Travel Tips

Best Hot Pools & Thermal Spas in New Zealand

There's no better end to a day of hiking than a soak in a natural hot pool. Here are the 10 best spots in NZ, from world-famous spas to free wild pools.

The Nomado Team · 9 July 2026 · 8 min read

Photo: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Paid & luxurious

1. Polynesian Spa (Rotorua) — 28 pools, adults-only lakeside deck. Iconic. 2. Hanmer Springs (North Canterbury) — 22 pools, waterslides for kids, 1.5 hrs from Christchurch. 3. Onsen Hot Pools (Queenstown) — private cedar tubs overlooking the Shotover. 4. Tekapo Springs — three pools, Southern Alps views, stargazing add-on. 5. Ōpuke Thermal Pools (Methven) — brand new, adults-only tranquillity zone.

Free & wild

6. Hot Water Beach (Coromandel) — dig your own bath at low tide. 7. Kerosene Creek (near Rotorua) — natural hot river, gravel road access. 8. Wai-O-Tapu Mud Pool car park stream — after Kerosene, quieter. 9. Welcome Flat Hot Pools (West Coast) — 7-hr hike, life-changing. 10. Ngawha Springs (Northland) — 15 rustic sulphur pools, $6 entry.

Getting there

Most of these are far off the main tourist path. A Nomado rental car is the only sensible way. See our 10-day South Island loop — Hanmer, Franz Josef and Tekapo all fit into one trip.