Rarotonga - Shhhhhh.... It's a Secret!
Written: May 05 '02 (Updated Feb 14 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Warm water and warm-hearted people. Empty beaches and terrific prices.
Cons: Airfare is expensive and the flight is long. Some recent environmental concerns.
The Bottom Line: An absolutely lovely place that remains largely unknown to Americans.
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| LordBalfor's Full Review: Rarotonga |
Here is what I WANT to say about Rarotonga:
"Don't go there! It's the worse place I've even been. The water is polluted and the beaches littered with medical waste. There are deadly spiders, scorpions and snakes everywhere. Moaist rebels control the hills and immediately kidnap and kill any tourists who are fool-hardy enough to venture there, while NAZI secret police routinely arrest and murder anyone they want without fear of reprisal. The average people are all obnoxious, rude and dishonest. The weather is by turns scorching hot and freezing cold. The lagoons are crammed full of deadly sea creatures, and to even so much as stick your big toe into the water is to risk certain, agonizing death. Our visit there was a horrible, horrible experience and you should avoid the place at all costs."
That's what I WANT to say - in fact a very big part of me is crying out for me to shout it from the highest hills.
The fact is, however, that it's simply NOT true. I hate to say this, but the Cook Islands are a delight. Rarotonga in particular was absolutely wonderful. The Cooks were in fact so beautiful, the beaches so uncrowded, the people so friendly, the prices so reasonable, that I really want to keep it a secret - that's why I want to say all those things about the place. For the first time since I started writing for Epinions, I seriously considered NOT posting a review for fear that word of this place might get out, crowds start streaming in, and the wonderful character of the island be changed forever. In the end however, these bizarre feelings of duty that I feel towards my fellow travelers won out, and I decided (somewhat reluctantly) to go ahead and share my experience. And so, for what it's worth, here it is:
SO WHERE IS THIS PLACE?
AND HOW COME I NEVER HEARD OF IT?
The Cook Islands sit in the Southern Hemisphere, a mirror image of the Hawaiian Islands. Maui sits at 21 degrees north, Rarotonga at 21 degrees south. Head south from Hawaii, continue past the equator, and soon you come to the Cooks. They have the same type of climate, but the seasons are reversed. January is summer. July is winter (what little winter they have). To the east lies Tahiti, Bora Bora and the other islands of French Polynesia, to the west is Tonga & Samoa, and beyond that, Fiji and the northern coast of Australia. Thus it is that the Cooks lie more or less in the center of the Polynesian world. The country is made up of 15 main islands scattered across an area 1/3rd the size of the United States (excluding Alaska), but with a total land area only 1/3rd larger than that of Washington DC and a population of merely 20,000. Of these 20,000 people, roughly half live on Rarotonga, the largest island in the chain and the seat of the Cook Islands government. And though it may be the biggest of the islands that make up the country, Rarotonga is still tiny - a roughly oval speck of land less than 6 miles across. To put this in perspective, a runway at a large international airport would stretch about 1/3rd of the way across the island (as Rarotonga's does), and it would take 5 Rarotonga's sitting side by side to equal the width of the island of Kauai. Clearly this is a tiny place.
Most American have never heard of the Cook Islands, and Rarotonga sounds like a place inhabited by cannibals with bones through their noses (actually at one time this was almost the truth). The fact is however, to Canadians, Australians, and the citizens of New Zealand (in particular), the Cook Islands are very well known and thought of (more or less) as their version of Hawaii. In fact, until 1965 the Cook Islands were part of New Zealand, and even today, Cook Islanders enjoy a special relationship with New Zealand that allows them to live and work in that country as they wish. As a result, more Cook Islanders live in New Zealand (where there is more work available) than in their own country, and New Zealand dollars are the de-facto currency for the nation. The people there speak English (with a New Zealand type accent) and Cook Islands Maori - a dialect closely related to New Zealand Maori (not surprising considering that Cook Islanders claim to have discovered New Zealand - of course the New Zealand natives claim to have discovered the Cooks!). In any event, British influence there is strong. Cars drive on the left side of the road, and the Queen is revered.
SO WHAT'S IT LIKE?
Geographically, Raro (as it's usually referred to) is what is called a "high island", that is, mountainous and covered with a thick, rich blanket of green. Plants explode in wild abandon, and hardly a speck of earth exists that's not overrun with growth. The center of the island is very rugged and accessible only by foot - and even then only with great caution, as footing on the mountain paths can be treacherous and trails vanish under a carpet of green almost overnight. Development is limited to the narrow strip of flat land the lies between the mountains and the shore. Here, the island's main road makes its way past village and field, farm and plantation as it circles the island. The areas along the road are largely developed, with houses and accasional small shops scattered along it's length. Happily however, this development is not excessive, and Rarotonga gives the general impression of a modern, fairly affluent society that carefully guards it's natural treasures. In some areas there is a second (often very, very narrow) road a few hundred yards inland that parallels the coast road. Much of this was built on the site of an ancient stone highway built by the Polynesians hundreds of years ago. Here the backdrop is even more laid-back and rural than along the main "highway" (I'm using that term VERY loosely - often there's not a car to be seen in either direction). In any event, nowhere on the island does it feel crowded or busy.
The island is almost completely ringed by an enclosing reef, a major difference between this place and its cousin's the Hawaiian Islands. Because of the fringing reef, water conditions here are very different from those found in Hawaii. Whereas Hawaii is famous for it's huge breakers and wild surf, Raro's waters are often calm as a lake, and swimming conditions here are (for the most part) clear and calm - rather like swimming in an enormous heated swimming pool stocked with tropical fish. This is part of the reason we enjoy the islands of the South Pacific so much more than Hawaii. Those of you who may have been to French Polynesia (or perhaps other islands of the South pacific) know exactly what I'm talking about. Arthur Frommer the noted travel writer, in his list of the "10 Most Beautiful Islands" in the South Pacific judges Moorea and Bora Bora (in nearby French Polynesia) to be #1 and #2 respectively and places Rarotonga at #3 and notes its similarity to Moorea. I should also point out that he pegs Aitutaki (also in the Cooks) at #4 and calls it a smaller version of Bora Bora. See the following link for details:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/southpacific/0240020917.cfm?section_dirname=tropical
I have to admit that the resemblance to Moorea struck me immediately. Though Raro lacks the overwater bungalows and 2 beautiful bays that Moorea is so famous for, the similarity is nevertheless quite noticeable, and I can say with a large degree of confidence, that if you like Moorea, chances are pretty darned good you'll like Raro too. Like Moorea, Raro has an almost indefinable "manicured" appearance, and also like Moorea, the beaches are idyllic and largely empty. Gentle waves lap at the white sandy shores, while off in the distance, huge breakers crash against the reef - a constant soothing backdrop of "white noise" that most of the time you don't even notice. In between, the lagoon glitters in the afternoon sun - sparkling water of the most incredible shades of blue, punctuated here and there with the dark mass of a coral head. Occasionally, the surface is broken by a flying fish as it skims across the water only to land a hundred feet away. Other than the drone of the waves breaking on the reef and the rustle of the wind through the coconut palms, there is no sound, and often not a single person to be seen in either direction along the shore - just gentle lapping waves and swaying, overhanging palms. Is it any wonder we fell so in love with the place?
ALL RIGHT, SO IT'S A TROPICAL PARADISE.
WHAT IS THERE TO DO?
First and foremost of Rarotonga's attractions is the lagoon. Most of the time when we were there, we just played in the water. It's a great place for that. For the most part, the lagoon is shallow and sandy. In many areas, you can walk out 200 meters or more and still be in water only chest deep. Except for a few passages through the reef (which are VERY dangerous) the swimming there is extremely safe. As in all parts of the South Pacific, reef shoes are a necessity, not only because of the (admittedly small) danger of stepping on a deadly stonefish, but more realistically, the risk of slicing your feet open on a shard of coral. Some parts of the island have vast areas of coral sheets and others scattered coral towers but most places have a fair amount of the stuff to varying degrees and typically - large numbers of fish. We saw far more sea life here than we did at Bora Bora - fish in all sizes, shapes and colors. wrasses, butterflyfish, flounders, groupers, needlefish, trumpetfish, cornetfish, even octopus and eels. The only real drawback to the sea-life in the Cooks is the abundance of sea cucumbers - gross-looking creatures that vaguely resemble enormous... well it's rather obscene actually, so lets just leave it at that. In any event, snorkeling there was wonderful - though not all areas are suitable. From the southeast corner clockwise to the northwest corner, the lagoon is perfect for this. The north side of the island however, features a reef far to close to shore and a lagoon way to shallow for anything but wading and poking around in tidepools.
If you tire of snorkeling, for around $25 USD/PP you can take a lagoon cruise out among the motus (sandy islets) that line the reef near Muri Beach. Or if you prefer, for more or less the same amount, you can take the "Reef Sub" (actually a deep-hulled vessel with underwater windows) or SCUBA dive along the reef's outer side, where the reef wall drops off to oblivion into the deep blue sea. Tired of being out on the water? Try a 4x4 "safari" in a rugged Landrover. They'll take you deep into the island's interior and up to breath-taking vantage points where you are treated to astonishing views of the distant lagoon. That little adventure can be yours for around $25 USD/PP. And if you think that view is nice, take things one step higher and for about the same amount of cash take a 20 minute guided tour over the island in a small plane - an event you'll NEVER forget. If you are adventurous and in good shape, you can hire a guide to take you on a back-country trek. The most famous of these is Pa - who will not only take you safely over the mountains from one side of the island to the other, but also share his vast knowledge of the islands' flora and fauna. I've not taken this tour, but everyone I've met who has says it's terrific. For those of you (like myself) who prefer a little less strenuous means of seeing some sights - hop on the local bus for an inexpensive trip around the island, or if you wish a bit more freedom. Pick up your Cook Islands drivers license (it makes a great souvenir) and rent yourself a car or motorbike. A car will set you back around $25 USD/day while a motorbike can be found for around half that. We opted to lay out $20 USD/day for a "funcar" - an odd little 5-wheeled contraption (2 wheels in the front, a single "drive" wheel in the back, and a set of rear training wheels for stability). It had a bicycle-like steering device, a narrow stretch cloth canopy for a roof, and no doors. It was tiny, bumpy, and a complete kick to drive. With a top speed of maybe 25 MPH (more than enough on Raro), our little "bug" provided us with a great little adventure. I wouldn't want to have to drive one everyday, but for the 3 days we had it, we had gobs of fun. The engine strained to keep us ahead of folks on bicycles, and sounded like a giant dragonfly, but we laughed and laughed as the people waved at us zipping by. My wife nick-named the thing "Evinrude".
Raro is small, and low-key. There are no amusement parks or high-rise hotels, no big shopping centers or wild discos, and no crowded beaches with wall-to-wall bodies. More than once I have heard the place described as "the way Hawaii was 50 years ago" and I have to say, that's probably true. Like most of the islands of the South Pacific, this is a laid-back quiet kind of place, romantic and peaceful. Shopping is on a small scale, so if you are a confirmed shop-oholic be aware that you can hit virtually every store on the island in a long afternoon. These are mostly "mom and pop" type places. Specialties here are wood and shell carving, pareaus (sarongs), and of course black pearls. Though the last of these items are mostly associated with nearby French Polynesia, the Cooks too, produce them in considerable numbers, and there may be no place on earth where you can buy them at better prices. Harvested mostly in the warm, clear waters of the northern atolls (predominantly Manihiki and Tongareva), these are some of Mother Nature's most amazing creations - and despite the name, they come in many colors other than black. Tints range from gray and black to silver and gold to deep blue, greenish and violet. They are absolutely beautiful and make the perfect gift for the lady in your life. There's a terrific place called "Perfumes of Rarotonga" (http://www.perfumes.co.ck/) where you can pick up locally made scents and soaps. The coolest item in the whole shop however was the "Pearl of Paradise", a pleasantly scented fragrance with a special bonus - each bottle comes with a beautiful oyster shell and a real black pearl inside the bottle. When the perfume is gone, the pearl can be taken to a jeweler and set into a pearl-drop necklace, ring or other jewelry item. It makes a terrific gift and costs a mere $30 USD. We bought several.
This brings me to an important point - money. One of the best things about the Cooks Islands (at least for Americans) is the terrific exchange rate. New Zealand dollars currently go for about 45 cents US, meaning that Americans get a lot of "bang for their buck". Even Canadians, who recently have had a hard time finding places where the exchange rate is good for them, come out ahead in the Cooks. For Americans the place is nothing less than a steal. Dinner and a drink at the nicest restaurant on the island can be had for about $25 USD per person or less. A burger, fries and an iced tea will set you back maybe 5 bucks each. Even accommodations are cheap - especially when you consider the setting. We rented a house directly on an almost private lagoon for less than $100 USD /night. If you are willing to settle for a place across the road (and I'm not talking a busy road either - usually there was not a car to be seen), that price can probably be cut in half. The local resorts, though not as cheap as renting a house, are also pretty inexpensive. A couple of the high-end places will cost you dearly, but most are very reasonable. For around $150 - $200 /day (or less) USD you can get an absolute beach-front room at most of the resorts (a few might run you a little higher). A garden-view room a few short steps from the water will probably run you maybe $125/day USD (tops), while a standard room in a "motel" type resort can be had for under $100/day USD (in some cases, a lot under). For those on an even more limited budget, there are also plenty of places to choose from at terrific prices. Small beach bungalows abound for about $40 USD/day while dormitory type facilities or shared rooms abound on Raro for as little as $8/day USD. You read that right - $8/day USD. Not surprisingly the Cook Islands are a very popular choice for budget "backpack" type travelers (take note however that camping is NOT allowed anywhere in the Cooks). Right now, in particular, travel to the Cooks is way down - and so are prices. After the 9-11 attack, Canadian airline Canada 3000 went under, leaving the Cooks with just 1 airline still servicing them (Air New Zealand - currently offering 3 flights/week between Auckland and LAX that stop at Raro). The failure of Canada 3000 cut the number of potential tourists perhaps by a third or more, resulting in a lot of empty rooms. All businesses relating to tourism (restaurants, car rental agencies, hotels and motels) have been forced to cut prices in an effort to grab a piece of a smaller tourism pie, so if you are at all inclined, now is a particularly great time to go - even considering the fact that Air New Zealand has probably raised its rates.*
WHAT ABOUT NIGHT LIFE?
This is the one area where folks might find the Cooks a little lacking. As I mentioned, there is not much in the way of discos and clubs. Oh, a few small places to dance do exist, but it's not the focus here. The Cooks are not geared towards partyers and drinkers. If you are looking for that, I recommend you head for Waikiki or Cancun. There is a "Pub Crawl" bus on Friday (and possibly Saturday) nights. The best description that I've heard of this activity is: "A bar is quiet. Frank Sinatra is playing on the stereo. Two minutes before the bus arrives. 'Macho Man' (by the Village People) is turned on and the volume cranked up as high as it will go. The bus pulls up and an amorphous mass of arms, legs and clinking beer bottles emerges and swarms inside (I kind of picture the "Keystone Cops") to shouts of "PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!". Wild chaos occurs in the building for 15 minutes, then as suddenly as it appears, this bazaar multi-torsoed creature staggers back onto the bus and whisks away. Inside the bar, Frank Sinatra is back playing on the stereo and the volume is back to less ear-splitting levels. Down the street, the next bar on the list is about to have its turn." The evening we left, I had a chance to personally witness this phenomena, when such a vehicle pulled in ahead of us at the airport terminal to drop off a partier about to head back home. The folks in the bus were dancing up and down and screaming at the top of their lungs. My first thought was "Oh my God! I hope they are not ALL getting on OUR plane!" Fortunately (as I said), a single individual staggered off the vehicle and made his way inside the building. Whew! Dodged a bullet on that one.
Actually, in all fairness, the people I've talked to who do like to party and have done this tour have told me it's pretty fun. So, apparently the moral of the story is: if you go to a place without much nightlife, band together with other similar minded folks and make your own. Works for them I guess.
There is one aspect of night-life present in the Cooks that I didn't mention - and that is exactly the type of night-life you might expect to see there: Polynesian Dance Shows. The Cooks Islands, like Hawaii and Tahiti, are known for this. In fact, the Cooks Islanders are often considered the best such dancers in all of Polynesia. Their style is different from Hawaii, where the gentle Hula reigns. Here, like in nearby Tahiti, wild and erotic hip gyrations (set to the pounding of native drums) are the norm - and no visit to the islands is complete without at least one attendance at an "Island Night". Two of the biggest and most elaborate are said to be staged at the Rarotongan and Edgewater Resorts. We went to a smaller show at the Rarotongan held on their BBQ night and found it to be a little disappointing (the dancers were pretty much all children that night), but saw a couple of awesome shows on the island of Aitutaki (see my Aitutaki review). In any event, if you haven't seen one, you don't have a clue as to what you are missing.
OKAY, IT SOUNDS GREAT.
HOW ABOUT SOME SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS?
Where to stay:
As I've mentioned, the north and north-east shores offer inferior water conditions compared to the rest of the island, with a close-in reef, surprisingly rough water, and less than idyllic beaches. There are some nice photo opportunities here (as the coastline is in places rather rugged) but very poor swimming conditions. Not surprisingly, there is not much in the way of visitor accommodations. In this area lies Avarua, the largest town on Raro and it's only port. There's great shopping there (the largest concentration of stores on the island) and I recommend the specialty iced teas at the Mai Tai restaurant. We ate lunch one day at Trader Jacks and found it to be somewhat over-rated (though the parrotfish was admittedly good), with very poor service. We also ate once at Ronnies Bar where the fish was very good and the service informal and friendly. Oh, and I'd stay away from the "Just Burgers" stand just east of "downtown". My wife felt pretty sick after eating a burger I brought home from there. I have to admit, it had a bit of "greasy spoon" appearance, and in hindsight I should have trusted my intuition and walked out. Speaking of food - if you are cooking your own, you might keep in mind that the least expensive place on the island to buy groceries was in this area (the CITC store between downtown and the airport). The store also offered the best selection. All told Avarua is a nice town for shopping and running errands and kind of reminded me Hanalei on the north shore of Kauai.
On the west side, visitors are of course treated to some gorgeous sunsets and 2 of the islands "Raui" (protected from fishing) areas lie here - one at the north-west corner (near the airport) and the other at the south-west corner near the Rarotongan Resort. These areas inevitably offer up tons of unafraid fish that are easy to observe. From what I saw, it seems that water on the west side tends to probably be the calmest since the prevailing winds come from either the north-east or south-east direction. The only negatives I've heard about the west side is that lagoon tends to be rather shallow there (perhaps a bit too shallow for some) and that, because it's on the leeward side of the island, it can sometimes have somewhat of a mosquito problem. I know that during a recent outbreak of dengue fever, the west side was where most of the cases occurred. There are a fair amount of hotels and resorts clustered here (especially towards the north-west side and I believe quite a few eateries. We dined with friends at Hopsings (one of Raro's few Chinese restaurants) and enjoyed it very much
The east side of the island offers Muri Lagoon. Here visitors can watch the sunrise everyday over a picture-perfect collection of tiny motus (islets). Muri is probably the second most congested area of Raro (after Avarua) - though keep in mind that nowhere on Raro is it really crowded. "Congested" in this case is merely a relative term. Muri is almost certainly the prettiest area and (like the west side) has some of the more well-regarded eateries (notably Sails and The Flame Tree). We had dinner at the Flame Tree and the food was very good, though we felt the overhead lighting in the "outside' (but covered) dining area was decidedly unromantic. I have quite a bit to say about Muri (both good and bad) since we rented a house in this area, but rather than repeat myself, I'm going to direct you to "Part 2" of my "Cook Islands House Rental Review". I will mention however that 3 of the 5 "Raui" (protected) areas of the lagoon lies on this side of the island.
The south shore was our absolute favorite part of Raro, with reasonably calm water, ideal wading and swimming conditions and plenty of fish. There are few resorts, shops or restaurants in this area however - though personally, that was part of why we liked it so much. I will put in a plug for the terrific "Eat-In/Take-Out" restaurant next to Wigmores grocery store (not too far from the Palm Grove Lodges). They had awesome Hawaiian burgers and very cheap prices. As I said, the south shore was probably the least developed section of the island - though keep in mind that there is no part of Raro's shoreline that is totally undeveloped - well, except perhaps for part of the north shore. In any event, there are no large resorts on the south shore until you reach the south-west corner (where the Rarotongan lies). The next largest one is probably the Palm Grove and it's definitely not large. This area offers mostly homes and small rental cottages. It was lovely, with empty stretches of beach and wonderfully tranquil water. Again, I have much to say about this area but will refer you to "Part 1" of my "Cook Islands House Rental" review.
SOUNDS TERRIFIC.
WHAT DO I DO NEXT TO PLAN A VACATION THERE?
Below are a list of links to help you get started. The Cooks are a great place and the 3 weeks we spent there was the best overall vacation we've ever had. It wasn't quite as amazing as the single week we spent in an overwater bungalow on Bora Bora (as part of a longer Hawaii/French Polynesia vacation), but when I look at the WHOLE Hawaii/French Polynesia vacation and compare to the WHOLE Cook Islands trip, the Cooks trip comes out on top. Not only that, but it was relatively cheap. We spent 2 full weeks in rental houses on Raro and a week in a beach resort on Aitutaki for around $7000 USD. That included everything: roundtrip airfare from Seattle to LAX, a night in LA, a day in Disneyland, airfare from LAX to Raro (and back), air from Raro to Aitutaki (and back), accommodations in both places, food and spending money. That's $7000 for everything - not too bad for 3 full weeks - you could easily spend that in a single week in neighboring French Polynesia. Remember too, that we did NOT skimp. By staying in cheaper places you could easily trim a thousand or more from this amount. In any event, if a house rental type of vacation appeals to you, check out my 2-part essay on this very subject.
The Cook Islanders are terrific folks - warm and friendly and we had the best time ever. Much as I hate to steer people there, I feel it's only fair to tell what I know. It has always been my secret desire to leap-frog my way across the South Pacific. Two years ago we hit Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea in incredible French Polynesia. A couple of years from now, it was our plan to return to the South Pacific and visit Tonga and/or Samoa. However, we LOVED the Cooks so much, we're actually thinking of just returning there. While we were in the islands we encountered many, many visitors who'd been there over and over again over a period of years. It seems that once people discover these little gems, they really want to come back. If you are seeking a reasonably priced, pleasant, stress-free vacation with warm tranquil water and lush jungle-clad peaks, I can't think of a better place than the Cooks. Rarotonga is absolutely lovely, and so (especially) are the people. They are without a doubt, the friendliest, nicest folks we have met so far on our travels, and we think the world of both them and their beautiful country.
Here's few links to get you started. Note that any prices listed will be in New Zealand dollars (around 45 cents US) so Americans can more or less cut the price in half:
http://www.ck/
http://www.cook-islands.com
http://www.webcentral.co.ck/ac_rental.htm
http://www.maui.net/~jbonline/menu.html
http://cookpages.com/
http://www.shangri-la.co.ck
http://www.islandhoppervacations.com/
http://www.jetsave.co.ck/
http://www.pi-travel.co.nz/cookislands/
http://www.vtcooks.com/Misc/cook_islands.htm
This is a terrific bulletin board for budget travelers:
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/thorn/topics.pl?Cat=&Start=pacific
Oh, and here's that perfume shop URL again:
http://www.perfumes.co.ck/
Also, you might want to take a look at some photos from my trip that I've posted on Webshots.com. The URL is:
http://community.webshots.com/user/lordbalfor
Something to keep in mind is that while the July-August time frame tends to be "high season" in the Cooks (the dead of winter for folks in New Zealand - and the most sunny time in the Cooks), it might be a little cool for folks traveling from North America and expecting to find ultra-warm conditions. Average daily high that time of year is around 77 degree F - not too bad, but not super warm either (especially when you are coming from a place that is probably at least that warm already). Personally, I prefer to leave home (Seattle) when it's cold and crappy here and so like to travel to the South Pacific in late March (even though it's the tail-end of the "rainy season" down there). For those of you determined to increase the chances of dry weather, you might consider the April-May time frame for (what I would think) is the best combination of sun and warm temps.
Finally, I've written a couple of more reviews on this (or related) topics. If you are at all interested in a vacation in the Cooks, you might take a look at them.
Thank you for reading.
See the world while you can, and as always, be safe.
Ken
* Addition as of Sept 23rd, 2002:
Word is that Aloha Airlines will begin offering service from Honolulu to Raro twice a week beginning on December 9th. As currently scheduled, the flights will leave Honolulu Mondays & Fridays at 9 AM (arriving at 3:18 PM) and will make the return to Honolulu on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 11 AM (Arriving at 5:15 PM). Besides the usual LAX to Raro flight on Air New Zealand, visitors will now be able to get their via a stop in Hawaii. Hopefully this competition will even bring Air New Zealand's price down a little.
* Addition as of Jan 21st, 2003:
I've found this terrific site (called "Look Before You Book") that has streaming video of a number of locations, including the Cook Islands. The best thing is there are videos of a number of the major resorts and hotels there. This is particularly nice for those of you who have a high-speed connection. Take a look (simply select the Cook Islands as your destination):
www.lbyb.com
Addition as of Oct 8th, 2003:
Just a little historical note - Although the missionary John Williams is officially creditied with "discovering" Rarotonga, local oral history indicates that the first European visitors to the island were likely Fletcher Christian and the crew of the HMS Bounty, which stopped briefly on the island shortly after the famous mutiny. Just 17 days prior to the mutiny, the ship had made it's last pre-mutiny stop ... at Aitutaki, also in the Cooks.
Update as of Jan 17th, 2003:
Just a heads-up that currency fluxuations over the last year or so have really hammered the US dollar and thus the USD to NZD exchange rate has been hit hard. Whereas we found the NZD to be worth 45 cents US, it is now worth 67 cents US. Thus the Cooks are still good value for US visitors, but not quite the bargain it was when we were there.
Update as of March 15th,2004:
Just saw a post on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree message board that announced that Air New Zealand is now offering a new "Pacific Express" airfare from New Zealand to the Cooks (and a few other places). To the Cooks from Auckland is now apparently NZ$578 round trip, instead of NZ$1000. LAX to Raro sounds like it's dropped to around US$780 round trip (keeping in mind that currency fluctuations may change that). It had been about US$1050-1200 or so. Anyway, this is a very large savings, so I thought it deserved a "heads up" in this review. Not sure how long the sale will last - or if Aloha Airlines (which flies to Rarotonga via Honolulu) will respond with lower fares. You may want to call Air New Zealand if the price does not show up on the Air NZ website.
Update as of Apr 1st, 2004: Just saw on Lonely Planets' Thorn Tree board (http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/categories.cfm?catid=20) that Aloha Airlines has announced a price cut in their airfare to Rarotonga from both Honolulu and Vancouver. From Honolulu it's been dropped to about $500 USD PP/RT and from Vancouver it's now about $700 USD PP/RT. I imagine this move is in response to the price cuts announced earlier by Air New Zealand. These are great deals folks!
Update as of May 1st, 2004: I'm unhappy to hear this, but the local Cook Island newspaper (the Cook Island News - http://www.cinews.co.ck/
) has been reporting some troubling instances of localized pollution problems in some areas of Rarotongas' lagoon. First there was an incident at the north end of Muri where it seems a pig farm upstream inadvertantly allowed waste to flow downstream into the lagoon. From what I gather, the problem was fairly short-lived as the stream empties into the lagoon very near the outflow channel of that lagoon so it was flushed out to sea fairly quickly. It did start some discussion though and points out that there has been a lot of development on Raro recently and there are starting to be some concerns about maintaining the water quality. This was followed up a more substantial incident in the Titikaveka area (one of the best snorkeling areas on the island) where soil brought-in to a sportsfield apparently contaminated the water in the area and caused rashes and eye irritations for some swimmers. The problem seemed to have been short-lived and went away after the soil was removed, but then recently returned, resulting in a 1/2 kilometer stretch of beach being closed (though I don't think that signs were posted) until further testing can be done. Since the suspect soil had already been removed, they are not sure now if the problem was actually from the transported soil or if it's from a septic tank leakage somewhere in the area. That is the current situation as of today. Check the Cook Island News link above for the latest info (the site is updated weekly). It's unfortunate, but even in paradise there is some pollution from time to time. Hopefully they will get to this problem resolved. I know that all the islands of the South Pacific face these kinds of challenges (I've seen similar discussions about Bora Bora from time to time) as they develop. I certainly would NOT let this notification put me off going to the Cooks (I do plant to return - possibly next year). I'm of the opinion that these 2 instances represent the exception rather than the rule.
* Addition as of Aug 21st, 2004: Oh no! I've just heard that Aloha is going to cease their flights between Honolulu and Rarotonga. Last flight is reported to be on Dec 10th, 2004 for inbound flights to Raro and Dec 11th, 2004 for outbound flights back to Honolulu. Bummer!
Additional comment as of 2/14/06: I will be returning to both Raro and Aitutaki in April. This is the first time we have ever returned to the same location and is an indication of how much we like the Cooks. I've heard that the islands have gotten quite a bit busier since we were last there so I guess we'll have a chance to see for ourselves. If you have any specific questions that you'd like me to try and find out the answer to I'm certainly willing to see what I can find out. Keep in mind however that I am NOT a travel agent so it's not like places are going to open their doors for me to tour, but I can ask questions and/or take photos of the exterior of places and or beaches.
My e-mail address is: LordBalfor@comcast.net
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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Member: Ken Klein
Location: Seattle, Wa
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About Me:
I am in love with the tropics (especially the South Pacific).
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