GAY Guysers-Gazette-Issue10.pdf

Issue 10 • AUTUMN 2017 

Guysers 

Gazette 

A day trip to Waitomo Caves 

Rainbow Mountain 

Rotorua Area Gay Society (RAGS) 

Nude Yoga 

Rotorua’s 

explosive 

forces 

Gaystay 

Rotorua, New Zealand

Contents 

A hot soak with a great 

view at the Polynesian Spa. 

Welcome 

2017: Off to a good start................................3 

Tourism 

A day trip to Waitomo Caves........................6 

Rainbow Mountain Scenic Reserve.........10 

History 

Rotorua’s explosive forces...........................14 

Shopping 

Satisfy your sweet tooth..............................18 

What to shop for in Rotorua.......................20 

Events 

RAGS on Wednesdays...................................24 

Health 

Nude Yoga.........................................................26 

GUYSERS GAYSTAY 

Hosted B&B for gay men 

1406c Pukuatua Street 

Rotorua, New Zealand 

Phone: NZ +64 (0) 21 0298 8093 

enquiries@guysersgaystay.com 

https://guysersgaystay.com 

Gaystay 

facebook.com/GuysersGaystayRotorua 

Guysers Gaystay is a 

member of Gay Stay NZ 

New Zealand’s LGBT 

hosted accommodation 

www.gaystay.co.nz 

Welcome 

Welcome to our first issue of the Guysers Gazette 

for 2017 – our e-magazine for gay travellers to 

Rotorua, New Zealand. 

In this issue, a recent guest of ours, , 

took a day trip out to the Waitomo Caves visiting 

the original Glowworm cave and the spectacular 

Ruakuri cave. We get his account of his day there. 

We take a hike up to the summit of Rainbow 

Mountain to take in the stunning 360 degree views 

of Rotorua and surrounds and see its crater lake and 

other geothermal features of this active mountain. 

We take a look back in history at some of the 

hydrothermal eruptions that have taken place in 

and around Rotorua, including the recent event 

that took place on the lake edge at Ohinemutu. 

Wonder what there is to buy in Rotorua? We take a 

look at some suggestions where you can wave your 

Visa card and come away with some unique, useful, 

stylish, interesting, tasty or bazaar items – many of 

which are made right here in Rotorua. 

We tell you about our new “RAGS” social group and 

how you can attend if you are visiting Rotorua. 

Last up we look into the added health benefits of 

practicing yoga in the nude and why this is 

becoming a popular from of exercise worldwide. 

We hope you find this issue an interesting read. 

Peter & Mike 

Guysers Gaystay, Rotorua, New Zealand 

2 Guysers Gazette 

Issue 10 • Autumn 2017

Gaystay 

Rotorua 

2017. 

Off to a 

good start 

With record numbers of tourists 

visiting New Zealand, things are 

shaping up to be another busy year. 

2017 began on New Years Eve with an 

explosion of fireworks, entertainment 

and festivities down at the Village 

Green and Lakefront, Rotorua. 

At Guysers Gaystay B&B we’ve had one 

of the best summers yet in terms of 

accommodation bookings – so much 

so, we’ve sadly had to turn enquiries 

down as we’ve been booked out. 

Forward bookings are looking healthy 

well into March/April which is a good 

sign that tourism to Rotorua is 

continuing steadily even into the 

non-peak seasons. 

We’ve had some wonderful sunny days 

over summer and into the New Year. 

It’s been joyful and relaxing getting 

outside enjoying the sun on our bodies 

and socialising with a beer. We hope to 

see you at Guysers Gaystay real soon! 

Over 10,000 people gathered down at the Village Green 

in Rotorua to see in the New Year and party. 

The New Year celebrations was part of the ‘GLO Festival’ 

which featured a line up of local and international 

bands, visual art installations and the countdown to a 

massive fireworks display over Lake Rotorua. 

Continued over... 

guysersgaystay.com 

Guysers Gazette 3

Continued... 

A little love 

in the garden 

With the nice weather we’ve been having 

in Rotorua our gardens have erupted with 

a growth spurt filling our outdoor spaces 

with lush foliage and flowers. We get a lot of 

pleasure getting out in the sunshine tending 

to our Bali-inspired gardens, creating a space 

for our guests (and ourselves) that is beautiful, 

private and a tranquil place to sit and relax. 

Strawberries and cream 

Each year at Guysers Gaystay we plant 

strawberry plants in our raised vege box. 

We built a wooden frame and covered it with 

netting to keep the birds from eating our 

prized crop. 

When our strawberries are ripe we use them to 

decorate our fresh fruit salads which we prepare 

each morning for our guests. We make our fruit 

salads with seasonal fruits (never tinned) and 

guests can add yoghurt and cereal if they wish. q 



Many years ago Rotorua acquired the 

nickname “Rotovegas” due to a casino 

proposal (that was later rejected) and the 

bright lights and neons of Fenton Street’s 

motel strip resembling a mini Las Vegas. 

Love the nickname or loath it, the iconic 

‘Welcome to Fabulous Rotovegas’ 

sign now has its place at the 

top of the Skyline complex. 



Tourism 

The spiral walkway down 

into the Ruakuri Cave. 

A day trip to the 

By 



Waitomo’s original 

famous Glowworm Cave. 

The famous Waitomo Caves is by far the most 

spectacular network of caves in New Zealand and a ‘must do’ 

when travelling the North Island. If you stay with us at Guysers Gaystay 

in Rotorua, we can arrange a day tour that includes pick-up and drop-off right from our 

front door. A recent guest of ours, 

, from Toronto Canada, did a combo day tour 

visiting the Glowworm Caves and the Ruakuri Cave. Here is Lee’s story of his day tour... 

This is my second visit to Rotorua. There is so 

much to see and do here I just had to return to 

this lovely town. On this trip I wanted to visit 

the Glowworm Caves at Waitomo. It was Mike at 

Guysers Gaystay who advised me that this can 

be done as a day trip by bus from Rotorua. 

Waitomo is 180 km from Rotorua (about 

2 hours by bus with an early departure). 

We had a very pleasant bus journey through 

beautiful countryside and farmlands. I can 

see now why Peter Jackson chose this area of 

New Zealand for the Shire movie set! 

We arrived at the visitor centre in Waitomo 

by 9 am, and were then instructed on where to 

congregate for the start of the tour. 

First up for me was the Glowworm Cave and 

within minutes we were below ground amongst 

caverns of stalactites and stalagmites. 


The complete tour of the Glowworm Cave lasts 

45 minutes with a guide that explains the rock 

formations and glowworm life cycle. A slow 

boat ride through the dark and silent cave with 

thousands of glowworms lighting the cave 

ceiling completes the tour. The glowworms are 

spectacular and fascinating to see, I must say. 

We were instructed that no photography is 

allowed inside the Glowworm Cave and we 

were asked to keep quite as loud noise or 

camera flashes will disturb the glowworms and 

they will stop glowing. 

The next cave of my ‘combo’ ticket, and indeed 

the highlight for me, was a one-kilometre 

guided walk through the Ruakuri Cave. 

Ruakuri Cave is the longest underground cave 

in the Waitomo area. It was first discovered by 

local Māori between 400 and 500 years ago. 



Continued... 

The name Ruakuri, or “den of dogs” was 

created when wild dogs were discovered 

making their home in the cave entrance some 

300 years later. 

The Ruakuri Cave tour begins with a 15-metre 

descent down a spiral walkway then through a 

door that is closed behind you after you enter 

to keep the atmospheric climate conditions 

from changing inside the cave. 

After a quick safety briefing and a few rules 

of the cave (like no breaking pieces off to 

take as souvenirs, as people used to do many 

years ago, shame on them) our group was 

manoeuvring through narrow pathways 

surrounded by towering limestone formations, 

underground rivers, waterfalls, and more 

impressive stalactites and stalagmites than 

you can imagine! 

Also in the Ruakuri Cave were fossils – a remnant 

from the time thousands of years ago when the 

area was beneath the sea. 

The Ruakuri Cave also has quite a number of 

glowworm colonies and visitors can get close 

up views of the ‘tentacles’ that the glowworm 

uses to ensnare its prey (see picture below). 

The glowworms are much closer to you in this 

cave than those in the original Glowworm Cave. 

Pathways are lit by small ground-level lights 

and major formations are brightly illuminated. 

Photography is welcome, although no flash 

can be used. At one point we ventured forth 

without any light to gain the experience of 

what the caves are like in the dark. We slowly 

walked forward down the dark path not being 

able to see one foot in front of us. Spooky! 

We came to a point in the cave where we could 

see and hear people laughing and screaming 

on inner-tubes drifting down the cave river 

below and crazy abseilers scaling the rock walls 

around us. For hardcore adventurers, this must 

be an experience of a lifetime for them! 

After the tour of the Ruakuri Cave was over we 

returned to the visitor centre and had time to 

relax and have a drink and a bite to eat before 

the 2-hour bus ride back to Rotorua. 

Visiting the Waitomo Caves was a pleasant, 

enjoyable and memorable day that I highly 

recommend to anyone coming to this area. 

Arachnocampa Luminosa larvae are predatory and 

use their lights to lure prey into their sticky webs. 

Natures magnificent stalagmite and stalactite formations inside the 

Ruakuri cave network have taken hundreds of years to form. 



If people have their 

own car, a visit to the 

Waitomo Caves makes a 

lovely day trip. 

For guests staying at Guysers 

Gaystay who are without a car, 

Mike and Peter will gladly arrange a tour bus 

company to take you there and bring you 

back (a door-to-door service too!). The friendly 

and efficient bus driver provides informative 

commentary about sights along the way. 

Whether you are driving yourself or taking the 

bus tour as I did, advanced reservations are 

essential (on the day I went, the Ruakuri Cave 

tours were sold out and people were being 

turned away, so do pre-book). q 

for more information 

For more information, current prices or to 

pre-book Waitomo bus tours if staying with 

us at Guysers Gaystay, please visit: 

https://guysersgaystay.com/tours.html 

For adrenalin junkies Waitomo has three ultimate cave experiences 

offering abseiling, ziplining, rope climbing and inner-tubing. 

The original Waitomo Black Water Rafting Adventure has you 

exploring and tubing through the mysterious Ruakuri Cave. 



Rainbow Mountain 

Scenic Reserve 

The mountain 

with a nipple! 

Rainbow Mountain (Maungakakaramea, meaning ‘mountain of coloured 

earth’), is one of the great free walks in the Rotorua district. The 1.5 hour 

climb to the summit rewards you with a spectacular 360-degree view of Rotorua’s surrounding 

lakes, forests and mountains. Alternatively you can take the shorter 15-minute walk 

to the eggshell blue crater lake. 

If it’s a warm day you’ll 

want to shed some clothing 

as you’ll work up a sweat 

walking to the summit. 

q 



Rainbow Mountain lies 26 km south-east of 

Rotorua, beside the Rotorua-Taupo highway 

(SH5). Approaching from Rotorua the gravel 

carpark is located just past the turnoff for 

SH38, on the left-hand side of the road. 

The mountain top has an unusual rounded 

nipple shape, known as Tihi-o-Rua – ‘the owl’s 

perch’. More appropriately it should have the 

nickname ‘Titty Mountain’ (you’ll see why!). 

From the carpark on SH5, follow the signs to 

the crater lakes lookout. 

Crater Lakes Walk 

The Crater Lakes Walk offers great views of 

two volcanic craters set against a backdrop of 

rugged brown, orange and red steaming cliffs. 

This walk takes just 15 minutes (one way) to 

reach the viewing platform where you can 

admire the stunning blue crater lakes and the 

near-vertical volcanic cliff face and hear the 

hiss of the simmering pools of water below. 

Although Rainbow Mountain had a very 

volcanic past it has cooled over recent years, 

allowing the native vegetation to slowly begin 

regenerating. Some plant species found on the 

mountain are very rare and grow only in 

geothermal areas such as this. 


The viewing platform 

overlooking the eggshell 

blue crater lake. 



Continued... 

The Summit Track 

The 2.5km track to the summit takes you 

upward through a variety of native bush, 

bare ridges and volcanic areas with sulphur 

crystal deposits and steaming cliffs. You’ll see 

regular views of the crater lakes below and 

surrounding countryside along the way. 

The final part of the track emerges onto the 

dirt and gravel summit road which will take 

you the remainder of the way to the top. 

(Note, the last few hundred meters of the track 

is quite steep so you’ll need a rest to catch your 

breath and at the top! Take some food and 

drink with you as you’ll be needing it). 

From the summit you’ll have spectacular views 

of Mt Tarawera, Lakes Tarawera, Rotomahana, 

Okaro and Rerewhakaaitu to the north. Look 

south to see Lake Taupo and the fantastic 

volcano Mt Tongariro plus other 

landmarks. 

The summit provides a nice flat picnic area to 

take in the views, or for a slightly better view, 

ask the man in the fire-watch tower nicely and 

he’ll invite you up for a view from the deck 

(if he happens to be in there). 

The track to the summit requires a good level 

of fitness. You’ll need to wear sturdy boots/ 

shoes, and bring with you layers of clothing as 

it can be cool and windy at the summit.q 

for more information 

For more information on Rainbow Mountain 

and the walking tracks, visit: 

www.doc.govt.nz 

and type in "Rainbow Mountain" 

into the search bar. 

On the way up to the 

summit you’ll pass areas 

where the ground is 

clearly active underneath. 

View from a safe distance! 



The red/orange cliff face 

gently steams away 

above the crater lake. 

Catch your breath while 

taking in the stunning 

scenery from the summit 

of Rainbow Mountain. 



Continued... 

Tourism History 

Rotorua’s 

explosive forces 

Hydrothermal explosions occur when superheated water trapped below the surface 

of the earth rapidly converts from liquid to steam, violently ‘erupting’. Boiling water, 

steam, mud, and rock fragments called breccia are ejected over an area of a few 

meters up to several kilometres in diameter. The following are some examples that 

have occurred in and around the Rotorua district between 1900 and present day. 

Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ 

photograph/15044/waimangu-geyser 

1900 

Waimangu 

The Waimangu (‘black water’) geyser was the largest geyser recorded 

anywhere in the world, erupting between 1900 and 1904. 

The geyser’s life was brief and spectacular. Eruptions of muddy water 

and large rocks to heights of 150 metres were common, and there were 

occasional super-eruptions to the remarkable height of 460 metres 

(for reference: the top of Auckland’s Sky Tower is about 330 metres 

above street level). 

Throughout 1903, the geyser increased in activity (see picture), and 

increasing numbers of visitors flocked to see the spectacle. However, 

a tragic event occurred that year: four tourists ventured closer to get a 

better view, but were swept away and killed by a sudden eruption. 

By November 1904 activity of the geyser had suddenly stopped. 



Image: GNS Science 

1980 

The 

KUIRAU PARK 

closure of many domestic thermal bores in Rotorua (with the aim 

of restoring the strength of the suffering Pohutu Geyser) saw once 

previously dried up springs in Kuirau Park fill up with water again, 

and as seen in the above example a sudden release of energy in the 

form of a hydrothermal eruption ejecting water, mud and steam. 

Image: GNS Science 

2000 

On 

TareWA ROAD 

18th September 2000, a spring erupted just off Tarewa Road 

on the western fringe of Kuirau Park, producing waves and surges. 

The eruption occurred on private land and may have been caused by 

the removal of a clothesline pole and anchoring concrete block three 

days earlier. Four houses nearest the spring had to be demolished. 

SUPPLIED VIA ALEXANDER TURNBULL LIBRARY, 

REFERENCE PACOLL-0339-01) 




Continued... 

Continued... 

2001 

KUIRAU PARK 

A hydrothermal eruption occurred at Kuirau Park in Rotorua on 26th 

January 2001. This was the largest hydrothermal eruption since 1966. 

A hot muddy pool 3 metres in diameter was the source of the eruption. 

Blocks and ejecta were thrown 100 metres high and 1 metre diameter 

blocks were thrown 50 metres away. Miraculously no one was injured 

considering the eruption occurred mid-afternoon. 

Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, www.TeAra.govt.nz/ 

en/photograph/6503/hydrothermal-eruption-at-reporoa-2005 

2005 

A 

REPOROA 

large unexpected hydrothermal eruption on 19 April 2005 left a 

50-metre-wide crater in a scenic reserve at Reporoa. A column of 

steam, mud and rocks was ejected 200 metres into the air. Farmer 

Phil Morgan said “The cows saw it first and bolted up the paddock. 

I wondered what was up, then I saw it myself. I got covered in fine ash”. 



2016 

In 

OHINEMUTU 

November 2016 a hydrothermal eruption occurred on the lake edge 

at Ohinemutu where local residents were woken at 4:00am to the sound 

of water shooting 20 to 30 metres into the air and splashing down 

again. Two days later a smaller sized hydrothermal eruption occurred in 

the same spot (pictured). Rotorua Lakes Council geothermal inspector 

said the eruption was like a cap blowing off a well 

shaken bottle of fizzy drink. q 



Shopping 

Satisfy your sweet tooth 

At the top of Skyline complex in Rotorua is the Jelly Belly Store and Gallery. The huge 

selection of gourmet flavoured jelly beans is sure to bring out the child in all of us. 

Jelly Belly Store 

The store has around 100 different delicious 

flavours of jelly beans, with an entire wall of 

Pick 'n Mix beans to choose from. The jelly beans 

come in every colour of the rainbow and the 

flavours are very realistic. You can choose 20 

small packets from the clear vertical cylinders 

that line the wall to fill your own gift box or you 

can purchase pre-packaged gift packs. 

Try creating your own unique flavour by eating 

2 jelly beans at once, eg, banana and chocolate, 

pineapple and coconut, cinnamon and apple, 

Dr Pepper and cherry, to name a few examples. 

The Jelly Belly Store and Gallery is proof that we 

are all kids at heart! 

If you’re a big kid who loves cocktails the 

Jelly Belly Cocktail Classics Gift Box is sure 

to please. This box contains Pina Colada, 

Strawberry Daiquiri, Mojito, Peach Bellini 

and Pomegranate Cosmo. 



One wall in the Jelly Belly Store and Gallery 

features artworks painstakingly and 

cleverly created entirely out of jelly beans! 

See a replica of Leonardo da Vinci’s 

Mona Lisa, a portrait of Harry Potter and 

Van Gogh’s The Starry Night (see above) 

which boasts over 11,500 beans! 

Bean Boozled 

It’s a daring game which involves spinning 

a wheel to select a bean. For each jelly bean 

colour on the wheel there are two possible 

flavours – one delicious flavour and one 

that’ll leave a bad taste in your mouth. 

The catch is you can’t tell which bean is 

good or bad until you taste it! 

You could be trying strawberry jam, peach, 

juicy pear, chocolate pudding and caramel 

corn (yum!) or dog food, vomit, rotten egg, 

booger or baby wipes (yuk!). 

These beans may look alike but they could 

not taste more different from each other. q 



What to shop for in Rotorua 

Once upon a time visitors to Rotorua would purchase tacky plastic Tiki’s or Maori dolls 

(that were actually made in China!). Things have moved on a lot since those days. 

Now Rotorua offers a range of quality shops and unique products, some of which are 

made in Rotorua. Here are a few suggestions on what you can purchase here in Rotorua. 

Handmade cushions made here in 

Rotorua by Hayley Burnett. Designs 

include feathers, skulls, birds and Tiki’s 

all lovingly embroidered. 

Helium, 1283 Tutanekai St, Rotorua 

Icebreaker Anatomica Briefs are stylish, 

comfortable and give great support. They 

come in a range of colours and are made 

from 83% merino, 12% nylon / 5% lycra. 

Outdoorsman, 6 Tarawera Rd, Rotorua 

New Zealand possum fibre is one of 

the finest and softest fibres that nature 

produces. Blended with merino wool gives 

garments warmth and strength. 

Shop for hats, gloves and scarves at: 

Woollen Mill shop, Agrodome, Rotorua 

Rotorua-based Croucher Brewing produce 

a range of award-winner craft beers you 

are sure to love. Try a tasting flight at the 

Brew Bar on Eat Streat or purchase a few 

packs to enjoy with friends, available from: 

Liquor King, 244 Fenton St, Rotorua 



David Trubridge is a furniture and 

lighting designer based in Whakatu, 

New Zealand. His work has become 

widely celebrated for its innovative, 

environmentally sensitive qualities. 

His fascination with nature has led 

him to develop collections which are 

inspired by flora, fauna and formations 

within the landscape. The sculptural 

light shades are sold as a kitset giving 

the product’s construction process 

emotional worth. David Trubridge 

lights are available from the iNZspired 

store at the top of Skyline, Rotorua. 

iNZpired Store, 178 Fairy Springs Rd 

Rotorua’s Volcanic Hills Wines takes grapes 

from the best wine growing regions in 

New Zealand and produces a range of 

gorgeous wines. Purchase from their 

Tasting Room at the top of the gondola. 

VH Wines, 176 Fairy Springs Rd, Rotorua 

At Guysers Gaystay we now sell the Pure 

Source range of Rotorua Thermal Mud 

products. The Mud Mask containing 

Rotorua mud, Aloe Vera, Almond Oil and 

Manuka Honey cleanses and soothes the 

skin. The Facial Scrub exfoliates and draws 

impurities and excess oils from the skin, 

and the Heat Rub makes an intense an 

warming massage rub for the body. 

Available from us at Guysers Gaystay 

Rotorua glass blower 

Ron van der Vlugt captures the 

shifting qualities of light and 

colour as the glass moves from 

a glowing, flowing, molten state 

into a cool, hard, solid shape 

relying on the natural forces of 

gravity and spinning to shape it. 

de Flute Glass, 153 Fairy 

Springs Rd, Rotorua 




Continued... 

Riding a bicycle just got easier with the 

New Zealand designed Volto range of 

electric-assisted bikes. With powerful 

300W motors and a range of up to 90km 

(depending on terrain) you’ll love getting 

around on these. 4 models to choose from. 

Electric Bike, 1265 Fenton St, Rotorua 

Arataki Honey is New Zealand’s No.1 

honey producer. The Rotorua division is a 

great place to stock up on their delicious 

range of quality honey’s including the 

world famous Manukua Honey. 

Benny Bees, Waiotapu, SH 5, Rotorua 

Taste pure New Zealand water from 

Te Waireka spring. Scientific testing 

showed the water from Te Waireka spring 

to be of a very high quality with excellent 

mineral contents. Paradise Pure Spring 

Water is bottled on site and sold at the 

Paradise Valley Springs shop. 

467 Paradise Valley Rd, Rotorua 

Rotorua Potter Gareth Andrews makes 

work that is full of earthy and rustic 

character. The objects he creates, such 

as mugs, flasks, vases and bowls, have a 

specific and beautiful charm. 




Examples: 

Teapot 

David Bowie 

NZ Artist Mark Rayner made news headlines with his nude 

latch hook rug depictions of ex-Prime Minister John Key, 

Prince Harry and a rather hung Labour Leader, Andrew Little. 

Mark’s glazed plates, teapots and figurines are a modern 

and playful take on the grotesque; a style characterised by 

exaggeration, the fantastic and sometimes the absurd. 

Helium Gallery in Rotorua have a range of Mark Rayner’s 

works on display. Check in store for current works on sale. 


Treat yourself or a partner to a New 

Zealand greenstone (pounamu) necklace 

handcrafted in store at Mountain Jade. 

Mountain Jade, 1288 Fenton St, Rotorua 

The multi-award winning Mamaku Blue 

‘Blueberry Experience’ & Winery is located 

just 12 minutes north of the Agrodome, 

Rotorua. The blueberries they grow here 

are used to produce wines, liqueur, pure 

juice, jams, jelly, sauces, chocolates and 

real fruit ice cream. 

311 Maraeroa Rd, Mamaku, Rotorua 



Events 

RAGS on Wednesdays 

‘RAGS’ stands for ‘Rotorua Area Gay Society’ – a weekly gay mens social group that is 

proving to be a popular evening out with local residence and visitors alike. 

Rotorua’s RAGS group reformed in October 

2016. It started with a small group of guys who 

began meeting on Wednesday evenings for 

a drink. Over a short period of time, and by 

word of mouth, RAGS has steadily increased 

to around 20 locals with usual attendees of 

around 14 guys as well as international 

tourists joining us from time to time. 

The RAGS group meets every Wednesday 

evening from 5pm at a selected bar for a 

few drinks followed by dinner at a local 

restaurant for those that wish to partake 

in a meal. 



The bar and restaurant changes each week 

to provide variety. Where we go for dinner is 

usually discussed and chosen on the night. 

The RAGS group is still evolving and ideas 

for future get-togethers have included home 

BBQs/Pot Luck dinners and Ten Pin Bowling at 

Rotorua’s new Motion Entertainment complex. 

RAGS provides the opportunity to socialise and 

network with a group of local guys and make 

new and lasting friendships. 

Gay Rotorua locals, NZ visitors to Rotorua and 

international tourists are most welcome to join 

us for our weekly RAGS social get-together. q 

CONTACT 

To attend ‘RAGS on Wednesdays’ please 

email info@gayrotorua.com with your 

name and mobile number and you’ll be 

contacted with details for that week. 



Health 



NUDE YOGA 

Everyone has heard of yoga and many of you already practice it on a regular basis whether 

at a group class session or in the privacy of your own home. But are there any added benefits 

of practicing yoga in the nude? 

Naked yoga first started in India were members 

would undress themselves both physically and 

spiritually from all material possessions, sexual 

desires and anything physical in this world. 

Naked yoga then travelled to Europe through 

naturist movements in Germany, Switzerland 

and North America. In more recent times nude 

yoga classes have been catering for distinctive 

audiences (all male classes, all women, mixedsex 

or classes specifically for gay men). Nude 

yoga classes are also here in New Zealand now. 

One person famous for the promotion of 

naked yoga in the West is Aaron Star, owner 

of Hot Nude Yoga, offering nude yoga classes 

and a range of nude yoga DVDs. He began his 

version of nude yoga in April 2001 becoming 

an instant underground sensation. Because 

of the success of Hot Nude Yoga, nude yoga 

groups began to blossom all over the world, 

from London, Moscow, Madrid to Sydney. 

Many of these male-only naked yoga groups 

have been associated with the gay community, 

though often not intentionally. 

You can purchase the Hot Nude 

Yoga DVDs from Amazon. 


What are the benefits of nude yoga?. 

Nude yoga helps you discover an entirely new 

way of looking at your own body, inspiring 

you to take pride and pleasure in your unique 

physique and capabilities. 

It teaches you to embrace your imperfections 

and open your heart to yourself and to the 

world with courage and confidence. 

When you practice yoga in the nude you’ll 

have total freedom. You may also feel free by 

liberating yourself from the social restraints 

against nudity. 

Body and body image acceptance plays a big 

part in one’s self-esteem which is often hard to 

achieve when society is full of photoshopped 

images of non-real bodies that society calls 

beauty. Nude yoga is about knowing, accepting 

and loving yourself at your core. 

Feelings of embarrassment and shame are 

socially constructed emotions. By practicing 

nude yoga you’ll learn to let go of those 

negative emotions. 

When you’re fully clothed your skin is restricted 

from breathing. Being nude while doing yoga 

gives your skin a chance to sweat out body 

toxins and breathe freely. 

While naked yoga in its true form has little to 

do with society’s preconceived notions of sex 

or eroticism, make no mistake: naked yoga is 

sexy. It’s the sort of sexy that comes from inside, 

when someone feels authentically connected, 

confident, and alive. Naked yoga gives people 

permission to feel joyful and radiant in their 

own skin. 



Continued... 

Here are a few common yoga poses for you to try 

BOUND ANGLE 

SPINAL TWIST 

Provides an excellent stretch for the groin 

muscles, increases suppleness in the tendons, 

knees and hips and improves posture. 

Massages lower abdominal organs, stretches 

the spine and nerves correcting stiffness in the 

neck and helps with elimination. 

CHAIR 

FULL SHOULDERSTAND 

Strengthens the Achilles tendons, ankles and 

thigh muscles, stretches the back of the legs 

and calves and energizes the entire body. 

Improves blood flow to the brain, stimulates 

the thyroid, promotes calm and serenity and 

nourishes the complexion. 



Nude yoga helps to battle stress, will boost your self-esteem and deals with lowering anxiety. 

To prevent negative feelings from overpowering our lives, practice nude yoga with nature as 

your setting. Nude yoga gives you the benefit of practicing this form of exercise freely. 

CHILD 

KNEE HUG 

Completely refreshes the back and spine, 

massages the inner organs, rejuvenates the body 

and promotes a sense of security and nurturing. 

Stretches the lower back muscles, massages 

the entire back and lower abdominal organs 

and restores energy throughout the body. 

CAT & DOG STRETCH 

HEADSTAND 

Improves circulation and stretches the muscles 

along the back, neck and arms. Increases 

suppleness along the spine. 


Improves blood flow to the eyes, head and 

scalp, increases focus, improves digestion and 

strengthens arms and shoulders. 



Guysers Gaystay in Rotorua has 

a private garden setting where 

you can enjoy practicing yoga. 

What to bring: 

• A yoga mat 

• Sunscreen 

• and a smile 

Gaystay 

If you need help achieving 

various yoga poses, we have 

50 illustrative yoga cards 

with instructions on how to 

do the poses correctly. 

30 Kiwi Experience GoNaked New Zealand Magazine 

Issue 10 • Autumn 2017 

Guysers Gazette

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It’s smooth and slick and 

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perfect all- round personal 

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SPUNK Lube Hybrid 

uses the highest quality 

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Orders within New Zealand 

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Postal charge is additional. 

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Kiwi Experience Bus, New Zealand 


Hosted homestay for men 

RotoRua City • New ZealaNd 

Your ‘home away from home’ 

https://guysersgaystay.com 

www.gaystay.co.nz 

Oh! Naturist is dedicated to nature and 

naturism. More than 6,400 naturist friends 

from more than 100 countries meet, exchange 

and share experiences across the planet. 

Oh! Naturist is truly multicultural and 

multilingual (English, French, Italian, German, 

Dutch, Bulgarian, Russian, Chinese), created 

by true lovers of nature and naturism who 

actively practice and promote the naturist 

lifestyle and its ethics. 

The site is, and always will be free, to guarantee 

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ohnaturist.com 

Guysers Gazette 

32 Nudist, Naturist, Naturism, Gay, Naked, GoNaked Issue 10 • Autumn 2017

GAY Guysers-Gazette-Issue10.pdf

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