This afternoon we visited Hot Water Beach where you carry a little spade, walk a km up the beach, dig a hole, wait for the water to fill it up, strip off, jump in and sit down.

If this wasn't enough then the carpark (paid parking too) would leave Bondi Beach on a Sunday for dead. Apparently this is a must do for many tourists? It was ludicrous but entertaining at the same time. Not for these two black ducks though.

Reviewed 3 days ago

Hot Water Beach is a unique and popular tourist attraction in Rotorua, New Zealand.

It is located on the shores of Lake Tarawera, and is known for its natural hot springs that bubble up through the sand at low tide.

To experience the hot springs, you will need to dig a hole in the sand at low tide. The depth of the hole will depend on how hot you want the water to be. The water can be anywhere from 40 to 60 degrees Celsius (104 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit).

Once you have dug your hole, you can sit back and enjoy the warm water. The hot springs are said to have therapeutic properties, and many people believe that they can help to relieve pain and stiffness.

In addition to the hot springs, Hot Water Beach is also a beautiful spot to relax and enjoy the scenery. The beach is surrounded by native bush, and there are often dolphins and whales swimming in the lake.

Here are some tips for visiting Hot Water Beach:

Visit at low tide. This is when the hot springs are most accessible.

Bring a shovel. You will need this to dig your hole.

Wear old clothes. The sand can be muddy and wet.

Be careful not to get burned. The water can be very hot, especially in the deeper holes.

Be respectful of the environment. Do not litter or damage the sand dunes.

Overall, Hot Water Beach is a fun and unique experience that is worth adding to your New Zealand itinerary. Just be sure to plan your visit carefully and follow the tips above to make the most of it.

Here are some additional things to consider when visiting Hot Water Beach:

The best time to visit is during the summer months (December to February), when the weather is warm and sunny.

The beach is open 24 hours a day, but the best time to go is at low tide, which is usually around 11am to 2pm.

There is a small parking fee at the beach.

There are a few cafes and souvenir shops near the beach.

You can also book a guided tour of Hot Water Beach.

I hope this helps!

Reviewed about 1 year ago and experienced in July 2023

We saw some videos and pictures of the place, but that was nothing compared to live it by yourself.

We got there and soon tried to dig a hole in the sand to get some warm volcanic heated water, but we found *almost* boiling water just a few centimeters of the beach (where salt water was cold). It is a marvelous spectacle to have a hot bath with thermally heated water at the seashore. Something that you need to experience once in your lifetime.

Reviewed about 6 years ago and experienced in July 2018

It is a really amazing place.

We can not see that anywhere else. When you dig in the sand, boiling water is coming!

Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

Not too far from Auckland.

I had this amazing experience. Went to this beach, you can dig a little bath with friends or tourists there and enjoy this hot water beach close to the sea! A moment of magic.

Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in October 2016

This afternoon we visited Hot Water Beach where you carry a little spade, walk a km up the beach, dig a hole, wait for the water to fill it up, strip off, jump in and sit down.

If this wasn't enough then the carpark (paid parking too) would leave Bondi Beach on a Sunday for dead. Apparently this is a must do for many tourists? It was ludicrous but entertaining at the same time. Not for these two black ducks though.

Reviewed 3 days ago

Hot Water Beach is a unique and popular tourist attraction in Rotorua, New Zealand.

It is located on the shores of Lake Tarawera, and is known for its natural hot springs that bubble up through the sand at low tide.

To experience the hot springs, you will need to dig a hole in the sand at low tide. The depth of the hole will depend on how hot you want the water to be. The water can be anywhere from 40 to 60 degrees Celsius (104 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit).

Once you have dug your hole, you can sit back and enjoy the warm water. The hot springs are said to have therapeutic properties, and many people believe that they can help to relieve pain and stiffness.

In addition to the hot springs, Hot Water Beach is also a beautiful spot to relax and enjoy the scenery. The beach is surrounded by native bush, and there are often dolphins and whales swimming in the lake.

Here are some tips for visiting Hot Water Beach:

Visit at low tide. This is when the hot springs are most accessible.

Bring a shovel. You will need this to dig your hole.

Wear old clothes. The sand can be muddy and wet.

Be careful not to get burned. The water can be very hot, especially in the deeper holes.

Be respectful of the environment. Do not litter or damage the sand dunes.

Overall, Hot Water Beach is a fun and unique experience that is worth adding to your New Zealand itinerary. Just be sure to plan your visit carefully and follow the tips above to make the most of it.

Here are some additional things to consider when visiting Hot Water Beach:

The best time to visit is during the summer months (December to February), when the weather is warm and sunny.

The beach is open 24 hours a day, but the best time to go is at low tide, which is usually around 11am to 2pm.

There is a small parking fee at the beach.

There are a few cafes and souvenir shops near the beach.

You can also book a guided tour of Hot Water Beach.

I hope this helps!

Reviewed about 1 year ago and experienced in July 2023

Not worth the drive up the Coromandel Peninsula just for this, only go if you're also visiting somewhere else on the peninsula.

The area where you can actually dig for hot water is about 10m x 10m, so is immediately full of people.

At least it is also a nice beach so we enjoyed our walk, but will give hot water beach a miss if we visit NZ again.

Go to the first car park down the hill from the road, as it is free and you can walk down the beach to the hot water area.

Reviewed almost 6 years ago

We went to the beach at around 8:00pm.

In a hot pool we watched the stars. You can cool off in the sea with glowing plankton around you. Very awesome.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

Quite fun to dig your own hot water pool.

Nice weather would have made the view from the pool much better.

Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in March 2016

We were there on a day with lots of rain so we could not see that much.

But it was nice to hold our feet into the warm water.

Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in April 2016

Amazing place to stand in hot water just metres from the beach!

Need to be there at low tide. Lots of people, but we still managed to walk through and stand in hot water. Some parts are scalding, you need to be careful, we had children with us. We didn't take a shovel, but there were many 'vacated' holes and we weren't in swimmers, just standing and walking around checking it all out. Very fascinating!

Reviewed about 8 years ago

You do not really get a lot of hot water.

It was a bit disappointing, but otherwise the beach was nice. Remember a shovel as hands do not work.

Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016