About Rarotonga

BEFORE YOU BOOK
Before you book your beachfront accommodation in Rarotonga, there are a few things you should read about to make your visit more comfortable. The information below will help you find out how warm it may be, so you pack the appropriate clothing, work out how you want to carry your currency and take note of when the shops in Rarotonga open and close. (You will probably prefer to be in your beautiful beachfront accommodation with a treat or two to hand!)

CLIMATE
The Cook Islands are renowned for their pleasant, temperate climate, being sunny most of the year round.

The cooler months are June to August, while November to March marks the warmer season, where occasional tropical showers can be expected. The drier months from April to November have an average temperature of about 26°C, whilst the warmer, more humid and damp season runs from December to March. During this season the temperature ranges between 22°C and 28°C. Severe weather is rare and infrequent.

POPULATION
Rarotonga (Capital Island): approx 10,337 ~ Cook Islands total: 17,611

RELIGION
Cook Islanders are devout Christian followers and Sundays are regarded island-wide as a day of rest. You will find few shops or tourist activities open on this day and no alcohol is sold at stores. You may still purchase alcohol at bars and restaurants.

DRESS CODE
While The Cook Islands are informal and the dress is casual, it is recommended that certain attire such as bikinis not be worn in shopping areas or public places outside of the beach and resorts, as it may cause offense in some places.

SONG AND DANCE
An intrinsic part of the Cook Islanders lifestyle is their dance. Each island has its own historical dances, which are a form of story telling and these are practiced assiduously from early childhood. There are numerous competitions throughout the year on each island and these are hotly contested. Cook Islanders are regarded as amongst the finest Polynesian dancers anywhere and have won many international awards.

While the rest of the world is well aware of the allure of the Hawaiian hula and the Tahitian Tamuré, the Cook Islands Hura is far more sensual and fierce. Every major hotel prides itself on the performance it puts on at least once a week on Island Night. when guests, selected by the dancers, are led onto the floor to show what they can do.

The Cook Islands talent for music both in the song and dance can be seen at the numerous festivals throughout the year. There are numerous string bands who create an unheard of range of ingenuous music when they play at restaurants, hotels and concerts as they combine modern electronics with traditional ukuleles fashioned from coconut shells or local woods.

WHAT TO DO

There is as much or as little to do on the island as you would like.       Relaxing, swimming, snorkeling, game fishing charters, Island Cultural experiences, Island Dinner & Show evenings, hiking, trekking, Markets, Night Markets, Glass bottom boats, kayaking, diving, island flights, kite surfing, great dining, ….. the choice is yours.  The Staff at Rumours are happy to help with recommendations and bookings.

COOK ISLANDS CURRENCY

The currency used in the Cook Islands is the New Zealand Dollar (NZD). The two major banks are ANZ and BSP (Bank of South Pacific) both are open Monday to Friday 9:00am – 3:00pm.

Banking facilities are also provided at the airport for currency exchange and cashing of travelers cheques. They are open for the arrival and departure of all International flights. Major credit cards are accepted throughout the island.

ATM & EFTPOS facilities are widespread throughout the island, however if you are drawing out cash it is recommended you use the GREEN BSP machines as they incur lower fees.