Craters of the Moon is a geothermal area four kilometres north of Taupo where superheated steam vents, boiling mud pools, and fumaroles create a landscape that lives up to its name. Boardwalks loop through the site on a 45-minute circuit, taking you past craters that hiss and bubble and ground that is perpetually warm underfoot.
The site is independently run and considerably less crowded than Rotorua's geothermal parks. Entry is by honesty box. The best light for photographs is mid-morning, when steam from the vents is most visible against the sky. Bring a jacket — the steam makes it feel cooler than the air temperature suggests.