Taupo, New Zealand
Lake Blown-Up Volcano
"Come for the lake, stay because the caldera won't let you leave"
Official Coat of Arms
A shield depicting a trout leaping from tranquil waters above a sleeping supervolcano, flanked by two bungy cords in a state of maximum tension, with the motto 'Quiet For Now' scrolled beneath in suspiciously calm lettering.
TripAdvisor Review
★★★★☆ 4/5
"Beautiful lake, genuinely stunning, but I did not appreciate learning it's actually a giant supervolcano crater AFTER I'd already booked three nights. The bungy jump at the gorge is terrifying in a fun way, the hot springs smell like eggs left out too long, and my flat white in town cost more than my one in Auckland. Still, watching the sunrise over the lake almost made up for the existential dread."— Gary_Fromthames, Reading UK
Property Listing
Stunning lakeside living opportunity in a thriving adventure-tourism hub, offering breathtaking geothermal views, world-class trout fishing, and a uniquely dramatic geological history that adds real character to the region! Buyers should note the property sits atop one of the world's largest active calderas, but honestly, what doesn't these days.
Twinned With
Pompeii — Both are lovely places to visit that are technically sitting on top of catastrophic volcanic history.
Supporting Evidence
Lake Taupo is actually the flooded caldera of one of the most violent volcanic eruptions in human history, which occurred around 232 AD and was so powerful it reportedly reddened skies as far away as Rome and China.