Rarotonga Shore Excursion Reviews

Vegetables, fish and fruit are the staples of Rarotongan cuisine; if you want to take a light picnic lunch on the bus or your scooter elsewhere on the island, stop by one of the many takeaways for a chicken or egg sandwich to go.

Close to the Port: For a casual lunch, try Fish n Chips just to the left of the tender dock -- follow the scent of fresh seafood and French fries; there are wooden tables and benches near the counter with a great view of the harbor and your ship at anchor. Open for lunch though hours may vary.

Ethnic Cuisine: For a change of pace from typical island eats, Raviz Indian Cuisine on the main drag in the town center is open for lunch Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Menu items include lamb, beef, seafood and chicken curries, and tandoori breads. Not in the mood for a sit-down affair? For $6.50 NZD, grab a takeaway curry box with rice and head toward a picnic spot on the island, such as Ngatangiia Harbor.

Light Cafe Lunch: Cafe Salsa serves salads and creative wood-fired pizzas on the main drag in downtown Avarua, next to the CITC supermarket. Tables are set up on the sidewalk for prime people watching. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Local Favorite: You'll see locals and tourists alike at Trader Jack's, on a pier near the traffic circle. The open-air restaurant and bar are nautical in decor with paddlewheels on the walls, and pure fun -- look for the "Ass of the Week" plaque near the restrooms (it's a mounted toilet seat that reveals a mirror when the lid is lifted). Must-eats include the fish tacos and the "fishwich," a grilled or fried filet on toasted bread with tartar sauce and cheese. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Avarua, the capital of the Cook Islands, is situated on the northern coast of Rarotonga -- just a 15-minute walk from the tender dock. In town you'll find a post office, banks, souvenir and craft shops, and jewelry stores carrying the region's ubiquitous black pearls, restaurants and supermarkets.

On Saturdays, the Punanganui Market in Avarua is a bargain-hunter's dream with arts and crafts, clothing, and fresh fruits and vegetables; it's also a good place to sample local cuisine like coconut rolls and ika mata (marinated raw fish).

Muri Beach is Rarotonga's prettiest and busiest stretch of sand, sweeping in a small arch for over half a mile along the island's southeast coast. There's a shallow lagoon for swimming and snorkeling, and many areas are protected marine reserves -- which means fish are plentiful.

There are guided safaris and hikes for all levels of fitness through the rainforest, noni plantations and bird sanctuaries -- and to Wigmore's Waterfall and the base of the Needle, the highest point on the island near its center. Pa's, a local operator, offers mountain and nature tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Though the lagoon itself is shallow, there are great scuba spots just off the reef: wreck dives, walls, drop offs, canyons, coral gardens and an abundance of fish life (and whales, turtles and rays). Because calls do get canceled from time to time, we recommend booking through your ship's excursion department; however, there are local operators offering dives, including Dive Rarotonga and Cook Islands Divers.

For duffers, there's a nine-hole golf course at the Rarotongan Golf Club. The club is open from 8 a.m. daily (closed Sundays); you can hire a half set of clubs.

If you'd like to learn more about Cook Islands history and culture, visit Cook Islands Cultural Village on Rarotonga. There are nine thatched huts, each devoted to a different aspect of island life, including handicrafts, fire making, coconut husking and traditional medicine.