Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All New Zealand Waimangu Lake Rotomahana

Lake Rotomahana

The once and future home of New Zealand's famed Pink and White Terraces.

Waimangu, New Zealand

Added By
Annetta Black
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The steaming waters of Lake Rotomahana   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_Rot...
Pink and White Travertine Terraces  
Eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886   http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/6841/t...
Pink and White Travertine Terraces  
Pink Terrace, Rotomahana. Lithograph   Belle Lowndes / Atlas Obscura User
White Terrace, Rotomahana. Lithograph   Belle Lowndes / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the Victorian era, Lake Rotomahana was renowned around the world for its spectacular "Eighth Wonder of the World" – the Pink and White Travertine Terraces which cascaded down to the waters.

Long thought lost in the disastrous volcanic explosion of Mount Tarawera in 1886, surviving fragments of the terraces were discovered 200 feet below the lake's surface by researchers in 2011.

The massive destruction that came in the wake of the Tarawera eruption not only destroyed the beloved terraces, it killed more than one hundred people, leveled villages, and forever altered the landscape of the Rotorua area. The area is now known as Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley. This new volcanic caldera is home to steaming fumeroles, boiling mud, and one of the world's largest hot springs.

Although temporarily drained by the eruption, Lake Rotomahana came back 20 times its original size and now covers 2,000 acres.

Related Tags

Volcanoes Natural Wonders Water Geology Nature
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild New Zealand: Exploring the North & South Islands

Stunning landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich Māori culture.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Annetta Black

Edited By

Belle Lowndes

  • Belle Lowndes

Published

July 10, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Rotomahana
  • http://www.rotorua.nz.com/lake-rotomahana.aspx
Lake Rotomahana
Waimangu, 3073
New Zealand
-38.267832, 176.433914

Nearby Places

Frying Pan Lake

Waimangu, New Zealand

miles away

Te Wairoa Buried Village

Lake Tarawera, New Zealand

miles away

Te Pā Tū

Tumunui, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Waimangu

Waimangu

New Zealand

Places 2

Nearby Places

Frying Pan Lake

Waimangu, New Zealand

miles away

Te Wairoa Buried Village

Lake Tarawera, New Zealand

miles away

Te Pā Tū

Tumunui, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Waimangu

Waimangu

New Zealand

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

New Zealand, Off the Beaten Path

Sponsored by Atlas Obscura Trips

Amazing Ways to Visit Zealandia, Earth's Lost Eighth Continent

islands

By Kerry Wolfe

The Quest to Rediscover New Zealand's Lost Pink and White Terraces

volcanoes

By Kelsey Kennedy

Waterfalls Frozen in Time: The Geothermal Beauty of Eight Travertine Terraces

travertine terraces

By Allison Meier

Related Places

  • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

    Keahole Point Blowhole

    This unusual lava tube spouts seawater during high surf.

  • Geyser, warning sign

    Noboribetsu-shi, Japan

    Jigokudani (Hell Valley)

    A steaming, boiling hellscape sources Hokkaido's thermal baths.

  • Laguna Quilotoa

    Ecuador

    Laguna Quilotoa

    A turquoise lake within a volcanic crater.

  • Kerid Crater Lake

    Iceland

    Keriư Crater Lake

    This eye-popping Icelandic crater lake is surrounded by red volcanic rock.

  • Silfra

    Thingvellir, Iceland

    Silfra

    This natural Icelandic fissure allows divers to swim right between two volatile tectonic plates.

  • Philippines

    Vulcan Point

    An island in the middle of a lake, in the middle of a volcano, in the middle of a bigger lake, in the middle of a bigger island, in an archipelago, in the Pacific Ocean.

  • Kurilskiy Rayon, Russia

    Urup Island

    Is it an island or a volcano? That question probably explains why it's uninhabited.

  • Winona, Missouri

    Rocky Falls

    A 40-foot waterfall flows into this unique natural swimming hole.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.