Did Everyone in Rotorua Just Fart at the Same Time?

We arrived in Rotorua yesterday afternoon, and boy does it stink. Rotorua is New Zealand’s most dynamic thermal area with hot springs, bubbling mud and geysers. It also has the ubiquitous odor of rotten-eggs, caused by sulfur. The closer to the water, the smellier it gets.

Despite the sulfur smell, we checked out the Polynesian Spa. The spa offers thermally-heated baths right by the lake. They have several spa areas (e.g. family spa, adult only spa, lake view spa, private spas), and we opted for the lake view spa. The lake view spa had 4 spas of different temperatures, ranging from 36°C to 42°C (roughly 100°F to 110°F). We managed to get into the 40°C pool. It was like sitting in a giant hot tub, only the water is heated naturally and it smelled like everyone at the spa farted at the same time, constantly.