is, the Taupo Museum has a few real gems. Especially intriguing are their caravan display (filled with 1950s camping memorabilia) and their documentation on the classic Kiwi summer camping ground holiday. There’s also an excellent fishing display, an old timber mill,…Around Town
- Natural Attraction
Wairakei Natural Thermal Valley
This attraction is worth visiting if you enjoy geysers, mud pools, and other strange geothermal phenomena. Call first at the Wairakei Geothermal Visitor Centre for guided steam-field and historical tours that will give you insight into geothermal power generation. And check out…
Taupo Shopping
Riverside Market
The weekly Riverside Market is held every Saturday morning at Riverside Park, on Redoubt Road (beside the Waikato River). It features a wide range of goods from secondhand books and clothing to jewelry, fresh fruit, and Maori potatoes. It’s set in a sunny hollow surrounded by large trees and is a pleasant place for a quick breakfast or lunch surrounded by local activity. It starts around 8am and continues into the afternoon.
Say Cheese (and Wine)
The Merchant of Taupo, 111 Spa Rd. (tel. 07/378-4626; www.themerchant.co.nz), stocks a wide variety of imported and New Zealand cheeses, salamis, oils, sauces, wines, and other specialty items that you might like to take home as gifts -- or personal treats! Scenic Cellars, 32 Roberts St. (tel. 07/378-5704; www.sceniccellars.co.nz), stocks over 3,000 wine labels -- 32 available for tasting in the store every day -- in New Zealand's largest underground wine cellar.
Taupo Nightlife
The core of Taupo’s nightlife is geared toward backpackers. If you want to make a quiet start to the evening, head for 19th Hole, at Wairakei International Golf Course, State Highway 1 (tel. 07/374-8152), where you can enjoy a drink and chat. Holy Cow, upstairs at Tongariro and Tuwharetoa streets (tel. 07/378-0040), is definitely the happening place for the young crowd. If you feel like a good beer followed by a quieter dining experience, head for Plateau, 64 Tuwharetoa St. (tel. 07/377-2425; www.plateautaupo.co.nz), which celebrates Kiwi music and a range of Monteith’s craft beers. For a touch of the Irish, head to Finn MacCuhal’s Irish Pub, Tongariro and Tuwharetoa streets (tel. 07/378-6165; www.finns.co.nz), where you can enjoy a Guinness and rowdy music. The Shed Bar, 18 Tuwharetoa St. (tel. 07/376-5393; www.theshedbar.co.nz), is the quintessential New Zealand sports bar, complete with giant TV screens for watching the latest games. They also have live bands and DJs and a good range of beers.
