Cook Islands: Southern Cross, Raemaru Track, Muri Market, and of course, Snorkeling

Dec 4, 2019: From Marg’s Notes: Slept in again. Rod got up around 3:00 a.m. and took a picture of the Southern Cross. We sat on the porch and had tea & coffee until breakfast. After eating, we got ready to go for a hike. Drove up to the trailhead. Not too far from us…across from the Marine Discovery Centre. Raemaru Track was our hike, 1.9 miles out & back. It took us 2 hours to hike in. not too challenging, but mostly uphill.  Beautiful, but lots of skeeters. Had hiking poles so that helped. Rod did not use his. To get to the very top, there are rocks & a rope! Only Rod went up. On the way back Pam & I took the lead and were done in less than an hour. Good views on top! Afterwards, ~1:00, we were hot, tired & dirty, so we came back for a swim, then a shower! We had some wine & beer & left for Muri Night Market ~4:15. Had dinner there. We shared a stir fry thing, Jim & Pam had curry. Came back & played card, Heck & Hearts, watched the sunset & went to bed.

Photos & Itineraries

• 2018 Photos
• 2019 Photos
• 2018 Snorkeling
• 2019 Snorkeling
• Cook Islands Itineraries and Adventures

Places & Things:

• Alltrails.com: Hikes on Rarotonga
• Avarua Town – There are enough things to do in Avarua Town to make a day of it. Check out the link.
• Reef Walk with Kura Happ & Ariimoana Walkabouts

Snorkeling, Diving & Swimming

• Snorkeling – The snorkeling is incredible right off the beach. Saw moray eels, eagle rays, tons of colorful fish, clams, large crabs, and much more.
• Snorkeling & Scuba Diving
• Where to Snorkel in Rarotonga + Snorkel Hire on Rarotonga – Includes Fruits of Rarotonga
• Snorkeling Rarotonga: A Complete Guide
• Beaches & Lagoons

Accommodations

• Rarotonga Beach Bungalows (RBB) – The best place to stay on the entire island! Really, right on the beach.

Eating and Restaurants

• Antipodes – Go here to have a nice dinner and see Kura sing
• A guide to supermarkets & food shopping in the Cook Islands – Foodland is in Avarua. For getting your main supplies, it is likely the best place to go.
• Charlie’s and other restaurants – We love Charlie’s!
• Muri Night Market & Other Markets
• Trader Jack’s: Ocean view dining, RESTURUANT, bar, pizzas, great menu, live music, friendly staff & great service.

Miscellaneous

• Cook Islands Pocket Guide
• Cultural Tours and Experiences in the Cook Islands
• Marine Discovery Centre – We enjoyed this. Also, the Fijian lady working there sells curried roti. Yum!
• Museums to Visit in the Cook Islands
• Maire Nui Gardens & Cafe

 

Created: 2024