30 Minutes by Floatplane over Tarawera, Waimangu and Whakarewarewa

Thirty minutes in a seaplane that takes off from the water in front of Rotorua and lands back on it. The route goes out over Mokoia Island in the middle of the lake, on to the crater lakes, then over Mount Tarawera itself. From there it crosses Waimangu geothermal park and comes back over Whakarewarewa and Sulphur Bay before touching down at the lakefront. What that half hour covers on the ground would take a full day of driving: the mountain, the Blue and Green lakes, the geysers of the Whakarewarewa thermal reserve, and Waimangu. Seen from above, the shape of the volcanic field is legible in a way it never is from a road. Flight times are arranged to suit you, which is what makes a scenic flight fit into a day that already has other plans in it. Meet at the Rotorua City Lakefront. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.