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Destination Taupo | Taupo Destination & Travel Guide

The town of Taupo is found unsurprisingly on the edge of the unmissable Lake Taupo, the largest freshwater lake in the Southern Hemisphere. Surround Lake Taupo by volanoes and mountains and you have one of New Zealand's most popular destinations. Taupo is stunning but isn't just about the lake. The town of Taupo offers visitors lots of things to do and like most destinations in New Zealand it's not easy to leave Taupo feeling disappointed.

Taupo is a bustling yet relaxed town with that holiday vibe. Days in Taupo are spend outdoors enjoying the scenery or indulging in some form of watersports on Lake Taupo and evenings in Taupo are spent sampling one of the town's many places to eat and a few drinks in one of the bars. Whether you are into adventure, pampering, leisurely strolls, art, history or culture, you can do it all in style here in Taupo.

Taupo Attractions & Activities

The Hatepe eruption's three main vents ran par...

Lake Taupo Wikipedia

Free things to do:

  • Stroll through the Rose Garden and Scented Garden.
  • Sample some New Zealand Fruit Wines at the Honey Hive.
  • Enjoy the scenery on the Sap Road Walk.
  • Spend an afternoon at Takaanu Historic Wharf and try the thermal walk.
  • Have your picture taken on the Lake Taupo webcam.
  • Channel your inner child at Taupo Puzzle World.

Things to do under $20:

  • Visit Taupo Museum & the award-winning Ora Garden of Well-being.
  • Play Mini Golf!
  • Visit the thermal volcanic Karapiti (craters of the moon).
  • Relax at Taupo's A C thermal baths.
  • Get active at the climbing wall.
  • Hire a mountain bike.
  • Win prizes at the Hole in One Challenge.
  • Meet Shaun the Prawn at the Huka Prawn Park

Things to do over $20:

  • Learn to fly-fish.
  • Enjoy a Huka Falls river cruise.
  • Ride a Segway around Taupo
  • Skydive Taupo (a must-do in New Zealand).
  • Get yourself a treatment at a Taupo Spa.
  • Pump some adrenaline with some quadbiking.
More Taupo Attractions & Activities

Taupo Restaurants & Bars

Good places to eat:

  1. Breakers Cafe
  2. Jolly Good Fellows
  3. Stag Park Diner
  4. Pub n Grub
  5. Salute Taupo

Good places to drink:

  1. The Shed
  2. Element Bar
  3. Mulligan's
  4. The Groove
  5. Fin Maccuhal's

Taupo History

Lake Taupo's history started many years ago thanks to a volcanic eruption creating a giant hole and unknowingly producing one of New Zealand's most stunning natural attractions. In the 13th century the area was founded by Maori who acknowledged the area as a great place to settle and grow. Europeans arrived in the 1840's as missionaries until 1869 when Taupo was used as an area for the Armed Constabulary but Taupo didn't really expand like other destinations in New Zealand.

The soil in Taupo suffered from cobalt deficiency which needed to be addressed before any farming could be established in the area. However, once this had been addressed and farming began, Taupo developed rapidly with businesses starting and growing which led to the arrival of visitors and tourism in Taupo was born and started to boom.

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