travel Champagne Pool , New Zealand Attractions

Once called the closest thing to hell that exists on earth by Bernard Shaw, when one looks at the eerie landscape and the frothing mud one could almost agree with him. The hissing geysers that spurt out hot boiling water, the offensive acerbic odor, the cavernous craters and the loose soil all quite clearly spell out why this not a scenic wonder. Yet it has become one of the most visited tourist attraction in New Zealand.

Located south of Rotaura, the Wai-O-Tapu meaning the sacred waters in English, is one of the best places to observe a natural volcanic environment in New Zealand. Visitors can walk through the thermal wonderland and observe the world famous champagne pool, steaming geysers, bubbling mud pools, huge volcanic craters and out worldly terrain. Also be sure to catch the daily eruption of the Lady Knox geyser that spurts out boiling liquid at 10.15 am daily to a height of 20 meters.

The Champagne Pool is of special interest at the Wai-O-Tapu volcanic park; the 64 meter deep crater is the largest geyser in the area and keeps on steaming and bubbling habitually. Another attraction in the area is the Primrose Terrace which is the largest silica terrace in the southern hemisphere.

Adjoining the Champagne pool is the Artists palette that is vividly hued in an array of different colors. The color and the shade of the area changes depending upon the chemical makeup, the temperature and the water levels. The Wai-O-Tapu region has been associated with volcanic activity for the last 160,000 years and is placed precariously on the edge of the of the largest volcanic caldera right in the Tapu volcanic region. The water under the soil of the region is so hot that it absorbs the minerals in the rocks by which it passes and when the water hits the surface it gets converted to steam, the variety of colors are a result of the different elements present in the water.

A number of Rotaura hotels can be found in close proximity of the Wai-O-Tapu volcanic park as it is a popular tourist destination. Most hotels would even offer complimentary shuttle services to the volcanic park and gusts can expect the same standards of hospitality that are dished out by all New Zealand hotels.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1161865