Huka Falls was one of those places I fell in love with the moment I saw a photo on Instagram. The uniquely colored rushing blue waters seemed both powerful and serene. I looked them up and found they were on many “must see” New Zealand lists, so by the time I got to them I was really excited.
Unfortunately, Huka Falls was a bit of a letdown.
While it is technically a “waterfall,” Huka Falls, I think New Zealand should consider renaming them to “Huka Rapids.” For most of the journey “down,” the water from the Waikato river is on a very gradual incline. However, the water is moving quite fast through narrow passages lined with rocks, making it a sight to both see and hear.
There is a bit of a proper waterfall into a pool at the end, but it’s not especially stunning. (Of the waterfalls I’ve seen in New Zealand, Huka definitely ranks third for impressiveness behind Kitekite Falls and Rere Falls.)
While all of this sounds incredibly disappointing, it’s not. You see, for me, the best part about Huka Falls isn’t the falls themselves, or how tall they are. The main attraction here is the color of the water.
The falls are uniquely blue, that apparently isn’t the result of a special chemical mixture. According to the official tourism website, the color of the falls, like all water, is from a reflection of the blue light from the sky. This fact is somewhat disappointing, but at the same time makes sense. Because New Zealand’s natural beauty is so well preserved, of course, this would be the only place where the water reflects the sky’s color so accurately.
In the end, I spent a total of 5 minutes in the place and saw everything I needed, so when planning your trip to New Zealand, I wouldn’t book too much time out for Huka Falls. (That is, unless you’re into jet boating.) In fact, I think Huka Falls should be treated like a good roadside attraction: it’s a great place for a quick pit stop on your way to or from Taupo. (It even has a snack stand and bathrooms.)
