The Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre – also known as the Waitomo Caves Museum – is a small, but interesting, museum with a focus on caves and karst landscape. It is located adjacent to the Waitomo i-SITE Visitor Information Centre.
Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre
Waitomo Glowworm Cave
The Waitomo Glowworm Cave is the main cave in the Waitomo Caves complex. It was first opened to tourists in 1889 and is the most touristy and least adventurous option and for many years was the only way to visit the caves.
Admission is by a 45-minute tour that culminates in a boat ride through the glowworm grotto. Cameras are not allowed on this tour.
Aranui Cave
Aranui Cave is a quieter alternative to the main Waitomo Cave and is favoured by people who want to experience the cave’s amazing subterranean rock formations rather than the tourist boat rides, however this cave does not have the glowworms that Waitomo is famous for.
Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park
Oto’s main attraction is the Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park where you have the opportunity to see New Zealand’s national bird along with other native birds and native wildlife including tuataras and wetas.
Waikato Museum
Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato is Hamilton’s main museum. The museum has a large collection of exhibits with a focus on local history and Māori culture. Highlights include a 200-year-old kaka taua (Māori war canoe), an interesting exhibit about Māori astronomy and an exhibit about men from the Waikato region who served in the First World War.
Hamilton Zoo
Situated on 21ha of parkland, Hamilton Zoo is impressive for a small town zoo and is home to a variety of wildlife from Africa, Asia and Latin America. The zoo also boasts a huge walk-through aviary, which is home to many rare and endangered New Zealand birds.
Hamilton Gardens
Hamilton’s impressive 58ha botanic garden features a “Story of Gardens” theme, with five different garden collections exploring garden design traditions, history, the relationships between people and plants, and more. It is a pleasant spot to relax, walk or have a picnic.
Far North Regional Museum (Te Ahu Heritage)
This small museum features displays relating to local history. These include the de Surville anchor, which was left in New Zealand in 1769, earlier than any other item of European origin. The other main attraction at the Far North Regional Museum is a replica of the ancient Kaitaia carving.
In 2012, the museum relocated to the new Te Ahu Centre (next to the InterCity coach stop and i-SITE Visitor Information Centre).
Rewa’s Village
Rewa’s Village is a reconstructed Maori fishing village that depicts how Maori lived in the Kerikeri area before the arrival of missionaries.
It is overpriced considering how poorly maintained the village is.
Kemp House & Stone Store
New Zealand’s oldest European building (Kemp House) and the country’s oldest stone building (the Stone Store) are located at the Kerikeri River Basin, a 20-minute walk from the town centre. It is a fascinating site if you’re interested in New Zealand history.