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>>> Early morning sky reflected by the water on Muri Lagoon © Archi

Living on the beach of a tropical lagoon is pretty much a magic experience. - Muri Lagoon is a shallow water between the beach and the reef. With it´s constant currant it is a moving picture that follows the rhythm of the tides. As there is always a light wind you can hear the sound of the waves that break on the reef. - Imagine, you are standing in the lagoon having your legs up to the knees in warm water, listening to the sounds that the wind carries towards you and enjoying the open panorama views into a big blue sky, where the cloudships are moving slowly towards the mountains or the open sea. The picture above shows a very calm early morning atmosphere. The two small islets on the sides are called "Oneroa" and "Koromiri". Kia manuia.

Going down south to Rarotonga you need to take a plane. It is basicly Air New Zealand or the low cost carrier Virgin Blue / Pacific Blue that will bring you here. There is round about 17 flights per week and is its recommended to book your flight and your accommodation early. - Soon after arrival you will recognize that you are in the tropics. An average temperature of 24°C with high humidity and a nice breeze. You might like the climate from the first moment on, but be aware that the tropical sun is very powerful and can sun tan you even on a cloudy day.

>>> Airbus A320 © Archi

>>> Kia orana flag © Archi

The photo underneath shows a few metres of Muri Beach which is approx. two kilometers long. If you swimm towards Motu Koromiri and further on, there will be now more islands until you reached Antarctica. The pictured beach is practicaly the end of the world. Fortunately there is three realy nice and classy restaurants further down the beach. You can order a cocktail, relax in the sun and think about going swimming or where to find an island night.

>>> Motu, sky, lagoon, remote beach, no wind today © Archi

>>> Motu Koromiri, typical sky, calm lagoon, remote beach © Archi

Experiencing nature is one of the main reasons to visit Rarotonga. Apart from the huge Pacific Ocean you have the beaches, the lagoon, the open sky, the gardens around the resorts and for sure the magnificent Rarotongan mountains. - Rarotonga is a remote pacific bio paradise.




>>> Nukoroa dancegroup with speer dance at Staircase © Archi

Dancing culture and the Cook Islands, that is a combination worth to experience. Every day you can go to one or two island nights. An island night means drums, singing and traditional dancing. The women are wearing their famous coconut bras and hip extentions. The men are wearing headeis and special "go faster scirts" on their legs. The group dance performances usually refer to a theme like fishing, cyclons or interaction between men and women. Very nice to experience and you might feel a certain need to take part in it instantly. - Watch out for the womens hips and hands or the mens fast moving knees ...



>>> Rarotongan child © Archi		>>> Local child and Archi © Archi

Rarotonga is a beautiful place for kids to grow up. The schools, church and community groups organize their life, but most of all the parents love their "little once" over all. Other than in Europe today, kids are very welcome and having a big family is a high value in the islands.



	>>> Golfing in Nikao with the mountains in the background © Archi

Saturday is sportsday. Rugby the national sport. But as the islanders are so keen on sport you find every type of sport down here. Even golfing is popular. That there is a huge TV antenna on the local golf course in Nikao doesn´t keep anybody away from hitting the ball.

>>> Backpackers of the year on new years eve party © Archi

The photo above shows a young couple from England. I named them Backpackers of the year because they have been so happy to be here. School or University leavers from Britain are well known for buying themself an around the world ticket and doing a few stop over days on Rarotonga. Usually they stay in one of the 19 backpacker accommodations on the island where you can find a bed in a dorm for 25 NZD or a room for around 50 NZD. The so called backpacker accommodations are very social because you usually share the kitchen and a communal lounge.

The most famous one might be Vara´s Beachhouse on Muri Beach. That is the place where all the "oommies" (means prisoners of mother England) gather. I like the pommies because they have good manners and know how to party and to be social. The other three backpackers I would recommend to go are Backpackers International, Tiare Village and Rarotonga Backpackers. If you are travelling in a group already you can also go Rau´s Guesthouse or rent yourself a house from http://www.ck/rentraro. Rarotonga is a christian island and you don´t have to fear travelling on your own. - Backpacking is lifestyle and you might have more fun than in an expensive resort.

Yes, all Cook Islanders and Polynesians love their flowers. It is a common habit to pick a tiare maori flower from on of the bushes around and wear to it behind the ear if you are going out in the evening or just feel like it. Wearing a flower is a bit like a signal that says, well, I am in a good mood today and perhaps I am willing to talk with you for a while. - The white tiare maori grows in nearly every garden and there is also tiare bushes in Rarotonga high street for the public. They are also used to make the common head-eis and neck-eis (handcrafted flowerrings for the head and flower necklaces) to welcome and honor arriving friends and relatives or simply to decorate yourself in a typical island manner.

The hibiscus flowers are growing on bushes and hedges all over the island. Mostly they are red, but there is many variations including orange and yellow or both. Compared with the white tiare maori they are too big to be worn behind your ear. But as a women you can try to fix a hibiscus flower in your hair like the local women do.

>>> Delicious starfruits are growing wild on the island © Archi

The starfruits pictured above are realy delicous and you can get them at the cultural market in two kilo sacks for five NZ Dollars. They are ready to eat, just chop them in slices. As they contain a lot of sweet fruit water you will eat and drink at the same time.

if you like the photos and how I describe Rarotonga island you can continue on >>> page 3