North Island lakes
Visitors to the central North Island can visit some of the country's most beautiful lakes, including:
Lake Taupo
With a surface area of more than 600 square kms, this lake is the size of Singapore. It is New Zealand's largest lake and the largest freshwater lake (by surface area) in Oceania. More than 1.2 million people visit the lake each year turning the township of Taupo into a bustling tourist centre every summer. The lake provides plenty of activities from skiing to fishing (brown and rainbow trout).
Lake Rotorua
This is the second largest lake in the North Island with a surface area of almost 80 square kms. But its size is deceptive as the average depth of this lake is only 10 metres. The lake was formed from the crater of a large volcano, though it's been a while since it last erupted (estimated 240,000 years ago). The city of Rotorua sits on the lake's southern shore.
Lake Rotoiti
The name Rotoiti means 'the little lake' in Maori. It is believed to have been named by the Maori explorer Ihenga who thought it was much smaller than it really was as he could only see a small part of the lake when he discovered it. It is close to the northern shore of its larger neighbour, Lake Rotorua, and is connected to it through the Ohau Channel.
Lake Tarawera
With a surface area of almost 40 square kms, Lake Tarawera provides a range of recreational activities, including boating and fishing, and is popular during the summer months when its surrounding camp sites fill up. Visitors can also enjoy hot water beaches on the shores of the lake, courtesy of nature's thermal heating. Lake Tarawera is 18kms from Rotorua.
Others
Four small lakes like between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera. Popular with visitors, these are Lake Tikitapu (also known as the Blue Lake), Lake Rotokahi (also known as the Green Lake), Lake Okareka and Lake Okataina.