Raratonga, Cook Islands 1
The main island in the Cook Islands chain, Raratonga, has the tropical culture of most Pacific Islands but also shares strong links with New Zealand - its citizens have NZ passports and use the currency. It's a charming place to visit with possibly the world's best snorkelling, gorgeous beaches and a rugged interior.
Aroa marine sanctuary
This marine sanctuary is in the south of Rarotonga.
The water here is really clear and clean, as you can see on the video. The visibility is incredible. As well as the cerulean crystal sea, there is a thriving coral reef containing blue coral and clams and other formations. There is an amazing diversity of fish: expect to see big shoals as well as single fish. Species include sunset wrasse Thalassoma lutescens, bullethead parrotfish Chlorurus sordidus, cornetfish Fistularia commersonii and Picasso triggerfish Rhinecanthus aculeatus as well as moray eels and turtles if you're lucky.
Every day here offers something different.
One warning: a chilly breeze can blow here so maybe wear a lycra skin in the sea if you're prone to the cold. Even though the water is warm all year round, it's easy to get cold with the wind on your back while you're exploring this incredible place.
Beaches
There are no shortage of beaches in Raro. A fringing lagoon is round most of the island, making swimming safe nearly everywhere, but seek local advice before taking a dip. The beaches are deliciously sandy sporting seashells, seaweed and heaps of hermit crabs, each one in its raffish shell. Walking along these is delightful. Watch the video for more information.
Raratonga market
Every Saturday, Raratonga hosts its weekly market about 1 kilometre north of the airport. Here the local people sell their local produce and craft, but also come shopping for goods imported from New Zealand. It's a lively scene with lots going on, and I'm a proud owner of a T-shirt sporting the insignia of the Cook Islands branch of the Society for the Protection of Animals.
Fishing trips
Fising trips leave from Raratonga port and offer excellent opportunities to catch something edibe: our party caught two good-sized tuna that gave us sushi the first night (excellent with lemon and pepper) and delicious barbecued fish the night after.
An exciting side effect of the fishing is the number of giant travelly that accumulate around the port when fisher folk are skinning fish: watch the video to see a giant trevally swallowing and regurgitating our underwater camera.
Places to stay
Raratonga caters for backpackers with heaps of resorts around the airport. There are also family stay villas, self catering options and resorts dotted around the main town of Avarua, a stone's throw from the airport, which has supermarkets, car hire places and other services.
Given the difficulty of getting round, many places throw in a car as part of your stay but realise most vehicles would not pass rego tests in Australia or New Zealand
A bus goes round the island every 30 minutes or so and at night a party bus travels from pub to pub.
Getting there
Most flights to Rarotonga leave from Auckland, New Zealand. If travelling to the Cook Islands from other destinations, it is likely you will need to stay a night in Auckland. There are heaps of places to stay to cater to all budgets around the airport with a free shuttle bus connecting all of them to the airport. The shuttle bus travels its route every half hour. If you sleep in, you can ask your hotel reception area to ring a taxi for you.
Do you have questions or comments about this article? Email maddestinations@gmail.com or leave a comment under the video.
