After spending 4 days in Aitutaki I flight back to spend 3 days at Rarotonga. Luck was with me because the rain stopped on the island 😊.

• Presentation

Rarotonga is the main island of the Cook Islands and its complete tour is about 31km. It has the same concept as Tahiti i.e. a volcanic island with mountains in the center. The capital (Avarua) is located north of the island, do not miss its market on Saturday!

• Accomodation

I took a Airbnb close to Muri at the south of Rarotonga’s island. It’s simple I felt here with my family! A truly adorable German-Maori couple who love animals and who like their guests to feel at their best. When I arrived they dropped me off at the Avarua’s market (only on Saturday morning). Sunday night they brought us (with the Canadian family staying there as well) to the night market. They have a small farm consisting of cats, chickens, goats, pigs. And besides Easter day we saved a little chick just born. He was too cute! Don’t you think?

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• Food

On Rarotonga I didn’t really errand, I mainly eaten at the market (very good and cheap) and once in a restaurant at the waterfront. Obviously the note wasn’t the same! But we must agree small pleasures 😊. On vacation I rarely eat two meals a day, a good breakfast like in the Airbnb is enough for me to hold all day!

• Trip on the island

Two buses run on Rarotonga Island: one in a clockwise direction and the other in the opposite direction. I personally didn’t take it, I made a few trips with my Airbnb and they also lent me a bike. Otherwise you can rent them their car or via an agency. Be careful, the bus doesn’t run on public holidays and there are no real timetables or bus stops. You wait for it to come to the side of the road and signal it 😊.

• Beaches and activities on the island

The most famous beach of Rarotonga is Muri. But it’s a very tourist beach, even if we aren’t on top of each other, don’t expect to be alone! There are small islets nearby that you can reach on foot (it’s shallow a lagoon). I also went a little further (towards the west) to find a beach without anyone 😊. Please note that there are potentially dangerous beaches for swimming and snorkeling!

Although the lagoon is very different from Aitutaki you can still make beautiful snorkeling or diving if you are enthusiast. At the market you will be given a lot of flyers for tours and other tourist attractions. Personally I chose to swim only with turtles but you can also go fishing or take a day cruise around the island.

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• Swimming with turtles

On Rarotonga I had the chance to swim with the turtles in their natural environment. It was magical!!

I was the only one to have a GoPro, I couldn’t dive because of my ears so the team kindly offered to dive for me and bring me a video 😊

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• Report

Of course, after Aitutaki I find Rarotonga a little less extraordinary! But we’re not going to lie, it still rocks more than Paris beach 😉. Try to aim for a rain-free period I think that with a big blue sky I benefit from it :). You will notice that here there are no stray dogs, it’s a regulation imposed by the government: no more than 2 dogs per household and they must be sterilized and declared. I think it’s really great as an initiative! I see a lot of tourists only going to Rarotonga and come back marveling. In my opinion, this remains a destination where one really benefits with a comfortable budget. I planned a trip to Fiji before coming back to France that will allow me to compare a destination more “cheap” with Rarotonga.