White Pine Bushwalk & Awakeri Hot Springs in Whakatane – Day 283

Today we’re going to be exploring some crazy forest around Whakatane and then relaxing in the delightful Awakeri Hot Springs.

This morning we are leaving the Awakeri Holiday Park relatively early for the White Pine Scenic Reserve we’ll get back to the holiday park around the end of this episode to show you their amazing hot pools but for now we’re exploring this great bird filled scenic reserve.

The White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve is just a short drive out of the city centre of Whakatane and within the reserve there are two really short and easy walks which are loop walks ranging between 30 to 40 minute long.

The White Pine Reserve is named after the New Zealand white pine which is the kahikatea tree which obviously is very prominent in this reserve. it’s really surprising the amount of wildlife that we get to see in this very small reserve as well we get to see a ton of insects because well we learned last night how to spot them which obviously is our new hobby and we also see heaps of birds really high up in the trees. They are high up in the trees because the kahikatea are the tallest trees in New Zealand but because New Zealand has such a wealth of bird life we also see birds right before our eyes at eye level.

What have we found, Laura?

We’ve found a fantail.

One of the most common types of birds that you’re likely to see in New Zealand forests is the fantail and that’s because they are so not scared to come super close to you and that’s mainly because you’re upturning all the soil as you’re walking which upturns all the bugs for them to eat.

After taking loads of pictures of that adorable little fantail we continue along the track seeing a lot more birds. In particular we are seeing tui which is a type of songbird in New Zealand. They make the most amazing noises and actually sound like robots from Star Wars. And hey, we even see a kiwi bird in broad daylight and then we continue on the track where we are surrounded by this amazing forest which not only is covered in the kahikatea tree which is the white pine but also lots of bushes like kawakawa, which we’ve tasted a few episodes back if you remember and we see nikau palm trees which are these exotic looking palm trees.

Luckily the walk is very short though leaving us enough time in the day to do a second activity in Whakatane which is going to the Awakeri Hot Springs.

That’s right we’re back at our holiday park to experience what it’s famous for and meet the wildlife.

Urgh look at this little guy. He’s made a nest in your eyebrows. Well, you know there’s enough to sustain a whole family right here. It’s cleaning itself right now. It’s fighting your earrings like boom boom boom.

After releasing this prey mantis in the nearby woods we get back to what we’re here for trying out this awesome geothermal pool.

These hot pools are unlike any other hot pools that we’ve ever been to because this one is actually shaped and as big as a normal swimming pool it’s rare because hot pools are usually small individual pools a bit like a Jacuzzi but this one is a big huge one there is a couple of private hot pools but this one is very different.

The temperature is very soothing it’s about 37-39 degrees Celcius for you American it’s a lot of Fahrenheit you’re going to have to Google it I’m sorry.

And it’s a perfect temperature for us to relax in this hot pools.

The great thing about these hot pools is that you can choose either to sit down and relax and soak in the those natural geothermal waters or you can treat it like a normal swimming pool and just splash about in the water which to be fair Robin and I are a bunch of kids so we do exactly that.

Another great thing about the Awakeri Hot Springs is that if you are staying in the holiday park it is free entry to come and go as you please which is what we’re doing as well but otherwise if you just want to visit the hot pools it’s a small admission fee.

But this is not the only geothermal activity that we’re gonna be experiencing in Whakatane because tomorrow we’re heading to New Zealand’s only active marine volcano which is White Island.