Blue Spring, Te Waihou Walkway, New Zealand  Mar 22, 2024

Explore the Te Waihou Walkway while hiking along the Waihou River in New Zealand. This trail near Putāruru—officially opened by former Prime Minister Helen Clark in 2000—leads to the Blue Spring. The spring, famous for its pure water, supplies 70% of the country"s bottled water, which is sourced from an underground aquifer system. The water, radiating vivid shades of blue and green, has a temperature of 11 degrees Celsius all year round. With a robust flow rate of 42 metres per minute, it could fill a six-lane, 25-metre swimming pool in just over 12 minutes. Called "Te Puna" in Maori, the spring is a natural taonga (treasure). So don"t be tempted to splash in the water; to preserve the unique vegetation and ecosystem, swimming is prohibited.

© Ian Beattie/Alamy

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