Just a disclaimer. We were going to pass this place by if it weren’t for the request of my friend, coworker, and fellow blogger  (theblogandthebeautiful.com if you haven’t already check it out) Nichole LuMaye. We were wet from the NZ Riverjet, cold, and it was raining.

I’m so glad she suggested it because it was amazing. Truly the “thermal wonderland” we were not expecting.

This place is huge. It covers 18 sq. Km and has the largest area of surface thermal activity of any hydrothermal system in the Taupo Volcanic Zone.

The artist's palette

The colors of the vents, pools, and craters were incredible. And stinky. That steam is a whole lotta hydrogen sulfide. And it totally wraps completely around you and you kinda smell like sulfur too by the end of it.

While we were making our way back, the was a bride and groom taking photos sitting on the edge of the Champagne pool. My phone had died or else I’d snapped a pic. But all I could think was wow, I hope the smell gets out of all that tulle.

Bird's Nest Crater

Crater starlings, swallows, and mynahs nest in holes on the walls of this collapsed crater. The heat from below incubates the eggs.

The Devil's Bath

The acid green you are seeing is for real. This was a pretty large pool formed by the excess water from the Champagne Pools mixing with Sulphur and ferrous salts.

Trentepohlia

This is an algae that’s all through the park.

This place was way cool. As usual there are tons more pics that if you want to see, let me know!