I think we made a great choice with Muri Beach Cottages - three small cottages each with their own view to Muri Lagoon, private but close to facilities and shops at Muri  a smaller one on the water - you need to be able bodied to cope with a ladder to bed, but the view is amazing - nothing between you and the lagoon. another more spacious one with a lovely … [Read more...]

The roads are flat - less than an hour to circle the island by motorised vehicle. Narrow roads, with not a lot of passing opportunities, but no one seems in a hurry, and they take care around bikes and scooters. Hire a Scooter If you do not have a bike endorsement on your licence, you will need a local one.    Locals do not wear helmets, but tourists do - … [Read more...]

There are two main centres on the island - Avarua, near the Airport and Muri Lagoon on the other side of the island. The latter is the special snorkelling spot and on the recommendation of friends, it was where we were to be based - it was a good decision. We arrived on Friday night in the dark at Muri Beach Cottages, but the roar of the surf nearby was almost deafening. … [Read more...]

We have just had a wonderful week in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. We loved the snorkelling, the warm weather, the direct flight from Christchurch and Auckland. the hospitality, the food and cycling everywhere. Everyone will tell you about the Saturday morning market which is a must visit. A great video of it here But there was some other things that I thought were … [Read more...]