Hell's Gate Mud Pool, Rotorua

New Zealand Au Naturel

Did you know there's a hands-on way to experience New Zealand's natural wonders? Several spas are now using products made from local plants, honey, and even clay in wonderful massage therapies, body treatments, facials, and treats for hands and feet. I made this discovery after a long hike in the Bay of Islands region north of Auckland.

My sore muscles sought serious pampering and found it in an unlikely location on State Highway 10 in Kerikeri, a town of less than 10,000 people. Here, nearly 20 years ago, Suzanne Hall started making skincare products based on New Zealand's naturally beneficial ingredients. Now, Living Nature (www.livingnature.com) has grown from a kitchen-table business to a successful company with customers worldwide. And, as luck would have it, the Kerikeri headquarters includes three treatment rooms.

My Sheer Indulgence facial included a warm manuka honey exfoliating mask and, while it worked its magic, my friendly Kiwi therapist explained that honey has been used for centuries for skin health and beauty. "It's a hero ingredient that moisturizes and promotes healing," she said, "because it's anti-bacterial and contains vitamins, amino acids, and minerals."

More local ingredients were included in the Luxury Pedicure. I've often seen cheerful orange and yellow calendula blooming in San Diego, but never realized that these daisy-like flowers contain vitamins A and C, plus flavonoids — all good for soothing pain and promoting healing. My tootsie treat also included locally-harvested kelp and sea salt. In addition, Living Nature uses halloysite clay to absorb skin pollutants and to exfoliate.

The fine white clay is dug from the ground near Matauri Bay, about 30 minutes north of Kerikeri. However, this sparsely populated area is better known as the home of one of New Zealand's top places to stay: The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs (www.kauricliffs.com). Here, golfers gather to gape at the 18-hole oceanfront course that sprawls along scenic clifftops. In addition to the breathtaking view and world-class golf, Kauri Cliffs offers 22 spacious rooms with country-chic decors, tennis, a remarkable vanishing-edge pool, and spa treatments.

Are all of New Zealand's spas in tiny towns and remote locations? No, just my favorite ones. I like the natural products and natural kindness I find outside of city centers. I once splurged on a Vichy Aqua treatment at Auckland's snootiest spa and was sorely disappointed. In contrast, the same procedure is a thoroughly enjoyable experience at Wisteria Day Spa in Hanmer Springs (www.nzhotsprings.com), 90 minutes north of Christchurch. Located across from the first-choice Heritage Hotel, Wisteria's owner Cathy Haines offers a Body Bliss treatment that includes a Vichy shower and body mask. Clients relax on the table in one of her "wet rooms" during a sea salt exfoliation and gentle rinse from the multiple heads of the Vichy shower wand. A full-body mud or seaweed mask, penetrating steam, and a final "Vichy spritz" follow. Cathy uses Living Nature products in some treatments and offers an exceptional amount of TLC with all services.

Hanmer Springs is best known for its beautiful Thermal Reserve, where visitors congregate to soak in a dozen pools of geothermal water. While all are relaxing, the pools of untreated sulfur-rich water are especially beneficial for folks with achy joints. The indigenous Maori people have used therapeutic warm mineral water to heal themselves for centuries — and they've had their choice of locations. New Zealand's position on the South Pacific's volcanic hotline means that thermal springs, bubbling mud pools, and rising steam are never far away.

The hot water in the pools at the Waiwera Thermal Resort north of Auckland (www.waiwera.co.nz) comes out of an underground aquifer at about 130 degrees and has to be cooled before it goes into the pools. The public resort is okay for families, but those in search of pampering will head to The Waiwera Infinity Spa tucked away in a quiet corner of the property. Here, eight private natural mineral spa pools and a range of hands-on treatments are sure to soothe.

Taupo Hot Springs Spa, in the middle of the North Island, is another popular thermal area. I especially enjoy the treatments here because they use Living Nature products in their facials and body therapies, however, when it's time to get muddy, I head up the road to Rotorua.

This hotline headquarters is world renowned for gushing geysers, steaming sulfur springs, and craters full of boiling brown goop. The geothermal activity draws most visitors (a la Yellowstone National Park), but the Polynesian Spa is my favorite attraction.

Located on Lake Rotorua near the center of town, this historic healing center offers 27 hot mineral pools — the best of these are located in the private Lake Spa Retreat area. Specialties here include Rotorua Thermal Mud treatments and the Aix Massage. The mineral-rich mud helps to cleanse and rejuvenate the skin, as well as relax muscles made sore by New Zealand's plethora of adventure activities. The very-hydrating signature massage is given under jets of warm water using coconut oil.

The Polynesian Spa uses New Zealand-made, all-natural skin care products. Some of these are from Skin Deep (www.skindeep.co.nz), which shares Living Nature's passion for manuka honey and essential oil and also incorporates kanuka oil. Plantogen (www.plantogen.com) products include manuka honey, Rotorua geothermal clay, botanical extracts, and green tea.

Also very natural — the view of Lake Rotorua from the spa's beautifully-landscaped hot pools. The steam rising off the water creates a dreamy state and is the perfect prep for an Aix Massage or a deliciously gooey detoxifying mud wrap.

Actually, now that I think about it, there are three reasons why I prefer New Zealand's small town spas: natural products, natural kindness, and views of the country's outstanding scenic wonders.

The best of these vistas is from the treatment rooms at Body Sanctum Day Spa in Queenstown (www.bodysanctum.co.nz). The sight of the sun sparkling on the deep blue water of Lake Wakatipu made it hard for me to keep my eyes closed and, I have to confess, I grabbed my camera and snapped a picture when the therapist stepped out of the room for a moment.

Body Sanctum's Honey Yogurt Body Boost includes a scrub with Skin Deep's "salt and pepper" (sea salt and kelp), followed by a yogurt honey wrap and a moisturizing treatment, -with honey body butter. And it's wonderful.
— Elizabeth Hansen, photography by Adams/Hansen Photography