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Friday afternoons, business shuts down and the island's attention focus upon the rugby pitches. The main sports field is by the small wharf in Arutanga. Even if you are not a rugby fan, it is well worth your time to watch how the island comes together in the afternoon sun. Watch how sports could be before television money and megamillion salaries jaded player, spectator, and owner. Men play rugby and women play netball.
The beaches are beautiful and usually almoste deserted except at the resorts. Long stretches of beach are great for a nice morning or evening walk. All along the southern part of the island the beaches are sandy and you can watch the surf crashing on the reef out in the distance. On the northern part of the island the beaches are rocky and great for beachcombing as the reef is much closer to shore. In October and November you can often see the whales cruising just outside the reef.
Sitting on the deck at Sails on Muri Beach having a nice cold one is a great way to pass a lazy afternoon. There's usually something going on .... sometimes you'll see a team of rowers practicing with their kavaka (I have no idea how to spell it but it's a long boat), maybe the lagoon cruiser will be taking a wedding party over to one of the motos for the ceremony, wind surfers might be out on the lagoon, or maybe nothing much is happening at all except for the ocean breeze and the surf out in the distance.
The Cook Islanders dance like no other Polynesian people. They are amazing, from the yougest to the oldest - just about everybody dances or has been part of a dance troup. The drumming and singing that accompanies the dancers is also amazing and complete the package. I would recommend and "Island Night" at one of the resorts which includes a buffet dinner of local dishes as well as a show. Well worth doing at least once. The Rarotongan Resort has a troup of dancers/singers that perform Sunday afternoons as well as Friday dinner hours that are wonderful to watch and listen to. If you're on Rarotonga when any of the dance competitions are on, GO!!!! They're held in the autitorium and are VERY well attended by the locals with a party atmosphere.
Punanga Nui Market in Avarua, Rarotonga, is a great place to go early on a Saturday morning. This is the day when there is a fruit and vegetable market out on the roadside and all the craft stalls are open in the inner part of the market. As well, there are freshly baked, delicious looking cakes, BBQs, and herb stalls. The fresh produce on sale at the market is about the same price as what you'll find in the supermarkets in Avarua, but much better quality. Even if you're not there to shop for provisions, just go and have a look.
A great way to spend the day (and get some exercise) when you're on Aitutaki, is to hire a kayak and paddle around the lagoon. Three of us hired kayaks from Ranginui's Retreat on O'otu Beach for $15 for as long as we wanted them. Samade also hire kayaks, but they said we couldn't have any as their accommodation was full and they gave their guests first priority.I had intended to paddle all the way to One Foot Island, but that was ambitious. Instead, we made it as far as Papau Island, stopping on Ee Island on the way. I have photos of these islands in the General Tips section of this Cook Islands page.Take some food with you and plenty of water. There is nothing available on the islands. A good hat and sunblock is a must. Just before Papau Island there is a swift east flowing current. Try to avoid that as it leads straight to a reef break!
If you take one of the Aitutaki Lagoon cruises, you will get a chance to go snorkelling in some amazingly clear waters. All the cruise companies provide snorkelling gear and towels. If you are staying on Rarotonga, the south coast and areas along the west coast are reputed to have fine sites for snorkelling around coral. Muri lagoon, on the east coast of Rarotonga, didn't appear to have much coral.A lot of the coral in the Aitutaki lagoon has died as a result of the huge impact five huricanes had earlier in 2005. Sand build up in the lagoon has smothered some coral. I went snorkelling in the Aitutaki lagoon on a boat trip, near Honeymoon Island. The water was as clear as glass and there were lots of small fish, though the coral wasn't that spectacular.
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....
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.
...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.
Crown Beach Resort Rarotonga
212 Opinions
Etu Moana Aitutaki
1 Review and 422 Opinions This place is amazing! The service is top notch. The resort is very nice. We were greeted by...
Sea Change Villas Titikaveka
364 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Cook Islands attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Cook Islands sightseeing.
Q: Thinking of visiting Cook Islands for a 10 day break a friend and wondering if there are any better locations than others we...
A: I have not been there personally - but Aitutaki is THE island to go if you have 10 days. It surely is not a nightlife but a relax destination with sensational...
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