Rotorua is a centre for Maori culture. In many of the souvenir and gift shops around the city visitors will find exquisite examples of Maori arts and crafts - some carved from native timber, others woven from natural fibres or sculptured from greenstone, bone, shell and other natural materials. Each piece of art tells a story of the area and the Te Arawa people.
While in Rotorua, visitors should also look for specialised shops that sell black pearls and abalone (paua) pearls. Blueberry wine and other blueberry products can be found at the Blue Berry Winery. Hand blown glass is another Rotorua specialty.
Most of the attractions in Rotorua carry a range of souvenirs - from tee shirts and caps to vials of volcanic sand and geothermal mud cosmetics.