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South Rarotonga
Cook Islands
cook islands travel guide
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The south coast of Rarotonga is quiet with lovely secluded beaches and lush mountain views.
There's an nice restaurant on the beach at Vaima a few miles on from Aroa beach and a more affordable cafe bar serving excellent fish. Just beyond the derelict Sheraton hotel which was never completed over 10 years ago is a turn off for Papua (Wigmores) Waterfall. About a mile up a dirt track in lush rainforest is this attractive waterfall and natural swimming pool (the waterfall can dry out from July to October if little rain). The track continues right across the island past the Te Rua Manga needle to Avarua Town and is an excellent and relatively easy half day hike. The summit offers spectacular views around the island and overlooking the sparkling coral reefs although the trail is impassable after heavy rains. If you don't want to go it alone, join an organized tour with "Pa" to learn about the surrounding environment. Be prepared - mosquitoes thrive in the rainforest and the heat is very dehydrating.
About a mile further on, almost in the middle of the south coast is the very affordable Palm Grove (some beach side, some mountain side). Here the beach is wide and long with good swimming. Organised walks through the conservation area offer a good insight into the rainforest and its secrets. It's managed by a non-profit organisation dedicated to the protection and continued survival of the endangered kakerori flycatcher (native bird). Quiet white sandy beaches continue along this stretch of coast and here is Rarotonga's newest upmarket property, Sea Change which offers six self contained bungalows each with a private swimming pool.
Beyond the attractive village of Titikaveka, with its prominent white church, the mountain views are impressive and there's a lovely Maire Nui botanical gardens and cafe. The beach along Titikaveka is excellent and stretches for almost 2 miles. There are several lovely small collections of beach bungalows here including Little Polynesian. Just past Takitumu and turning towards the south-east coast, the beach continues for several more miles. This point has the best snorkelling lagoon in the Cook Islands. It's a five minute walk from here to the elegant three upmarket villas of Reflections Rarotonga which sits on a lovely sandy beach on the south-east corner of the island. From here its a fifteen minute stroll along the beach to Muri.
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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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