Rarotonga Island Travel Guide
Vibrant Centre of the Cook Islands
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Rarotonga is the vibrant centre of the Cook Islands. Its circular shape is dominated by high mountain peaks from which lush rain forests cascade to a palm-fringed shore. The island is almost completely encircled by a reef, which harbours a lagoon of clear turquoise waters and many inviting white sand beaches. Beyond the reef, the indigo blue of the ocean provides a vivid contrast and a bountiful supply of fish.
The majority of visitors to the Cook Islands base themselves on Rarotonga, visiting outlying islands by excursion.
Avarua is the main town on the island and the commercial centre of the Cook Islands. During business hours, it has a friendly, bustling atmosphere together with a good selection of shops, banks, cafés and visitor facilities. It is also the main port and host to many cruising yachts.
Rarotonga Island stands over 4500 metres above the ocean floor. The island has an area of 67 km², the volcano is nearly 50 km in diameter. The highest peak on the island above sea level is 658 metres.
The interior of the island is dominated by eroded volcanic peaks cloaked in dense vegatation. Sealed and unsealed roads allow access to valleys but the interior of the island remains largely unpopulated due to forbidding terrain and lack of infrastructure. Agricultural terraces, flats, and swamps surround the central mountain area.
A large tract of land has been set aside in the south east as the Takitumu Conservation Area to protect the islands native birds and plants, namely the Rarotonga Flycatcher, Kakerori.
Attractions in Rarotonga Island
Rarotonga’s Visitor Centre is located in downtown Avarua. Visitors are made most welcome and can drop in for any information, souvenir clothing, or guidance between the hours of 8am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Activities in Rarotonga Island
For a birds-eye view of Rarotonga, take a scenic flight around the island by light aircraft. The more adventurous will no doubt opt for a flight by microlight, a real thrill, and definitely an experience to remember.
The most popular Rarotonga hike is the cross-island mountain trek, which takes approximately four hours. This includes a stop at ‘The Needle’, a unique rock formation high above Rarotonga. The Takitimu Conservation Area offers gentle nature walks through lush forest and along mountain streams, where you will find a number of rare and endangered species of plants and birds.
Professional tour guides in 4WD vehicles can provide you with one of the most exciting, adventurous and educational safaris on Rarotonga.
Snorkelling can be enjoyed virtually anywhere around the island. A prolific abundance of tropical marine life, colourful fish and interesting corals can be viewed by anyone who can snorkel. Ask locally for the most interesting and safest places to visit and remember to protect this fragile environment.
Viewing the colourful marine life is made easy when cruising the lagoon by glass-bottom boat, or perhaps by a semi-submersible that also takes you beyond the reef. For fast, breathtaking fun, high-speed tours beyond the reef will get you close to whales (in season) and provide stunning views of Rarotonga.
Game and sport fishing can provide an exhilarating day’s outing just beyond the reef. With no lengthy journey to fishing areas, the action commences as soon as you leave the boat harbour. For the expert or beginner, charter game fishing is very affordable and a fishing expedition can be tailor made to suit your needs. Charter operators provide all the gear necessary for every type of fishing, including saltwater fly and light-tackle sport fishing.
Windsurfers, sailboats, catamarans and kayaks are available for hire. On Rarotonga, the most popular place for sailing activities is at Muri Lagoon. The Rarotonga Sailing Club at Muri Beach welcomes all visitors.
Relaxing
An excellent choice of accommodation can be found sprinkled around the island’s perimeter, offering a wide variety of choice.
Getting Around
As the entire island is only 32 kilometres in circumference, getting around is easy. There are two main roads on Rarotonga – you can circle the island on the Ara Tapu coastal sealed road, through the villages and past the beaches; or you can take the older inland road, which winds through fields of taro, pawpaw, bananas and local farmlands.
The motor scooter is a popular, fun way to see the sights. Bikes, cars and jeeps are also available from local rental agencies. The “Island Bus” offers a convenient low cost method of transport, operating regular schedules around the island (in both directions). It will pick you up and set you down anywhere on request.
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