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Muri Beach
East Rarotonga
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Muri Beach sits on a picturesque location on the east coast of Rarotonga. Muri's attraction is the tranquil sandy bottom lagoon which is excellent for swimming, its lovely sweeping beach and four uninhabited islets within the lagoon. This is the place to go for water activities (sailing, kayaking, wind-surfing and even kite-surfing) and there's a beach bar and restaurant at the Sailing Club to sip beers and watch people. The only drawback (apart from lack of seclusion) is the wind tends to pick up in the afternoon and, being on the east side of the island, the sun disappears late afternoon.
It's easy to wade (or kayak) across to the uninhabited islets at both low and high tide and spend a day relaxing on the quiet beach and looking back towards the mountains of Rarotonga. Snorkelling in the lagoon is good only for marine life - there's no coral here and the lagoon is only waist deep in most places which makes it easy for beginners. Muri Beach has the highest concentration of accommodation on Rarotonga from a small 65-room resort (Pacific Resort) and self-catering bungalows (Muri Beachcomber, Muri Hideaway, Manea Beach and Kura's Kabanas) and the popular budget accommodation at Vara's. There's several independent restaurants and take-aways in the Muri Area including Ambala Gardens, Flame Tree Restaurant and the Sails Club. Climb the hill opposite Pacific Resort for excellent views of the lagoon and islets.
On the north end of Muri opposite Motutapu islet the lagoon comes right up to the shoreline (no beach). You can stay here at the inexpensive Aroko Bungalows which looks faces the lagoon. This is where the Cook Island Maoris departed in double hull catamarans to colonize New Zealand. Avana faces a small islet in the lagoon. The passage here is a the best and most reliable surfing spot in the Cook Islands and allows entry for protected anchorage for yachts and motor boats. Inland from Avana is the extremely the attractive and peaceful Turangi Valley. A dirt track leads almost 3 miles inland into the heart of Rarotonga and makes for excellent walking past small plantations and lush tropical forest.
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Readers may also be interested in the following destinations:
Fiji Travel Guide
Samoa Travel Guide
Tonga Travel Guide
Tahiti Travel Guide
Hawaii Travel Guide
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