Rarotonga is the largest of the Cook Islands. It has more people and commerce than all of the other islands in the country combined, it is the seat of national government, and it has the only real town in the Cooks, Avarua. By Cook Islands’ standards, it’s big. By our standards, though, not so much. It has about 10,000 people, takes about 45 minutes to circle by car, is without a traffic light, and the Parliament building looks surprisingly like a one-story strip mall.
Most of all, Rarotonga is a sleepy place. An 8:00 p.m. dinner reservation usually is only granted after the kitchen confirms it will still be open, and it’s lights out island-wide at about 10 o’clock or so – even on the weekends. Not a playground for the night owl. And it’s a pious place – dozens of churches, a morning missive on the front page of the Cook Islands News, and a lot of Christian Rock videos on the island’s only television station. After a few days on Aitutaki, though, it seems positively urban. The culture shock from seeing a few shops, restaurants, and small hotels is palpable – we’re back in civilization…sort of.
Most people who vacation on Rarotonga, though, aren’t here for the cuisine and the nightlife (though there are some truly good places to dine out, like the Tamarind House and the Waterline Café). They seek this place out for the peace and quiet in a truly idyllic, South Pacific setting – beautiful green jagged peaks, swaying palm trees, and an azure lagoon that is picture perfect. The natural beauty of the island surrounds you. The lagoon is a constantly changing palette of greens and blues depending on the light and the time of day, the near empty beaches are so perfect that they could be a movie backdrop, and always you have the breathtaking green mountains framing the shoreline as a constant reminder that you’re in the South Pacific. The snorkeling is amazing – there are many good areas, but the best spot seems to be the marine preserve off the southern coast, near Fruits of Rarotonga. There are scads of fish, including some really big ones and some impressively large schools. In addition to a zillion species of beautiful tropical fish, we saw some real treats – a lionfish attempting to camouflage him(or her)self against some coral, a moray eel, and a sea snake. Overall, Rarotonga is a gorgeous place - it’s paradise on a beautiful day.
On a rainy, cloudy day (and we had a couple of those) it’s a small, isolated island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean offering very little in the way of recreation or stimulation away from the water. The town is small, and the shopping/sightseeing revolves around 70 or so places to buy black pearls. Even the better hotels here haven’t latched onto the notion that a DVD library or a rec room might be a good investment for their guests on those days when the wind is whipping or there’s a bit of rain. Bring a couple of good books, and don’t say you weren’t warned on those days when you’re not blessed with beach weather.
If you decide to come here, you will be a pioneer for your country. There aren’t many Americans who venture this far. Most of your compatriots will be kiwis – this seems to be Cabo or Cancun for New Zealanders and their kids. They’re here in droves. You’ll meet a few Aussies and one or two Europeans, too, but get ready to talk All Blacks rugby and mention how much you love Sauvignon Blanc when you strike up a conversation in a bar or on the beach. There are daily flights from Auckland, but only one weekly flight from LAX – thereby explaining the disparity in numbers. If the idea of “great for families” sends you running in the other direction, there are a couple of very good hotels, such as the Muri Beach Club and Reflections, that cater solely to adults.
Rarotonga would be a great stopover on a trip to or from Australia or New Zealand, easily arranged and a nice “beach time in the tropics” offset to a vacation with a lot of touring. It is also the only gateway to Aitutaki, a place I’ve decided is about as “5-star luxury meets Robinson Crusoe” as I’ll ever find in this world. You can definitely enjoy a few days here, though it might be a hard sell as a destination in itself given the distance for many Americans (but, while not expressing this opinion per se, we’ve heard more than one person extol the Cooks as friendlier, less expensive and in many ways prettier than Tahiti/French Polynesia). You’d be hard pressed to find a quieter, more relaxing and slow paced spot, though, and there’s always the thrill factor of vacationing in a place that most of your friends couldn’t find on a map if pressed.
Most of all, Rarotonga is a sleepy place. An 8:00 p.m. dinner reservation usually is only granted after the kitchen confirms it will still be open, and it’s lights out island-wide at about 10 o’clock or so – even on the weekends. Not a playground for the night owl. And it’s a pious place – dozens of churches, a morning missive on the front page of the Cook Islands News, and a lot of Christian Rock videos on the island’s only television station. After a few days on Aitutaki, though, it seems positively urban. The culture shock from seeing a few shops, restaurants, and small hotels is palpable – we’re back in civilization…sort of.
Most people who vacation on Rarotonga, though, aren’t here for the cuisine and the nightlife (though there are some truly good places to dine out, like the Tamarind House and the Waterline Café). They seek this place out for the peace and quiet in a truly idyllic, South Pacific setting – beautiful green jagged peaks, swaying palm trees, and an azure lagoon that is picture perfect. The natural beauty of the island surrounds you. The lagoon is a constantly changing palette of greens and blues depending on the light and the time of day, the near empty beaches are so perfect that they could be a movie backdrop, and always you have the breathtaking green mountains framing the shoreline as a constant reminder that you’re in the South Pacific. The snorkeling is amazing – there are many good areas, but the best spot seems to be the marine preserve off the southern coast, near Fruits of Rarotonga. There are scads of fish, including some really big ones and some impressively large schools. In addition to a zillion species of beautiful tropical fish, we saw some real treats – a lionfish attempting to camouflage him(or her)self against some coral, a moray eel, and a sea snake. Overall, Rarotonga is a gorgeous place - it’s paradise on a beautiful day.
On a rainy, cloudy day (and we had a couple of those) it’s a small, isolated island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean offering very little in the way of recreation or stimulation away from the water. The town is small, and the shopping/sightseeing revolves around 70 or so places to buy black pearls. Even the better hotels here haven’t latched onto the notion that a DVD library or a rec room might be a good investment for their guests on those days when the wind is whipping or there’s a bit of rain. Bring a couple of good books, and don’t say you weren’t warned on those days when you’re not blessed with beach weather.
If you decide to come here, you will be a pioneer for your country. There aren’t many Americans who venture this far. Most of your compatriots will be kiwis – this seems to be Cabo or Cancun for New Zealanders and their kids. They’re here in droves. You’ll meet a few Aussies and one or two Europeans, too, but get ready to talk All Blacks rugby and mention how much you love Sauvignon Blanc when you strike up a conversation in a bar or on the beach. There are daily flights from Auckland, but only one weekly flight from LAX – thereby explaining the disparity in numbers. If the idea of “great for families” sends you running in the other direction, there are a couple of very good hotels, such as the Muri Beach Club and Reflections, that cater solely to adults.
Rarotonga would be a great stopover on a trip to or from Australia or New Zealand, easily arranged and a nice “beach time in the tropics” offset to a vacation with a lot of touring. It is also the only gateway to Aitutaki, a place I’ve decided is about as “5-star luxury meets Robinson Crusoe” as I’ll ever find in this world. You can definitely enjoy a few days here, though it might be a hard sell as a destination in itself given the distance for many Americans (but, while not expressing this opinion per se, we’ve heard more than one person extol the Cooks as friendlier, less expensive and in many ways prettier than Tahiti/French Polynesia). You’d be hard pressed to find a quieter, more relaxing and slow paced spot, though, and there’s always the thrill factor of vacationing in a place that most of your friends couldn’t find on a map if pressed.
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