13 days in Auckland, Hot Water Beach & Rotorua Itinerary

The largest and most populous city in New Zealand, Auckland combines a rich history and thriving contemporary culture in an abundance of museums, art galleries, and performance venues.

Your cultural itinerary includes sights like St. Patrick's Cathedral and Parnell. We've included these beaches for you: Bethells Beach and St. Helier's Bay. Get out of town with these interesting Auckland side-trips: Matakana Beach Outfitters (in Matakana), Muriwai Beach (Muriwai Beach Horse Treks & Muriwai Gannet Colony) and Brick Bay Sculpture Trail (in Snells Beach). The adventure continues: enjoy the sand and surf at Orewa Beach, enjoy breathtaking views from Sky Tower, stroll through Mission Bay Beach, and take a memorable tour with Tours.

To see traveler tips, more things to do, maps, and other tourist information, refer to the Auckland journey planner.

Canberra, Australia to Auckland is an approximately 8-hour flight. You'll lose 2 hours traveling from Canberra to Auckland due to the time zone difference. Expect a bit cooler weather when traveling from Canberra in December: highs in Auckland hover around 20°C, while lows dip to 20°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 11th (Sun) so you can go by car to Hot Water Beach.

Named after the geothermal springs that supply the coast with pleasantly warm water ideal for swimming and soaking, Hot Water Beach attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

On the 11th (Sun), take in the natural beauty of Hot Water Beach.

To see ratings, photos, other places to visit, and other tourist information, read our Hot Water Beach visit site.

Traveling by car from Auckland to Hot Water Beach takes 2.5 hours. Traveling from Auckland in December, expect nights in Hot Water Beach to be little chillier, around 17°C, while days are a bit warmer, around 24°C. You'll set off for Rotorua on the 13th (Tue).

Surrounded by lakes and featuring impressive areas of geothermal landscape, the city of Rotorua offers an otherwordly landscape and a welcoming, peaceful environment, with the culture of the native Maori people very much in the foreground.

On the 13th (Tue), admire all the interesting features of Te Puia, wander the streets of Eat Street, and then take a memorable tour with Tours. Keep things going the next day: witness a stunning natural landmark at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, identify plant and animal life at Waiotapu Boardwalk/ Mud Pool, then don't miss a visit to Fancy Meow Cat Cafe, then tour the pleasant surroundings at Okere Falls Track, and finally glide peacefully along the water with some of the best stand-up paddleboarding in the area.

For maps, more things to do, where to stay, and tourist information, read Rotorua trip planner.

Getting from Hot Water Beach to Rotorua by car takes about 3 hours. In December, plan for daily highs up to 25°C, and evening lows to 17°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 15th (Thu) early enough to catch the flight back home.