Ultimate Guide to the Cook Islands: Rarotonga

We spent two weeks in the Cook Islands as part of our honeymoon (after a lot of research), dividing our time between the two islands with the most infrastructure for tourists: Rarotonga and Aitutaki.

These are our top picks for accommodation (both resorts and self-catering holiday homes), restaurants, activities, transport and money-saving tips.

When to go
Where to stay
Where to eat and drink
Island nights
What to do
How to get around
What to pack
How to see Rarotonga on a budget

When to go: Rarotonga weather and seasons

You could waste a lot of time trying to analyse the weather in the Cooks, and I did. Worse, I checked the forecast on my in-flight entertainment screen as we landed (thanks for THAT feature, Air New Zealand), and my devastated face ruined the first few hours of our holiday. But honestly, the weather varies across the island and can change quickly.

In general – it’s warmer and rainier from November to March (with a risk of hurricanes December-February), and drier but cooler from May to August. The months in between are a middle ground, and September/October is consistently recommended as it’s getting warmer but mosquitoes aren’t breeding yet.

We went in the second half of September. Most days were sunny and 21-25°C but windy on the coast – especially in the southeast – and three days were overcast with the odd shower. Basically, it’s always worth bringing books and board games.

We also avoided school holiday seasons for slightly cheaper prices and fewer people. September is great because it’s term time for most schools in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, where the bulk of Cook Islands tourists come from.

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Where to stay: Rarotonga accommodation and geography

All prices are in New Zealand dollars ($) or British pounds (£).

Rarotonga’s best accommodation options are small resorts and self-catering villas, of varying price points, all along its circular coastal road. There are no overwater bungalows here, no all-inclusive hotels (most hotels offer breakfast, but it’s worth checking), and no chain hotels – this is not the place to spend your Hilton or Marriott points.

Each side of the island is a bit different, with its own pros and cons:

North

The main town, Avarua, is in the north. It has the best-stocked supermarkets and souvenir shops, and some great restaurants, but fewer tourists actually stay on the north side – the reefline is nearer the coast here, so the beaches and swimming aren’t the best. That said, Black Rock beach in the northwest is pretty, popular with locals, and often warmer as it’s less windy than beaches in the south.

I didn’t look into accommodation in the north so can’t give recommendations, but Ikurangi Eco Retreat is about halfway between Avarua and Muri, and it looks really cool. It’s ‘glamping’ I guess – luxury tents with mountain views and amazing breakfasts (about £150/night, or £240 for the best tent). I really wanted to stay here, but Phill wanted to be on a beach.

East

In the east, Muri is probably the most touristy part of the Cook Islands. Lots of accommodation options, a couple of great cafes, and Rarotonga’s pick of activities – lagoon and buggy tours start from here, for example, and there are places to rent stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, cars, etc. There are a couple of grocery stores and a pharmacy.

Apparently Muri has a growing water pollution problem; it looked clean enough to us but ask locally if you’re worried. We didn’t swim, but loved walking along Muri beach – the sand is soft and the view of four motu (islets) is lovely. There were a few more screaming children and rowdy teenagers than other parts of the island, but they were easy enough to avoid. And the nightlife wasn’t raging – we were surprised to find even Muri is low-key after dark.

We stayed at Muri Beach Cottages, which was good value (we paid £95/night). There are three villas – the cheaper ‘pole house’ is smaller, but the other two are spacious – with fully equipped kitchenettes and gorgeous views. It’s about a 15-minute walk to Muri’s shops and restaurants (bring a flashlight at night), but on the plus side it’s quiet and walking distance to Titikaveka in the opposite direction.

More budget accommodation options in Muri, with good reviews, include Aroko Bungalows (about £65/night), Aremango Guesthouse (from £36), Kura’s Kabanas (£70), Muri Retreat (£67, or or £75 for a lagoon-view studio). At the luxury end, Te Manava (£295) looks great.

South

In the south, Titikaveka and Tikioki are often recommended for swimming and snorkelling – the beaches are beautiful here, the water is deep enough at all times of day, and it’s much quieter than Muri. We spent our first three days in the Cook Islands here, and it felt perfectly remote and secluded.

We stayed at Royale Takitumu, a lovely boutique resort (from £250/night). The villas are spacious and comfortable, the interior design is a little dated, but the service is impeccable – they’ll happily make restaurant bookings for you, organise transport, book activities – and although there’s no restaurant, there are enough nearby, and your fridge is stocked with a few breakfast essentials.

More affordable options in the area include Bella’s Beach Bungalows (from £85), and a lot of places on Airbnb. Moana Sands is a mid-range hotel (£180), but it’s a great location and has a restaurant.

West

The west side of Rarotonga is best for sunsets, and it’s often calmer than the windy southeast. The beaches are still pretty, but there’s more coral in the water and you can’t swim at low tide. There are several hotels with great reviews; we were tempted by Sanctuary Rarotonga (£205), Magic Reef Bungalows (£181) and Sunset Resort (£165).

A lot of these places are adults only, or over-12s only, so that’s something to check if you’re travelling with kids.

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Where to eat and drink: Rarotonga restaurants and bars

North

In Avarua, Trader Jacks is always fun – we had great fish tacos and many cheap beers here. Cafe Salsa is highly recommended for breakfast and lunch, and for great value seafood at lunchtime, there are several huts at the east end of the Punanga Nui market – Bite Time and Michele’s Cafe are popular. Further west, overlooking Black Rock beach, Tuoro Cafe has good food and sea views.

For dinner, Tamarind House is special. It’s not cheap, but worth it – the food is excellent and the view is romantic. Time your booking to catch the sunset.

East

In Muri, the night market is everyone’s favourite budget option. Most dishes cost $15 and it’s open Tues, Weds, Thurs and Sun from 5–8pm, but arrive early – we got there at 7pm on a busy night, and almost everything had sold out. The music was overloud and the chow mein we ended up with was overcooked – so we didn’t love the night market, but I suspect we were just unlucky.

Deli-licious and LBV are both great cafés; we especially loved the breakfasts at LBV. Also popular are Vili’s for burgers, The Rickshaw for Asian food and Sails, which has a view of the beach – we tried a few cocktails and sharing platters at Sails, and always enjoyed it.

About ten different people recommended The Mooring to us, and its fish sandwiches really are excellent, but unfortunately by the time we went our hearts already belonged to Charlie’s.

South

Charlie’s! We loved Charlie’s so much we went back three times – probably the only time I’ve ever gone to the same restaurant more than once while travelling. I can’t vouch for anything else on the menu, but the fish sandwiches are addictive and big enough to share between two (yay, cheap!). The vibe is fun and casual, with picnic tables and pitchers of beer, and live music most nights.

More high-end options are the Little Polynesian resort, which has cosy gazebo tables (ask for one if you book) and slightly pretentious but delicious food, and Vaima. Tips for Vaima: get a table on the beach if it’s warm enough, and sink your toes in the sand, order the pork belly, and take advantage of their free pick-up and drop-off if you’re not staying nearby.

West

For a view of the sunset, several resorts on the west side have good beach bars. We tried Wilson’s Beach Bar at the Castaway Resort and Shipwreck Hut at Aro’a Beachside Inn – both had decent cocktails and a friendly atmosphere, and served food. We also heard Kikau Hut is good, and The Waterline would be best for a more upmarket meal.

Or alternatively…

Try the progressive dinner tour – for $99 you’re taken to three local families’ houses to eat a three-course home-cooked menu.

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The best island nights in Rarotonga

I’ll list these here because they’re part food, part entertainment… island nights are an essential experience in the Cook Islands, and a chance to see Polynesian dancing and music.

We went to Te Vara Nui, and loved it. Yes, it’s touristy (all those screamy kids we saw on Muri beach earlier), but the buffet was amazing and the over-water show was impressive – slick, professional, and the layout of the place means everyone gets a good view (granted we were comparing it to an ill-fated island night in Aitutaki, but still). It’s $109 per person on Tues, Thurs and Sat.

Or do what we did and add the ‘cultural village tour’ beforehand for another $20. We thought it would be cringey, but actually learned a lot – it’s basically a series of talks on everything from South Pacific history to fishing techniques, all interesting and informative.

If we’d had time, we might also have gone to Highland Paradise, which looks a bit more authentic than jazzy – I get the impression it’s smaller-scale, with more of a focus on local foods and history. And it’s up in the mountains, which is cool. It costs $99/person on Mon, Weds and Fri.

Many hotels also run an island night. Quality varies, but they are cheaper:

• The Islander – $49 per person, or show only for $15, Tues
• The Rarotongan – $49 / show only $20 on Sat; $65 / show only $35 on Weds
• Crown Beach Resort – $55 / show only $15, Thurs
• Muri Beach Club Hotel – $59, Weds
• The Edgewater – $65 / show only $15, Tues and Sat

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What to do in Rarotonga

The obvious: swim, snorkel and sunbathe if it’s sunny, take long walks on the beach (I love that Rarotonga’s beaches are all public property, so you can almost walk around the whole island), read, eat and drink a lot (see above).

But there’s a lot more to do, and some good options for a rainy day – you could learn about the local brewery or embrace the mud on a buggy tour. There are local crafts to discover on a shopping trip, a couple of great hikes, and a lot of lagoon activities to try – from diving to nighttime stand-up paddleboarding.

So much, in fact, that for the sake of space I’ve moved the details to a separate post.

Read about it all in 18 things to do in Rarotonga: tours, hikes, shops and activities

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How to get around: Rarotonga transport

Car hire

We’d intended to spend the trip walking and taking the bus, but after a few days we caved and hired a car. It’s just easier, and gives you more freedom to explore. Island Cars was great – helpful, affordable, and you can book online. We paid $75 per day, including a fee for leaving the car at the airport.

Bus

The bus service is reliable and relatively cheap. There are two routes, clockwise and anti-clockwise, which circle the island in an hour. See the schedule here. It costs $5 for a single ride, $8 return or $16 for a day pass, and there’s a $2 charge for each big bag or suitcase.

Scooters

You can hire a scooter from the same places you’d get a car, and we saw a lot of tourists who did, but two things put us off:

1. By law, you need either a motorcycle licence from your home country, or a Cook Islands licence. That involves booking and passing a written and practical test at the police station in Avarua, at a cost of $20 (and another $10 if you need to retake either test), $20 to print the licence, and you’ll need to hire or borrow a scooter in order to take the test. I guess a licence is a fun souvenir though.

It’s a much simpler process in Aitutaki – a bit of paperwork rather than the tests – so it’s worth waiting if you’re going there anyway.

2. Safety: Road surfaces were decent enough, but every now and then a dog would run out, or a sudden rain shower would drench the roads, and we heard a few warnings about careless drivers.

Bear in mind motorcycle helmets are mandatory for foreigners.

Bikes

I’d try an e-bike instead of a regular bicycle, to cover more ground – distances between places in Rarotonga are often further than you’d think. We didn’t in the end, but Tik-e Tours was recommended for rentals.

Taxi

Ask your accommodation to book taxis for you. We used AJ Taxi (tel. +682 22592) and Tiare Transport (+682 29629), but never saw any that could be flagged down. They’re not cheap – a taxi from the airport to the south side of the island (one way, about 20 mins) was $40.

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What to pack for Rarotonga

Not a comprehensive packing list, but some things I’m really glad I packed for the Cook Islands: 

• Clothes: shorts, skirts, t-shirts and vest tops, dresses, a hoodie/cardigan and a rain jacket. The locals aren’t especially conservative (bar actual nudity), unless you’re going to church, in which case wear a longer skirt and cover your shoulders.
• Shoes: flip flops, smarter sandals, hiking shoes, and most importantly, reef shoes. There’s coral, rocks, sometimes glass and very occasionally stonefish, so be careful where you step and swim.
• Loads of sunscreen (you can buy it there, but I like to be prepared. Side note, I’ve just tried Vichy Idéal Soleil Dry Touch face sunscreen and love it – no more shiny face!). I recommend bringing a rash vest too, especially if you’ll be spending much time out in the water. UV rays in the Cook Islands are stronger than we’re used to, and we felt the effects really quickly on a sunny day.
• Mosquito repellent, ideally one with picaridin/icaridin instead of DEET, which damages the reef. I like Smidge that Midge, which feels (and smells) gentle but works. It’s also worth having mosquito coils or plug-in repellents, but your accommodation might supply that.
• Basic drugs: ibuprofen, antiseptic cream, antihistamine pills and plasters – but again, you can get this stuff at pharmacies in Rarotonga.
• A plug converter – outlets in the Cooks are the same as New Zealand and Australia; two flat pins at an angle.
• A flashlight, for walking after dark.

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Rarotonga on a budget: how to save money

I’ve mentioned we somewhat blew the budget on this trip, and you won’t be able to see the Cook Islands on a Southeast Asia budget. But if you choose one of the cheaper accommodation options I’ve listed and follow the tips below, you can stay under $100 per person per day.

My top money-saving tips:

• Stay somewhere with a kitchen, so you can cook the odd meal, and with a nice view, so you’re happy to have drinks there in the evenings. Prime Foods in Avarua is a good supermarket, in terms of range and prices.
• Buy alcohol in the duty-free shop when you arrive in Rarotonga, before going through immigration (don’t worry if it’s early; the shops open for each international flight). It’s about half the cost – we bought a bottle of rum for $30 that cost $60 in town. New Zealand wine is affordable – $20+ in stores – but you might pay $10 for a beer or glass of wine in bars.
• Take the bus instead of renting a car, but rent a car instead of using taxis.
• Get a copy of Jason’s Guide, which has vouchers for money off tours, island nights, drinks and meals. It’s free and you can order it online from anywhere in the world. At Rarotonga airport, the maps and leaflets lining the immigration queue also have a few discount offers – pick them up while you wait.
• Don’t need the internet. Most hotels give a limited wifi allowance with your room – like 200 MB – but in general wifi in the Cook Islands is both expensive and unreliable. BlueSky sells a visitor SIM card with 3 GB of data, 30 mins talk time and 300 texts, for $49. You can buy it at the airport, and it lasts 15 days.
• Bring New Zealand dollars in cash and a credit card that’s good for foreign spending, like Halifax’s Clarity card in the UK, to avoid paying extra ATM and currency exchange fees.
• Look out for Air New Zealand flight sales – they just had one for Black Friday for example. Use Skyscanner to find the cheapest fares. The Hopper app can also be useful – its flight search doesn’t usually bring up the cheapest, but it shows how flight prices are likely to rise and fall over time.

Prices are in New Zealand dollars ($) or British pounds (£).

Some of the links in this post are affiliates, meaning if you click through and make a booking, you’ll pay the same but win me a small commission to help support this site.