Waitomo
Waitomo | |
|---|---|
The entrance to a cave in the Waitomo area | |
Interactive map of Waitomo | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Waikato region |
| District | Waitomo District |
| Ward | Waitomo Rural Ward |
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Waitomo District Council |
| • Regional council | Waikato Regional Council |
| • Mayor of Waitomo | John Robertson |
| • Taranaki-King Country MP | Barbara Kuriger |
| • Hauraki-Waikato MP | Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Area code | 07 |
Waitomo, officially Waitomo Caves, is a rural community in the King Country region of New Zealand's North Island. There are several solutional cave systems in the area around the village, which are popular tourist attractions. Restaurants and accommodation are centred in the village to serve visiting tourists.
The word Waitomo comes from the Māori language: wai meaning water and tomo meaning a doline or sinkhole; it can thus be translated to be "water passing through a hole". The caves are formed in Oligocene limestone.
The historic Waitomo Caves Hotel is located in Waitomo Caves village.