Rotorua, New Zealand

Gorgeous sunrise greet us as we approach Rotarua.

We had a single day in Rotarua. It is a beachside vacation favorite among New Zealanders. Great resturaunts dot the beach and boardwalk. A key feature, one that we took advantage of, was Mount Monagnui.

The Mountain dominates the landscape and creates a border on the far side of the beach. We heard there was a great hike around the perimeter of the Island that became our focus of the day. White sand beach, lots of locals enjoying the sun, and a boardwalk filled with resturaunts and coffee houses dot the landscape as we head toward the Mountain.

The hike was gorgeous. Open and peek-a-boo views dot the landscape.

A great hike and a beautiful beachside.

Heading out to sea, we saw an unusual sight. On a perfectly clear day, clouds appeared over an Island. It looked like a volcano and indeed it was. This is Whakaari / White Mountain. This is the site of a horrific tragedy. In 2019 a group of tourists were on an excursion on the Island when it blew. It was featured in a Netflix Documentary that, last I checked, is still being shown.

As we sail away, we are treated to another gorgeous sunset. Looking forward to our last stop in New Zealand, Napier.