Hey from whitianga. we got here today via hot water beach. which is a beach that you can go to at low tide and dig abit down and get some thermal water which is nice and hot. we checked into our hostel at whitianga and then headed to a spa which was cheaper through our bus. this spa had been hand built by one man over 20 years and contained natural thermal water. it was soo hot and lush you cudnt believe it was this cheap and one man had done it. http://www.thelostspring.co.nz/ this is his website and you'll not believe it. the pools were so hot and lush and the water falls and everything was really nice. off to Wiatomo for black water rafting next. j x