Photo © Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa

Hot Water Beach © Tourism Coromandel

Lakes Spa, Polynesian Spa © Polynesian Spa Rotorua

Relaxing at Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa © Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa

Te Aroha Mineral Pools © Te Aroha i-SITE

1 - Auckland

The Auckland region has hot pools galore, no matter what type you're after. There are leisure pools with waves, hydro-slides and diving boards for a fun day out, thermal pools for a peaceful soak and natural pools worth finding out about. Head over to Great Barrier Island for an amazing natural hot pool experience. Here an easy walk will lead you to a series of sulphurous hot springs, well worth the hour-long walk. Or, back on the main land, a great place for a day of entertainment is Aquatic Park Parakai Springs, with a variety of pools and long, thrilling hydro-slides.

2 - Coromandel Peninsula

The Coromandel offers a range of hot pools to suit every taste – just what you need when the wintery woes set in. These include the mineral thermally heated Miranda Hot Springs, which will be a hit with the kids, with plenty of room to play. The luxury tropical island feel of The Lost Spring in Whitianga is a great place to unwind and treat yourself. Don't forget Hot Water Beach, a natural wonder where for two hours either side of low tide you can dig your own hot pool as water from hot springs seeps up through the sands of this popular beach.

3 - Waikato

The Waikato region also offers a variety of choices when it comes to hot pools. Have a fun day out zooming down waterslides and enjoying the bumper boats at Waingaro, or relax in the soda spas of historic Te Aroha. Either way you'll feel relaxed and energised, whether it be from the adrenalin rush of racing down waterslides or from the natural health benefits of natural soda water drawn straight from the earth. Head out to Kawhia on the coast of the neighbouring Waitomo region for a beautifully rugged beach that reveals hot springs beneath the sand for a few hours either side of low tide – another dig-your-own spa pool.

4 - Tauranga

Tauranga is the place to go if you just can't get enough of salt water, even in the middle of winter. Nestled at the base of Mauao itself is the popular Mount Maunganui Hot Salt Water Pools, great for a midwinter dip near the beach. If your way of warming yourself up this winter is by getting some exercise, Baywave is a great place where you can do just this, while the kids will also love the wave pool and hydro-slide here. In nearby Katikati, take a break at the Sapphire Springs, with crystal-clear water heated naturally.

5 - Rotorua/Taupo

This list wouldn't be complete without New Zealand's touchstone of thermal activity, Rotorua. Here you'll find hot pools galore, including Hell's Gate, Waiora Spa and Waikite Valley, where you can bathe in the benefits of natural thermal waters. If this doesn't sound like it would occupy the kids for long, take them to the Rotorua Aquatic Centre for some fun indoors. Taupo also has its fair share of thermal pools, including the AC Baths with both indoor and outdoor thermal pools. If you look closely around Rotorua or Taupo, you'll find some amazing natural hot pools. These include Kerosene Creek near Rotorua, a small hot spring where you can enjoy flowing hot water, and Otumuheke Stream in Taupo, a hot stream that mingles with cool water as it reaches the Waikato River.

6 - Napier

In Napier, the sea views from Ocean Spa provide a distinctly New Zealand experience, and the open-air hot pools can be a welcome breath of fresh air for those forced indoors by the cold. For a natural experience, and if you don't mind working for your relaxing soak, head out about an hour and a half's drive from Napier to a car park known as 'The Gums'. Around a three and a half-hour walk will lead you to the Mangatainoka Hot Springs. This is a hidden gem with two small fibreglass baths filled by fresh hot water, which you can adjust the temperature of yourself – great at night when you can relax in the hot pools and gaze up at the stars and glowworms.

7 - Hanmer Springs

As Hanmer Springs is known as a thermal spa town, it's no surprise that it makes the list of great places to go in search of the perfect hot pool experience. The Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools are one of the main attractions of this small town, where all year round you can enjoy the natural thermal water, rock pools, pure air and surrounding mountains. Around 45 minutes drive from towards Lewis Pass is the Sylvia Flats Hot Springs. These shallow pools are great for having a relaxing soak in a beautiful location only minutes from the road, but remember the insect repellent!

8 - Lake Tekapo

If you're visiting the snowy surrounds of Lake Tekapo, you'll need warming up sooner or later. For beautiful hot pools in a natural setting with magnificent views of the surrounding landscape, Alpine Springs Spa is a great spot.

9 - Queenstown

With Queenstown being a favourite winter destination for many holidaymakers, there are many hot pools that warm you up while taking advantage of the spectacular surrounding scenery. Pools such as the Onsen Hot Pools, with a fusion of indoor and outdoor bathing, are great options.

10 - Invercargill

For those of you seriously in denial about winter's hold on the country, head to Invercargill and check out Splash Palace, one of Invercargill's many indoor pools, where the indoor coastal theme will have you believing that it's still summer and you're at the beach, right down to the waves in the wave pool.