shopping in Rarotonga — Blog — The Grains Of Paradise

I’ve spent my entire life dreaming of the tiny tropical islands of the Southern Pacific ocean. And no island so far has made an impression on me quite like Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. My first visit to the Cooks Islands was back in 2004. It was about 5 years after living in American Samoa and just 5 years after I moved to Hawaii. At this point in my life, I believed I had already “seen” paradise but it wasn’t until I woke up that first morning on Rarotonga did I finally “feel” it.

Rarotonga was my childhood vision board. Everything I ever dreamed about when I thought of the South Pacific was there. The vibrant colors, the dewy air, the fragrant flowers, the white powered sand, the crystal clear lagoon…I finally found it. That’s not to say that I didn’t find these things in Samoa or Hawaii, but in the Cooks, it just hit different. I still can’t quite explain it.

Soon after I discovered Rarotonga, Aloha Airlines was sold and sadly I had no longer had a direct route to the Cooks from Honolulu. I figured that another airline would quickly scoop up the the route so in the meantime my husband and I started exploring the rest of the South Pacific. Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti again, again, and again but still, no Cooks. I had finally decided that if there was no direct route by the time a big birthday came up ( still a few years from now ) then I would go back to the Rarotonga via New Zealand. Then suddenly out of nowhere, Hawaiian Airlines added Rarotonga to their destinations in May of 2023! And without much thought, I booked a flight immediately and I finally got back to my favorite island in the world…20 years after my first visit.

The famous Rito hats of the Cook Islands. I finally had to break down ( $$$ ) and buy one.

Plant-based eats at the Lucky Rooster Eatery in Avarua.

My husband REALLY enjoying his breakfast wrap at Kai and Co.

My favorite beach in the world. Titikaveka

Our absolute favorite place to eat on Rarotonga. Beluga. My husband said they had the BEST sandwich he’s ever had. and it was vegetarian!

Locally made pareu at the Saturday markets

Muri Beach in front of the Pacific Resort.

How to get there

Hawaiian Airlines currently flies to Rarotonga from Honolulu once a week. You can also get to Rarotonga on Air New Zealand through Auckland. I believe they have daily flights.

Where to stay

We stayed at the Muri Beachcomber ( Mid- Range $$ ) in Muri Beach. The staff, location, and the grounds exceeded all expectations! Included in the price were airport transfers, a daily simple breakfast, housekeeping, bikes, kayaks, SUPs, and snorkel gear. The only complaint we had was the bed. If you like a VERY firm mattress then you’ll be fine.

High End $$$

The Little Polynesian - aiming to stay here next trip!
The Nautilus
The Pacific Resort

On a budget $

Tropical Sands - Adorable. And the sweetest couple from Maui are the owners and also lifelong friends of mine.

Where to eat - In my experience, I found that the food selection was better in the Cooks vs. Tahiti. The dishes seem to be a bit “lighter”, plant-based was easier to come by, and the vegetables/greens seemed a lot fresher. Also, wine was much cheaper. Gotta love those New Zealand Sauv Blancs!

Beluga - Casual breakfast/lunch
The Muri Night Market - casual dinner - starts at 5pm, 4 nights a week
The Lucky Rooster Eatery - casual
The Pacific Resort - casual, happy hour, and fine dining ( dinner ) - open all day
Kai and Co. Eatery - casual breakfast and lunch

Where to Shop - I’ll be honest, there isn’t a whole lot of shopping on Rarotonga. At least not much for me, which is probably a good thing. However, do not miss the huge market on Saturday in downtown Avarua. Everything you would want from the Cook Islands will be there.

Punanga Nui Market on Saturday - The best place to buy the Cook Islands famous Rito Hats and Rito fans, Cook Island black pearls, locally made pareus, local coffee, vanilla, and wood carvings by local artists like Henry Tavioni.

Things to do - We’re not much into “activities” on vacation. We like to rent a car and explore on our own which is exactly what we did this trip. Unfortunately, October can we a bit “chilly” ( highs in the mid 70s lows mid 60s ) and windy ( tradewinds were at an unrelenting 20 mph the whole week ) which was my exact opposite experience when I went to the Cook Islands for the first time in late March. That being said, Rarotonga is all about the gorgeous lagoon and I love taking a SUP or kayak out to the motus in the Muri area. This is hands down my favorite activity to do.

Also maybe try…

Hiking - there’s a famous cross island trek worth checking out
Driving the old “inner” road around the island.
Visiting the Wigmore waterfall.
Whale watching - July through October is Humpback whale season in Rarotonga. We were lucky to see some incredible breaching from the beaches!
Long beach walks - I’ve spent a lot of time in the South Pacific and I have to say that Rarotonga has some of the most beautiful ( long ) white sand beaches out there. If you’re lucky, one ( or 3! ) of Raro’s many sweet pups will join you. My favorite places for a long beach walk include, the Muri area, Titikaveka, and Nikao/Black Rock Beach near the airport.
Spa Treatments - There a many spas to choose from on Rarotonga. I had an incredible massage at the Pacific Resort and my husband did as well at the Nautilus.

Helpful tips

The New Zealand Dollar - Gotta love the exchange rate in the Cook Islands compared to Tahiti. On this trip the exchange was only .59 NZD to the US $1. I ordered about $500 NZD from my local bank in Hawaii before our trip so I didn’t have to deal with the local ATMs on the island. Cash is great to have on hand because some of the local eateries and craft markets are cash only.

Rent a car - I personally have to have a car when I’m traveling but you don’t need one in Rarotonga. There is a bus that circles the island daily. I rented a small car from Avis and could pick it up near our resort but drop it off at the airport when we departed.

Go to Aitutaki - This is one thing we blew it on. We absolutely should have booked this in advance because by the time we got to Rarotonga the flights were full. On the next trip to the Cooks, we plan on staying on Aitutaki for a few days. But if that’s not in the budget, there’s the Aitutaki Day Tour with Air Rarotonga. This came HIGHLY recommended by several people we spoke with.

KIA ORANA!! xo