Inside New Zealand - a Guide to Waitomo

It doesn't take long to leave the sprawling metro Auckland area behind and get into the quiet areas that make New Zealand distinct. Less than two hours south is Waitomo and a smattering of neighboring towns. What they might lack in buzz and nightlife they'll make up for in outdoor adventure and tranquility.

Why Go?

Green, tranquil, friendly - they're the words of the day in Waitomo. You'll find no shortage of adventurers eager to descend into the many limestone caves dotting the area. I'd consider that the area's biggest draw, really.

But even if underground adventuring isn't your bag, you can definitely enjoy the country vibe here. The rolling green hills and wandering sheep seemed like everything I imagine Scotland to me, minus the filthy weather.

The area draws not only travelers from all over the world, but also workers. Caving guides hail from a multitude of areas. Despite being "in the wop-wops" as New Zealanders like to say, the tourism seems to attract entrepreneurs eager to make their mark with quality food.

Catch Some Sleep in a Cargo Plane

I stayed at Woodlyn Park, which I consider one of the most distinct places to sleep on the planet. Why settle for a hotel room when you can half of a converted cargo plane? Or a stateroom in a dry-docked yacht? Or a hobbit house?

Glowing Worms and Shaved Bunnies

When you're rested up from your previous day's adventures, you're ready to check out the caving. I took a tour with Rap, Raft and Rock. We spent about four hours in the caverns. We sloshed around, we tubed down the underground river, and we saw the super-cool glowworms. Our tour was $135 NZ, and worth every bit of it.

If you want to take it a bit easier, see if you can drop into The Shearing Shed. There, you can catch one of the scheduled rabbit-shearing demonstrations. I don't know why, but there's just something fascinating about watching a huge, fluffy, Angora rabbit get shaved bald as a bowling ball. Especially with a roomful of German teenagers.

Dining - No Whining

The food options are better in nearby Te Kuiti and Otorohanga than in Waitomo. Te Kuiti has the very pleasant Bosco Café - it caters to locals, and doesn't even have a website. It's great for breakfast. In Otorohanga, the pleasant, healthy and very tasty Thirsty Weta is the place to be for dinner. Lunch? Got me there. We had chocolate bars and hot energy drinks in the caves, followed by some salty soup when we emerged back at Rap, Raft and Rock headquarters.