Rarotonga Island - Travel guide

The locals refer to Rarotonga Island as Raro and of the several Cook Islands, Rarotonga is well known as the most populous one. Most travelers to Rarotonga enter the island through the Rarotonga International Airport which offers daily flight connections to Auckland. The entire island comprises of several villages and it is the main township in Avarua. The main village on the island is Avarua and it is the most populated place here. The main tourist place in Rarotonga is Muri that has scattered lagoon and other great apartments. Aroa village boasts of a great beach and a well protected lagoon. These villages are quite tiny and will take you no more than 20 minutes to walk around. You can easily watch to the beach, store and an ATM and with slow traffic, you can catch a good view of all the things here in a simple way. During times of low tide, you can as well take a beach walk which is always great.

The main sport in Rarotonga Island is Rugby and there are several rugby stadiums located on the island where you can always go out to see a game especially at National Stadium. The botanical Maire Nui Gardens are very nice and you will find samples of different plants and fruits that grow on the island. The gardens also have a café where you can buy some coffee as well as home made focaccia and quinche. You can also try the amazing pineapple cheesecake. 

Scuba diving in Rarotonga Island especially close the reef is quite a wonderful and breathtaking experience. The tropical waters are quite warm and very inviting. There are many dive operators where you can easily book yourself a dive with good equipment and tank boat. Wrecks are available in Rarotonga, lots of fish and small caves. You can also take home a wonderful experience of diving with the whales and you can also go for snorkeling at Black Rock. There are also several events held on Rarotonga Island like Te Maire Maeva Nui which is a cultural festival of dancing and music held annually and attracts performers from Rarotonga Island and nearby islands. A canoeing festival known as Vaka Eiva is also is one of the most exciting and fun festivals you can ever visit.

Rarotonga offers a great spot for snorkeling where you can even see the corals and tropical fish in the calm beaches. However, you should avoid rocky beaches as there are several sandy beaches and lagoons that assure you even a much better experience. You can as well go trekking into the bush where you will encounter many exciting challenges along the way. Rarotonga Island also offers a great destination for windsurfing especially in the Muri lagoon despite the fact that winds are not as strong as such. If you have a private yacht, you can also explore some of the islands that are uninhabited like Suwarrow and Takutea but it is advisable that you don’t go there without a local guide.