Rotorua, New Zealand

This is definitely a favorite little seaside town. The beach is magical. So much contrast in the volcanic formations, the sand, plant life and water. It’s the last week of a 6 week summer vacation here for kids so the beach was kinda busy with families enjoying a beautiful day. We chatted with a local woman who wanted to fill us in on the floods that killed 6 campers here a few weeks ago. We remembered it from the news. There is controversy because they had just removed 6 large, old oak trees above the campsite because they were not native to NZ and she believes this clearing contributed to the landslide. Apparently nobody can remember a landslide event happening here. The area was blocked off with fencing and the mountain is closed off to hikers now.Læs mere