Explore the magical geothermal landscape. Spot native birds and plants amongst the terraces.

Located at the southern end of Lake Rotorua, Sulphur Bay is a perfect example of Rotorua's famous geothermal environment.

The constantly changing landscape around the bay has everything visitors to Rotorua could wish for. Silica flats, rocky terraces, and sulphur ledges sit alongside active boiling mud pools and steam vents. Even the water is interesting, its milky colour the result of sulphur particles that are suspended in the water.

The bay's closeness to feeding grounds and the warmth generated by the geothermal activity, means the area attracts many native birds. Fans of bird watching can spot around 60 different species here including the banded dotterel, the scaup, and three types of gull in this protected wildlife reserve.

For those interested in the history of the area, information panels throughout give visitors more details about the area's past and its features.

Close to central Rotorua, the wetland is a good place for both walking and cycling. A walkway begins at Motutara Point on Rotorua Lake enabling visitors to walk from the lakefront, around the lake edge, past the Government Gardens and Polynesian Spa to Sulphur Bay.

The walkway can be accessed at several points along the route, allowing visitors to choose how long they walk for. A section of the track from the Lake Plaza Hotel to the Puarenga Stream is open for mountain biking.