What's That Smell In Rotorua?

It's one of the top holiday destinations in the country, home to beautiful resorts, day spas and with plenty of eco-tourism attractions like Whakarewarewa Forest - Rotorua is a must if you're planning to visit New Zealand.

Even with all of these incredible tourist attractions and activities, the one thing that people never fail to mention the North Island resort town is the smell. Rotorua's sulphury, rotten egg smell is incredibly distinctive, and it does take some time to get used to! Wherever you go in the city, the scent tends to follow and if you don't find yourself asking what's causing it you might need to get your nose checked!

What causes the smell in Rotorua?
The culprit behind the smell in Rotorua is the city's geothermal activity. Responsible for the geysers, mud pools and hot springs that draw so many visitors, that eggy smell that you can't escape is all because of Rotorua's underground thermal activity that's always bubbling away.
While the whole city is known for its stench, you'll find the smell tends to become more pungent in different areas. The central-east Te Ngae area is known as the worst because of the dense deposits of sulphur at nearby Sulphur Point.

The smell in the city isn't something to turn your nose up at though - the region is beautiful, unique and fascinating because of what's beneath the surface and the rotten egg smell is just a reminder of the rich mineral content that lies below.

What's so great about Rotorua's geothermal activity?
Rotorua's thermal activity has been a key part of its millions of years. It's responsible for the mud pools and geysers to the city's entire tourism industry.

The New Zealand government commissioned the Rotorua Bath House in 1908, which became quickly noted for the medicinal benefits it offered visitors. Bathing in the sulphuric waters of Rotorua can relieve skin irritations and infections, a quality that drew a lot of interest from the growing New Zealand population and put Rotorua on the map.

Since then tourism has grown in the area with people from all over the world arriving in Rotorua to watch Lady Knox geyser erupt every morning at 10:15 am, bathe in hot pools, enjoy lunch in the city's restaurants and cafes and relax in one of the country's top cities.

Plan your visit to Rotorua and unwind for a week or two in one of New Zealand's best tourist spots. Don't worry about holding your nose! You'll soon get used to the smell.