Cruising into the romance of an age-old story
The romance of the legend of
Hinemoa and her lover Tutanekai
has been brought to life in a new
cruise and cultural experience now
centred on Lake Rotorua.
Mokoia Island Tours launched the
new cruise and cultural experience
in January and the level of response
during this inaugural summer
season has given the company
enough confidence to now view it
as a 365-day-a-year product.
The tour takes three and a quarter
hours and involves a cruise to
Mokoia Island on the paddlewheel
craft formerly known as the
Lakeland Queen.
A welcome by the performing
group Te Manu Kaewa (the
wandering bird) and then a cultural
journey guided by local Maori.
A four-course meal is served on the
return voyage, which gets back to
shore at 8.15pm, leaving visitors
with time to take a spa or venture
out into Rotorua’s nightlife.
The tours are aimed at the high end
of the market , are priced
accordingly and are appealing to the
Free and Independent Travel sector
from New Zealand’s traditional
offshore markets.
