Style: July 01, 2022
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50 <strong>Style</strong> | Travel<br />
Taking the waters<br />
Warm up and wind down this winter with a luxurious dip (or three)<br />
in Rotorua’s welcoming waters.<br />
Words Josie Steenhart<br />
Across time, almost every culture in the world has held<br />
traditions of ‘taking the waters’ – bathing that’s not<br />
just about getting clean but also refreshing and revitalising<br />
the mind, body and soul.<br />
First tapped into by local Māori and then by the early<br />
European population, <strong>2022</strong> Rotorua has returned to its<br />
roots as a destination for relaxation and rejuvenation with<br />
healing hot pools, skin-loving mineral mud and a side of<br />
invigorating outdoor adventure.<br />
Whether it’s a steamy cedar tub set in native bush after<br />
a hard day’s mountain biking, a sulphurous, decadently<br />
muddy dip for baby-soft skin or a luxe soak in alkaline pools<br />
overlooking the lake, Rotorua offers a bathing experience for<br />
every taste. Or do as I did and try them all…<br />
IN HOT WATER<br />
An institution in the region since 1972, Polynesian Spa,<br />
on the stunning, steaming shores of Lake Rotorua, offers<br />
28 mineral pools fed by two natural springs – the slightly<br />
acidic Priest Spring (which promises to relieve tired<br />
muscles, aches and pains) and the skin-nourishing alkaline<br />
waters of the Rachel Spring – with a mix of public<br />
and private dips, a variety of temperatures, and both<br />
family-friendly and adult-only options.<br />
Open from 9am to 10pm, you can spend the whole day<br />
dipping in and out (drink lots of water throughout to avoid<br />
getting dehydrated), or if other activities beckon, pop back<br />
after dark for an extra fix and a relaxing finish to your day.<br />
There’s also an on-site day spa offering everything from<br />
Aix (water) spa treatments to signature geothermal mud<br />
wraps, massages and facials, and a pre-therapy soak in the<br />
Deluxe Lake Spa pools is included with any retreat booking.<br />
Secret Spot Hot Tubs is tucked away in the Waipa Valley<br />
in the heart of New Zealand’s mountain-biking mecca.<br />
It’s owned by adventure-loving brothers Keith and Eric<br />
Kolver, who conjured up the concept while canoeing the<br />
Whakatāne River in wild driving rain and gale-force winds.<br />
The 12 6-foot-wide hot tubs, which can be booked<br />
for 45-minute sessions, are handcrafted from western<br />
red cedar by the brothers’ mate Butch Menzies at Kiwi<br />
ABOVE: The iconic Polynesian Spa offers a mix of public and private dips overlooking Lake Rotorua. Photo Polynesian Spa
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