A hot water beach is exactly what it sounds like: the sand and water are geothermally heated from below.  For those in know, there exists such a beach with a nearby campground on Lake Tarawera, but it’s only accessible by water or by 9-mile tramping track.  A DIY spa?  Sounds worth the trek! 

The hike in is actually very lovely and even comes with its own custom app that narrates the sights and the history as you go.  Lake Tarawera was the site of an early tourism boom in the mid-1800s, drawing travelers from around the world to see the fabled pink and white terraces.  We were a little late to see them, unfortunately; they were completely destroyed in the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera, which also buried the local village in ash, Pompei-style.  (We’re on the Ring of Fire here; Mount Tarawera is one of seven active volcanoes in this region.)

Our journey took us through multiple microbiomes, including this kanuka forest carpeted with spongy moss, which was a particular favorite of Nick’s.  In other places the bush reminded us of the Jurassic Park movie, with plenty of fern palms but a temperate climate.  

We arrived at the hot beach ready soak away any sore muscles.  We had the place mostly to ourselves – only one other couple was there before us and one other arrived after.  We all agreed that the experience was different from what we had imagined.  The hot springs mix dynamically with the colder lake water so that you can feel hot and cold on different parts at the same time – and as the waves and eddy currents move around you, the mixture changes over time.  We were cautious about swimming because the water in some areas is scalding hot, so we mostly waded in the shallows.  With a little bit of work, Nick found a spot that was well heated and fairly consistent.  Susannah discovered that the sand is hotter as your feet sink in deeper, so you can maintain a good wading foot temperature by shifting position slowly from time to time.  We played in the water for about 45 minutes until the water taxi arrived to whisk us back to our car.

On the way home we made a stop to see the redwood grove, which we had wanted to see by daylight and it happened to be on our way home.  A leisurely stroll through this peaceful forest of giants topped off the afternoon.  The trail we followed on foot is actually just a tiny corner of a vast public trail network in the Whatarewarewa Forest, much of which is intended for mountain biking.

For dinner, we ended the day at an outdoor food arcade called Eat Streat, which is a dedicated pedestrian block lined with restaurants on both sides.  A great place to get a flight of beer – and toad in the hole!!