Situated in the western corner of Lake Tarawera. The hot spring trickles down a small stream and into the lake. As you can see in the picture, you may need to work at collecting large rocks and place them in a circle to keep the hot water in. Rather labour intensive and the sandflies are very annoying! Easiest access is by boat – just look for the steam!
Te Rata Bay (Hot Water Beach)
In Nature
Description
Directions
Tramp in along the Tarawera Trail (4-5 hours: 11km), or access by boat from landing place, or catch the tourist ferry, head straight out then when you see Mt Tarawera in front of you go right to as far as you can go, its on the right hand side, has camping there as well at the doc camp, can also walk up to Mt Tarawera if your fit, good clean water for swimming and very hot water near the cliffs, very nice place. [Bill Cox, Rotorua]
Interactive Map
Bather Reviews
We came by boat, we didn’t bother with the pools by the cliff, as they were occupied . A local told us about a pool in the bush approx 50 metres from the lake edge.it is in a small bay just to the west of the circle of stone on the cliff. We landed on a small sandy beach and…
C milward -
Auckland
/10
What a disappointment!! The walk along the new track was great, it was new, had good signage and toilets along the way, well done, plenty of money spent on that. Nice stop on the lakeside along the way. However the pleasure of it all ended when we got to the lake. No signs…where do we go? Tried along the beach…
Joanne -
/10
Best way to see it is to walk there on the marvellous track either from the car park or The anding, & get one of the water taxis to meet you at Hot water Beach. Then get them to take you to some more hot pools only accessible by boat. These pools have a more consistent temperature. Finish it with…
/10
There is a new walking trail to get there. It’s about four to five hours. This is from the NZ Herald [source]: What is billed as being one of New Zealand’s best walks will open this weekend, with upwards of 30,000 hikers per year expected. The Tarawera Trail will make the favourite picnic and camping spot of Hot Water Beach…
Diana Clement -
Devonport
/10
Beautiful peace of hidden paradise. Sit and relax on the beach, swim or wake board. The hot pools were something we were looking forward to see. The temperature can vary from being cold to boiling hot. Definitely worth going to and we shall be returning again but this time with insect repellant!!!
Vicki -
Tauranga
/10
Based at a DOC water access only campsite at the southern end of Lake Tarawera. Popular with families with water taxi access. Water edge is thermal. There is a hot stream merging with the lake water surrounded with rocks that form the actual pool. Can cook trout in the nearby sand. There is a small rock edge and stream thermal…
David Walmsley -
Rotorua New Zealand
/10
This is a truly beautiful spot, however we found it really difficult to find a spot in the lake where the water wasn’t either freezing or unbelievably boiling hot. This is still worth a trip though. You can lie in a small man made rock pool if it’s free…just a few people were there the day we went…so if you…
Jen -
Auckland
/10
we have been coming here for years now and absolutly love it. for us it is definatly our family holiday spot. we love jumoping off the rocks around in the next bay and sitting in the hot natural spa. an awesome spot to relax, wakeboard, ski, skurf and just swim. if your up for the challenge swim to the boy…
jaz reid -
Te Puke
/10
pretty cool place, we had the place to ourselves, although if you head around the bays to the west of this beach there appears to be a larger ring of stones below the cliffs that is a natural spa bath [without the bubbles unless you amke your own]
another anon -
sth island/new zealand
/10
We have been going to Lake Tarawera for holidays for more than 10 years. We are waterskiers so for us one of the highlights is a soak in warm/hot water after a days skiing to soothe the worn out bodies.
Ann -
Wellington NZ
/10