The Ultimate Rarotonga Guide

Of the first 21 years of my life that were spent living in England, I didn’t hear of Rarotonga once. Fiji, sure! Samao, definitely. Even Tahiti if you’re feeling extra fancy. But Rarotonga? Never. One year in New Zealand, however, and it’s almost impossible to find someone who hadn’t been to Raro, never mind not heard of it. So, naturally, when Air New Zealand had an island sale, I jumped at the chance to see what all of the fuss was about, and it did not disappoint. The scenery, culture and people of the island make it the perfect place for a relaxing getaway, with just the right amount of excitement thrown in. Ready to plan your trip? Great! Here is my ultimate Rarotonga guide.

The Basics

• Location: Rarotonga is the biggest island of the Cook Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean.
• Currency: The Cook Islands use New Zealand Dollars although they have their own coins. NZ cash is accepted everywhere in Rarotonga but they are likely to give you change in Cook Island coins which can’t be used anywhere off the islands (although the coins are pretty cool and are probably worth keeping anyway).
• Language: English and Cook Islands Maori are the official languages of the island. English is spoken pretty much everywhere but expected to be greeted with ‘Kia Orana’, a Maori phrase meaning “may you live a long and fulfilling life” that is used to say hi, bye, welcome, thank you as well as providing a general philosophy that many islanders live by.

What To Do

• Muri Beach: Obviously a tropical island has no shortage of beaches, but Muri is probably the most beautiful and interesting. It is also one of the biggest towns on the island, full of restaurants and bars (well…there’s like, at least ten different businesses in the town…that counts as busy right?).

• Kayak or paddle board: There are loads of places around the island that do kayak and paddle board rentals, as well as many resorts offering it free of charge to guests. Muri is probably the best place for this. If you don’t feel confident exploring by yourself, you can book a tour which will take you to the best spots around the islands so you don’t miss out.
• Captain Tama’s Lagoon Cruise: Hop on board one of famous Captain Tama’s glass bottom boats and head through the lagoon, stopping on a tiny island for a BBQ lunch after a morning of snorkelling. Listen to the crew sing traditional songs as you eat and take in a coconut husking demonstration before heading back to the shore. With young, hilarious guides, you’ll never want to leave the boat.
• Snorkelling and diving: We made an error on our first snorkelling trip assuming that Muri Beach would be the best swimming spot on the island (it is best for most other things to be fair). It was still interesting but lacked the bright colours and liveliness you expected from a tropical reef. Luckily enough, a local friend righted our wrongs the next day and took us to Aroa Beach, a much better destination with much, much more to see. You can hire snorkels from The Dive Centre, as well as book guided scuba tours and dive lessons. 

• Coco Putt: What could be better than a round of mini golf in the tropical heat with a cold drink in hand? Nothing. Exactly. Coco Putt is the perfect way to spend a relaxing afternoon when all that lying on the beach becomes a little too much. The drinks are cheap, the food is good and the owner, Tooks, is a bit of a living legend on the island. He knows absolutely everyone, is so friendly and even offered us a ride to the airport.
• Island Culture Show: You can’t visit a Polynesian island without getting to know the culture, and the various island shows are the perfect first step. Te Vara Nui is probably the most spectacular, with an entire village to explore, followed by a buffet dinner and over-water cultural performance, but a lot of the resorts will do their own versions which are cheaper. We went to the one at the Edgewater Resort as it was the cheapest but when I found myself on stage trying to hula dance with an 8 year old boy in front of about a hundred people, I wish I would’ve splashed out a little more. Or at least sat further towards the back.
• The Cross Island Hike: The four hour walk from the north to the south of the island winds up through the jungle, providing amazing views of the ocean. The tourist board suggests that you join a guided tour if you’re unfamiliar with the island but it’s possible to do the walk on your own if the weather is on your side. The trail becomes extremely slippery on wet days so it’s best not to risk a solo mission if there’s any chance of rain.

Want to extend your trip? Why not hop over to New Zealand and enjoy these 8 must do activities!

Where to Stay

Because the island is small and it’s easy to get around, location is that much of a factor so where to stay very much depends on your budget.

• Resorts: 5 star resorts with private beaches and spas are dotted around the island, offering glorious luxury to those willing to splash the cash. Rumours is a favourite among honeymooners and is about as fancy as you can get, while the Edgewater Resort is perfect for those wanting the resort experience without the 5* price tag. I’m usually not a big resort fan and would usually spend my time exploring, but in such a relaxed environment, the ease of this option can be a massive positive.
• AirBnB: There are some really cute AirBnB villas on the island if you fancy a more independent trip. I stayed in the Nirvana Villa during my trip and couldn’t recommend it more. Kristina, the owner was so friendly and helpful. She even left us fresh fruit for breakfast!

• Hostels: There are plenty of hostels around for those on a budget. Most even come complete with a ocean view, a bar and entertainment most nights. Several might not be on big sites like HostelWorld though so make sure you shop around.

Getting Around

Don’t be fooled, the island is small, but if you want to explore it fully, walking just won’t cut it. Don’t worry, it’s still super easy (and fun!) to get around!

• The Island Bus: I’m not a big bus fan whilst travelling, mainly because I get so confused by the routes. Here, however, it’s pretty hard to get confused. There are two buses, clockwise and anti-clockwise. Simple. Keep in mind that they run on island time, so the schedules are barely every correct. Try to relax and enjoy the local experience for what it is!
• Scooter: This is by far the most convenient way to get around. Hiring a scooter is cheap and you get a level of independence that the bus just doesn’t provide. Plus, it’s just really fun!

Things to Know

• Rarotonga is nowhere near as cheap as I expected. Because everything needs importing, it’s actually pretty expensive, even compared to New Zealand.
• Whilst seafood on the island is amazing (I’ve heard, I can’t eat it), a lot of the other food suffers due to all the importing going on. The food isn’t bad, it’s just hard to find high quality, cheaper food so I often found myself with a sub-par pizza, drowning my culinary sorrows in 2-4-1 cocktails.
• There are dogs EVERYWHERE. I still have no idea if they have owners or not but some are quite aggressive so just stay calm and try not to panic.

Have you been to the Cook Islands? What would you include in your ultimate Rarotonga guide?

Katie x