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 | Cook Islands Things To Do | Tips 31 - 40 of 75 |  |
If you can't fit in a trip to Aitutaki, you can experience the next best thing (and in my opinion, it's still a long way off), by spending a day, or staying in accommodation at, Muri Beach on Rarotonga.
Muri is a lagoon with four islands. The lagoon is situated on the eastern side of the island. There is a lot of backpacker accommodation here, as well as at least one very expensive hotel. The beach is long and there's plenty of space to set yourself up on for the day. You can hire kayaks, take a reef trip, or snorkel.
While I was there one day I swam over to Koromiri Island and then to Oneroa Island.
Because of it's location, Muri Beach and lagoon tend to cop the trade winds and that can make the place a bit blustery sometimes. Leave a Comment Directions: Muri Beach is on the eastern side of Rarotonga, the main island in the Cooks.
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When in Aitutaki, you must spend as much time as possible on or in the lagoon. The waters there are stunning. The sparkling clear waters dazzle and the picturesque palm fringed islands offer peeks of gleaming white coral sand beaches.
Bishop's Cruises is one of several companies offering lagoon cruises. All the companies I rang charged $65 for a day on the lagoon. This included pick-up from your accommodation, a boat trip to a snorkelling spot near Maina Island, lunch on One Foot Island, transfers back to your accommodation. One company did this in reverse, with lunch on a little island near Maina, called Honeymoon Island.
We wanted to spend as much time on One Foot as possible, while still seeing as much as the lagoon as possible and snorkelling. We chose Bishop's because they met our needs the best and because they had an option where we could go on a small boat that only took 8 people. This way we got a more intimate trip. We were not disappointed in the slightest (apart from having to go home at the end of the day).
Bishop's Cruises provided us with an unforgettable day! We were taken to a beautiful snorkelling spot near Honeymoon Island for about an hour and a half of snorkelling. Then we got to walk across Honeymoon Island. Next it was on to One Foot Island where we had a beautiful lunch (more delicious fish steaks) and had the whole afternoon to swim in the lagoon. We were transferred to a big boat for the homeward journey.
You must make reservations for any cruise you do. Leave a Comment Phone: (on Aitutaki) 31009Other Contact: bishopcruz@aitutaki.net.ck
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And then there are the OTHER gardens, also quite lovely, with bridges and pathways down which you can wander.
Located in Titikaveka, this cafe offers breakfast, lunch, snacks, expresso, and a view that overlooks the lush botanical gardens towards the mountains. Leave a Comment Address: TitikavekaDirections: Open Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 12 noon-4pm
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...don't pass up a cool fruit drink and a delicious lunch at the Ambala Gardens Cafe. They offer a nice assortment of local specialties, and some delicious iced drinks to relieve the heat of the day.
There's also a nice selection of artwork created by island residents displayed on the walls, mostly for sale at very reasonable prices. Leave a Comment
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Naturally, for a group of tiny islands in the middle of the South Pacific, in the Cook Islands it's all about the ocean. The water is nice and warm year-round, with temperatures between 23 and 32 C, and the visibility is just amazing - 100 to 200 feet.
The Cook Islands are great for both divers and snorkellers - and there's a wide range of diving sites - including caves, a variety of coral, the reef drop-off and some wrecks... There are several diving companies operating on Rarotonga, where you can of course get your desired PADI certificates:
Dive Rarotonga
The Dive Centre
Cook Islands Divers
Deep sea fishing is a very popular activity in both Rarotonga and Aitutaki, as well as sailing, windsurfing and surfing. Humpback whales on their migration route north from the Antarctic visit the Cook Islands approx. from July to October, and often come very close to Rarotonga's shoreline - they can sometimes even be viewed from land. Leave a Comment
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Off the beaten track (of which there's only one anyway), beautiful gardens filled with the scent of floral perfumes...jasmine, gardenia, frangipani...I've created a Travelogue for the flowers, all unique, all so lovely. Leave a Comment
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Even if you're not religious, you should consider going to a Sunday morning service at one of the many churches on Rarotonga - the hymn singing is beautiful! Wandering around the churchyards is also quite interesting.
Around 70% of the Cook Islands population belong to the Cook Islands Christian Church, but several other churches are represented in the islands.
Visitors are very welcome at the church services - but wear a nice dress/pair of pants, as the islanders dress up to go to church - you'll notice that many of the women wear white 'rito' hats made of coconut fibre. Leave a Comment
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You can't travel all the way to the Cook Islands without properly exploring the amazing lagoon - there's an abundance of colourful fish, and the water is crystal clear - especially Aitutaki has by far the best snorkelling I've ever done...
Rarotonga's best snorkelling spot is around Titikaveka on the south eastern part of the island, by the shop called Fruits of Rarotonga - just get off the bus near the shop, run down to the beach, jump into the water & say hello to hundreds of tropical fish!:-) The area is quite large, and it's a good idea to wear fins.
Snorkelling gear can be rented from most hotels and guesthouses, but the quality of the gear can be quite disappointing. If you want to buy your own snorkel & mask, the Dive Shop in Avarua has a wide selection and is open every day from 8:00am - 5:30pm. Leave a Comment Directions: Rarotonga's lagoon..:-) Near Fruits of Rarotonga
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A cruise in the stunning lagoon of Aitutaki is the highlight of any trip, and really shouldn't be missed! You get to visit truly fantastic white beaches on some of the 12 motus (coral islets) in the lagoon, including beautiful One Foot Island, and you'll be taken to some great snorkelling spots (snorkelling gear is provided, but the quality might not be perfect, so if you've got your own, by all means bring it along!).
There are many cruise operators on the island, all pretty much the same - but you might want to ask how long they stay at the snorkelling spots, as some won't let you swim around for very long - and you won't want to leave as the snorkelling is amazing! It's also a good idea to ask how many participants there will be on the cruise, as some of the boats seemed a bit crowded. The cruises last all day, and a BBQ lunch is included.
If you bring your passport along, you can even get a cute "One Foot Island"-stamp in it for a few dollars..;-) Leave a Comment
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We took the Bishop Lagoon Cruise. It is basically all day and well worth the time and money. You get to visits some small motos, snorkel and have a great fish BBQ on One Foot Island. You spend a fair amount of time there to enjoy the food and walk around the island. They use small boats, we had eight people on our trip.
Take Wet and Wild's Lagoon Cruise for something a little different. You don't go where the other tour groups go and you finish up your day with watering skiing, tubing or wake boarding. We also snorkeled outside the reef. Awesome. Leave a Comment Address: You'll get info when you land.
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on October 8, 2005
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