Kia Orana!
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to you from everyone here at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa! You have arrived at a truly unique and very special slice of Paradise right here in the very heart of the South Seas. We wish you a wonderful stay here with us, and look forward to welcoming you back to your ‘second home’ again and again! If at any time I or my team can do anything more to help you get the most out of your stay, please don’t hesitate to contact the Front Desk and ask for myself or for the Manager on Duty. Enjoy!
Kia Manuia!
Bob Taylor
Resort Manager / The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa
The Cook Islands - the heart of the South Pacific
The Cook Islands is a natural pearl necklace of 15 islands with a total population of approximately 18,000, scattered over some 2 million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean. The Cook Islands sits in the centre of the Polynesian Triangle, just west of Tahiti and French Polynesia.
Rarotonga
TDiscover the Cook Islands just as Captain Cook did...unspoilt, unhurried, unique.
The Cook Islands is a necklace of natural pearls in the heart of the South Pacific. Rarotonga is the capital island, with a centre of high mountains clothed in rainforest and encircled by white sandy beaches and shimmering turquoise lagoons.
The pace here is supremely relaxed, the mood carefree, the culture vibrant, and the people probably the friendliest you'll meet anywhere.
There are two main roads on Rarotonga - you can circle the island on the Ara Tapu sealed road, through the villages and past the beaches, or you can take the older inland road, Te Ara o Toi, which winds through fields of taro, pawpaw, bananas and village farm plots.
The motor scooter is a popular and fun way to see the sights, along with bicycles, cars and jeeps which are also available from local rental agencies. The Cook's Island Bus offers a convenient, inexpensive method of transport, operating regular schedules around the island (in both directions). It will pick you up and set you down anywhere on request.
Avarua is the main town on the island and the commercial centre of the Cook Islands. During business hours, it has a friendly, bustling atmosphere together with a good selection of shops, banks, cafes and visitor facilities. It is also the main port and host to cruise ships and many cruising yachts.
The Cook Islands Visitor Information Centre is located in downtown Avarua. Visitors are made most welcome and can drop in for any information between 8am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, or on Saturday from 9am till noon.
THE RAROTONGAN BEACH RESORT & SPA
The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa is the Cook Islands’ iconic signature resort. Here, modern comforts blend with the charm of traditional Polynesia to add up to perfect relaxation on the sun-soaked beach. The Rarotongan is renowned for its warm and friendly Cook Islands staff with open hearts and smiles.
RESORT LOCATION
Set on Aroa Beach, Rarotonga's most beautiful white sandy beach on the shores of Aroa Lagoon (the Lagoon of Love), The Rarotongan is located on the island's sunshine southwest coast where guests can enjoy all-day sun, stunning sunsets, all-tide safe swimming and excellent off-beach snorkelling in the traditional marine sanctuary directly in front of the resort.
Expansively laid out amidst six acres of lush tropical gardens featuring hibiscus, banana and coconut palms, none of the Resort's buildings is higher than two storeys, and most of The Rarotongan's 157 rooms, suites and bungalow are set on absolute beachfront, and features an authentic Pacific aesthetic combined with the charm of Polynesian-style architecture. The Rarotongan is close to all island adventures and attractions and is just over 10 minutes drive from the International Airport and downtown Avarua.
ACTIVITIES
The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa is set directly on Rarotonga’s best white sandy beach – secluded Aroa Beach – on the island’s sunshine coast looking out across sparkling blue Aroa Lagoon. The Resort offers a wide range of exciting recreational, sporting and cultural activities, many focused on the lagoon itself which is a marine sanctuary (ra’ui), declared by traditional leaders on 1 March 2000 for the conservation of marine life within the zone. Consequently the snorkelling in Aroa Lagoon, a fish breeding area, is exceptional with an amazing variety of fish, and even giant clams on display. Fishing is not allowed, nor the removal of any shellfish, shells, sea stars (starfish) or any other marine life. The giant clams are especially sensitive and even a slight change in location or environment can affect their condition. Please do not touch the clams or put anything into them. They take many years to grow, and throwing stones, pieces of coral, empty soft drink cans or similar can very easily kill them. The beautiful sandy white beach is blessed with all-day sun and fantastic sunsets, and the lagoon provides all-tide swimming and off-beach snorkelling in clear warm waters protected from the open ocean by the encircling coral reef. Other beach and lagoon activities include beach volleyball (the Resort also has an international competition-standard court), kayaking, outrigger canoeing, dingies, fish feeding and night snorkelling. We kindly request that you please not take any resort equipment off the property, including beach towels and snorkelling gear. Due to the popularity of many activities, we recommend that you book in advance with the Activities Team, particularly the night snorkelling and Friday NiteLife Tour. There’s also a freshwater swimming pool with a waterfall feature and sundecks, plenty of sunloungers and hammocks, tennis, the Resort’s Games Lounge with big screen TV, guest library, plus our extensive Daily Activities Programme including Friday’s fun bus NiteLife Tour of Rarotonga’s hottest bars and clubs.
The Moko’s Kids Club is a colourful clubhouse superbly equipped with a wide range of toys, books, board games, paints, crafts, a play shop, ride-ons, sports equipment, trampoline, musical instruments, Lego, computer games, PlayStation games, DVD movies, a bouncy castle and a fun themed Kids Nature & Culture Discovery Programme, all under the friendly supervision of our experienced Kids Club Team. The Club is free to all in-house children aged 4-11 years inclusive, and is open year-round from Monday to Saturday, 9am-12noon, 2pm-5pm and 7pm-9pm. Please note that a fee is charged for late collection of children participating in Kids Club Sessions at a rate of $1 per minute past the closing time for the session. Children under the age of 4 can also join in the fun when supervised by a parent or caregiver.
Babysitting is available at the Resort and costs NZ$12 per hour from 6am to 11pm. After 11pm until 6am the charge is NZ$18 per hour. Due to the popularity of the Babysitting Service, a minimum of 24 hours notice is required. This service is available only to in-house guests, and subject to the availability of babysitters. A maximum number of two children per babysitter applies.
Our Activities Hut is located poolside and is open daily from 8am to 6pm. Our Activities Staff would be delighted to assist you with beach towels and equipment for Resort activities such as snorkelling masks and flippers, reef shoes (essential if you’re exploring the magnificent marine reserve), kayak paddles, tennis balls & racquets, tennis court bookings, basketballs, volleyballs, petanque and a wide variety of board games, plus extensive local knowledge. Dial 8061. Please note all equipment borrowed is for a maximum of 2 hours’ use and must be returned to the Activities Hut by 5.30pm on the same day. A fee of NZD$5 per item will be charged to your room for later delivery, and cost price per item will be charged for the non-return of any Activities equipment.
EXCURSIONS
Excursions around the island of Rarotonga can be booked through Front Desk. Experience memorable adventures such as the Raro Mountain Safari Tour (Rarotonga’s most popular tour which shows you a whole new perspective on Rarotonga and is led by entertaining and informative guides), Captain Tama’s glass bottom boat lagoon cruise, Aroa Pony Trek, a cross island hike with guide Pa, bird watching and nature walking at Takitumu Conservation Area, Cultural Village and historical circle island tours, Highland Paradise botanical gardens and ancient sacred sites, scenic flying, game fishing, art tours and garden tours.
Travellers Tip! Take a tour such as the Raro Mountain Safari Tours (telephone 23 629 or 55 639) or a circle island historical tour early in your visit. This will give you a real insight into island life and you’ll have a chance to return to your favourite spots before you depart.
With so much to do on the island, many guests find that there is more than enough to keep them occupied for at least 10 days to two weeks, so please ensure that you give yourself plenty of time to see and do all the enjoyable things that you’d like to experience. If your schedule allows, do avoid being one of the many travellers to Rarotonga who are disappointed they hadn’t booked a longer stay, so that they could do all that they wanted to, plus soak up loads of R&R (rest and relaxation) on Raro!
