Te Aroha Domain & Mōkena Geyser
Te Aroha Domain
An Edwardian-era spa town where the world’s only hot soda-water geyser erupts roughly every 40 minutes. Visitors can also soak in private wooden barrel pools.
Te Aroha was a spa town that rose to prominence in the late 19th century, at the foot of Mount Te Aroha. The town’s central Domain preserves Edwardian bathhouse buildings and gardens, and the original Cadman Bath is now a museum. The Mokena Geyser in the park is said to be the world’s only hot soda-water geyser. It erupts about every 40 minutes, with water jets roughly 3 to 4 m high. Next door, Te Aroha Mineral Spas offers private wooden barrel pools (about 30 minutes, booking required) as well as a public hot pool. You can hike up Mount Te Aroha, which takes about 4 hours round trip. It is about 50 minutes’ drive from Hamilton.
Opening hours
Park open all day; hot spring approx. 10:00–21:00
Nearby sights
- Wairere Falls
- Cambridge
- Lake Karapiro
- Zealong Tea Estate
- Hamilton Gardens
- Waikato River Paths & Te Awa River Ride
- Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
- Hamilton Lake Domain (Lake Rotoroa)