The mountain scenery all around Rarotonga is truly beautiful, but along the north-east coast it is at its most dramatic. The beaches along this stretch are wild and in places covered with pebbles and dead coral. Swimming here is not safe but the coast is good for beachcombing, fishing and watching the waves crash over the reef.
Avarua is the main town on Rarotonga and extends east from the airport. The town is quite small with a few supermarkets, two banks both with ATM machines (ANZ and Westpac), several restaurants / cafes, internet booths and lots of small boutiques specialising in the sale of black pearls and fine handicrafts. Avarua is well worth a visit, especially on Saturday morning when the open air market takes place. You'll find everything from brightly coloured sarongs (wrap around dresses), to flower garlands, fresh fish and tropical fruits. To sample the very best of Rarotonga nightclubs, be sure to visit Avarua on a Friday or Saturday evening - the locals really make a night of it with seductive dancing and endless drinking. Unlike its South Pacific neighbours, Cook Islanders rarely get aggressive when drunk and fighting is uncommon.
Beach at Paradise Inn
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Avarua Market
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Accommodation on North and East Rarotonga
The coast along Avarua Town is rocky but a passage through the reef makes it ideal as a harbour for fishing boats and yachts (yachting season May-Sep). There are a few part-sandy beaches to the east of Avarua Town but swimming is restrictive. Accommodation in and around Avarua is mostly budget inns and hostels, and includes Paradise Inn which sits alongside a small part-rocky beach with views of the coastline and the stunning mountains behind town.
East of Avarua, the rugged mountains are stunning viewed from the coast and you'll find some ancient stone foundations (marae) on the inland road, as well as several dirt tracks leading into valleys. The coastline here is rugged, with mostly pebble beaches, and like Avarua, there is no place to swim. The budget style resort, Club Raro Resort is a good base for those who like the resort atmosphere and service but at very reasonable prices.
Mountains of East Coast
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Mountain View
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There's a lovely CICC church at Matavera, built from limestone in 1853 which is a good choice for Sunday service and meeting local Rarotongans. South of Matavera the beach is mostly sandy and extends unbroken all the way to Ngatangiia. Unfortunately the sea here is too shallow for swimming but this is an excellent place for beachcombing and is usually deserted apart from a few locals fishing in the lagoon. Midway along the beach is Tropical Sands, a collection of five very reasonably priced self contained bungalows, ideal for those who like privacy.
Accommodation on North and East Rarotonga
Readers may also be interested in the following destinations:
Cook Islands Travel Guide
Fiji Travel Guide
Samoa Travel Guide
Tonga Travel Guide
Tahiti Travel Guide
Hawaii Travel Guide
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