I lived there for eighteen months and love the place. The lagoons in Muri and Titikaveka are a little polluted but are still by far the most beautiful place on the island. I would recommend staying there above anywhere else. The snorkeling and swimming around that area is fine. There are particular species of fish you can't eat, just check with the locals first. I love Rarotonga -- I am very well traveled and would have to say it is my favourite place on Earth.
Rarotonga … I absolutely loved it! It's the most lovely place and very romantic too. It's also very relaxing -- the perfect holiday!
Rarotonga … Heaven on earth! There are great people!
Rarotonga … Idyllic dream world, beaches, lagoons, reefs, seafood galore, friendliness -- what could be more fantastic? What a lie. Dead coral litters the beach, causes what locals call coral rash (and if not cleansed properly, it needs antibiotics). We should have gotten the hint when we didn't see locals fishing, diving, or swimming.
Rarotonga … The most idylic tropical islands I have visited so far. Minimal commercial tourism especially if you can get off the main island to some of the smaller islands like Atiu and Mauke. Great for snorkling, diving, kayaking, or just relaxing on powder white sand beaches. Friendly islanders are always ready to share a laugh and greet you with a smile. Hostel and budget rooms are very affordable, but the price of food is rather high since most of it is shipped in from New Zealand and further abroad.
Rarotonga … Vistors should avoid the beaches around Muri and Titikaveka as they are badly polluted.
Ariana Bungalows & Hostel in Rarotonga … What can we say? During our 3 weeks there, Ronnie went out of his way to make sure our stay was perfect. This included much vitamin B, and the always popular and always tasty Sunday BBQ. The bungalows themsleves are excellent, and the pool made for some intresting times when arriving back from a night on the tiles. All in all, a great place, run by a great group of people.
Vara's Beach House in Rarotonga … Vara's is a great place to end your world trip, its amazing, sand is so white, the sea is so blue. Vara is clean, right on the beach, has small dorms and apartments on suite if you want to be on your own. There is so much to do here -- walks though the island, waterfalls, the best sunset i ever saw and bar for the night life of backpackers and locals. I would go back tomorrow.
Backpackers International Hostel in Rarotonga … I only stayed at this hostel for a night but I was amazed by how friendly and relaxed it was. As soon as I exited the airport I was greeted with a smiley face. Our host kept us entertained throughout the transfer to our accommodation. The hostel is not five-star, but the rooms are comfy and the kitchen is big. I made so many friends in such a short time. Thumbs up for the free shuttle bus into town and back -- Banana Court rocks! It is also right on the beach where you see loads of fish, the beach is deserted so you could be sunbathing alone on a tropical island. What more could you ask for?
Rarotonga Backpackers in Rarotonga … This place is excellent. It's really clean and it has a pool, which is a nice touch! I would definitely stay here again. The owners were really nice and their home brew wasn't bad, either.
Tiare Village in Rarotonga … These guys were great. They provided excellent, friendly service. The rates are reasonable and the place was spotless. All in all, it was a great place to stay, especially with the luxury of a pool.
Ariana Bungalows & Hostel in Rarotonga … I stayed in this hostel eight years ago for six weeks in total. I loved the place and am coming back soon.
Tiare Village in Rarotonga … The friendliest and best hostel in Rarotonga! I checked out three others but none matched the freedom and friendliness at Tiare Village. Very clean, walking distance to town, and you can rent a scooter and snorkeling gear from there. The fruit trees provided an excellent breakfast every morning. I highly recommend this place!
Ariana Bungalows & Hostel in Rarotonga … We'll start by saying that Ronnie (the owner) is a legend. He knows everyone and everything which is an almighty help when going around the island. The facilities are more then adequate with Blackadder and the Godfather series on tap and you are quite a useful distance from town, if no one gives you a lift, so walking really isn't an issue or if you're hammered. The only bummer is that the only eateries are the other side of town!! There's a brilliant swimming pool that lends itself to stupid tricks and dives and Ronnie's kid who doesn't object to being picked up and slung into the water in amusing WWE moves. A top hostel with an amazing atmosphere. Can't wait to get back.
Tiare Village in Rarotonga … The place was tidy and clean, amazing gardens, was cool to be able go pick bananas from the yard around the chalet. Pool was mint and the location is really close to town. Would recommend this place for sure!
Backpackers International Hostel in Rarotonga … I went travelling around the world the beginning of this year with two friends of mine from England. We stayed in Backpackers International at the end of January through to about the middle of February, and we had the best time ever! We met some amazing people and great friends in this hostel, most of whom we kept bumping into on our way around the world, and some of whom we traveled a lot of the way with!
Rarotonga was our second destination, and this hostel made our stay so amazing and unforgettable. This hostel had the best atmosphere about it, the nicest people and the most amazing setting ever. It is the greatest place we have ever stayed in!
We have stayed in touch with almost every person we met in this hostel and we still see them now, and that's great! One day we would love to come back and stay at this hostel again. I just hope it will happen soon—we can not wait to return!
Backpackers International Hostel in Rarotonga … I had the time of my life here. There were so many things to do and it was so easy to get to know everyone. A lot of the people I met here I ended up seeing during the rest of my travels. The location is great, the staff were really helpful, always advising me on the best way to do things without hurting the pocketbook too much. Everything was so organized, like the kitchen, I was just so impressed. I've recommended it to everyone that loves to have fun. I'm already planning my return trip.
Ariana Bungalows & Hostel in Rarotonga … We stayed at Ariana Bungalows just over a year ago. We got married on the Island and Ronnie was fabulous. Ronnie told us that it wasn't the Hilton, but in it's way -- Ariana is more than that because it gets into your heart -- there is certainly something special here and I will always be greatful to Ronnie and Ian for all there help and making our stay the best holiday we've ever had!
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