Wai Ora Spa in Hell's Gate, Rotorua

With these postings on Hell’s Gate and Rotorua, I would be doing injustice not to mention another main attraction that visitors come to Rotoura for: hot springs and spa. There were a couple of options available in Rotorua but I decided to experience something more raw and unique …… and I could play with mud!

At Hell’s Gate, you will find Wai Ora Spa. Hell’s Gate or Tikitere has been known by the local Maori for over 800 hundred years. It is renowned as a place of healing and revitalizing. Besides its sulphurous waters, its specialty is also in its mud! The mud found at Hell’s Gate is very fine (smooth) and it is said to be among the finest in the world. If you are into spa and body mud, you may wish to visit Wai Ora Spa when you are in Rotorua.

(click for larger photo)
Signpost to Wai Ora Spa
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
This is not the typical commercial spa with enclosed or private rooms. Instead, it is in the outdoor and each pool is separated by wooden partitions which offer little privacy. No skinny dipping or frolicking in the buff! Bring your swimming trunk/costume if you want to enjoy the mud spa. By the way, while I was seated in the pool, Wai Ora staff came in and put a dipstick into the water to measure water temperature.

Each pool is a rectangular concrete pool which holds the warm muddy water. So where was the mud? Well, I had to scoop (or scrape) it from the bottom of the pool with my fingers! There was not much mud to play with but sufficient to coat all over my body. The mud was easy to spread and felt very smooth. After coating myself, I sat on the pool edge to let the mud dry up. It was very late autumn and the wind was a little chilly. So after a while I was back inside the pool to enjoy the warm water, then coating myself with mud again and letting it dry up.

It would have been better if there was more mud in the pool. The mud in Hell’s Gate must be a precious commodity as it is also used in a range of beauty spa products. More in the pool means less products to go around.

When the time came to leave the mud pool, I had to do the unpleasant thing of taking a cold shower to wash off all the mud before heading over to the hot sulphurous pools for a good soak.

The spa was a good experience! I felt really good and relaxed. My skin felt smooth too except that I carried the smell of sulphur for another few more days.

(click for larger photo)
Signboard – Map of Hell’s Gate
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006

"Land Coral" in Hell's Gate, Rotorua

One of the unusual things we saw at Hell’s Gate pertains to something called “land coral”. On the guided tour, we got the opportunity to venture out of the pathway with the guide to get a closeup of some interesting sights. If you are self-guided, please stay on the pathway for your own safety as the ground is rather unstable and the Hell’s Gate terrain is filled with craters, boiling mud and boiling ponds!

After the guide had given his safety instructions, he divided the tour into small groups of 3-4 persons each and we made our way in single file behind him. In spite of strict and clear instructions that we were to follow him directly from behind, to walk where he walked, nevertheless the guide saw someone taking a few steps off from his route and he had to ask if the guy understood English at all!

(click for larger photo)
Terrain of craters, boiling mud and boiling ponds!
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
In above photo, the guide (in red) was pointing to a pond where steam was rising from. What we were looking at was the pond in below photo. Along the edge of the pond, was some kind of “deposit” called “land coral”. It seems that this “deposit” was the evidence of a certain form of bacteria that could thrive in such harsh conditions of boiling water and acidity. As the bacteria grew and multiplied, the “deposit” becomes larger. It is fascinating to learn that Nature provides an abundance of life even in such an environment. What would kill a human being was life-giving to a bacteria!

(click for larger photo)
Boiling pond teeming with bacteria life
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
Below two photos show the close-ups of “land coral”.


(click for larger photo)
“Land coral”
Hell’s Gate, Rotorua, May 2006

Entering Hell's Gate

Entering Hell's Gate, the visitor will pass beneath a wooden Maori archway called a waharoa. It contains elaborate carvings and tells the legend of the early Maori chief who settled here and whose descendants today own Hell's Gate.

(click for larger photo)
Waharoa
Hell's Gate, Rotorua, May 2006
If you join the guided tour, the group will first stop in front of the waharoa to listen to the legend. Afterwhich, the Maori guide will say a short prayer/chant for the blessing and protection of the group before entering Hell's Gate. While some may feel uncomfortable about this, believe me, it is a very good way to get the attention of everyone to watch their steps the moment they are inside Hell's Gate! You will do well to heed the warning signs in this place.

(click for larger photo)
Welcome signboard explaining the Waharoa
Hell's Gate, Rotorua, May 2006