Kia Orana ki Rarotonga

Destination airport: Rarotonga International Airport RAR

Flight duration: 24 hours 30 minutes

Air miles: 16,100 km

Culinary speciality

Raw fish salad
Ika Mata is the national dish of the Cook Islands. Raw fish is marinated in lime juice and coconut milk. It is similar to ceviche, but the rich coconut note makes the difference and captures the essence of the Pacific.

Current live information

Did you know?

Rarotonga International Airport is the largest airport in the Cook Islands and was opened in 1974. It is located only about 3 kilometres from the capital, Avarua. The airport offers regular international connections to New Zealand, Australia, and other parts of the Pacific. Despite its modest size, it is an important hub for tourism on the Cook Islands. Especially popular: the runway runs parallel to the beach, allowing visitors to watch planes landing directly from the sea.

Places of interest

The Muri Beach lagoon, with its turquoise waters and small offshore motus (islets), is a paradise for water sports and relaxation. At Te Vara Nui Village, traditional dances and the culture of the Cook Islands are brought to life. The Cross-Island Track leads through the Rarotonga jungle up to the „Needle“ rock, offering fantastic views over the island. The capital, Avarua, boasts charming markets, souvenir shops, and traditional colonial-style churches.

Useless knowledge

• Rarotonga's runway is so close to the coast that plane spotters can watch the jets fly almost overhead from the beach.
• The local cocktail is called a ‚Mai Tai‘, and after the third one, you'll automatically say „meitai“ instead of „maybe“. Warning: This can lead to you suddenly strumming a ukulele without ever having learned how.
• There are no traffic lights on Rarotonga.
• There are exactly two bus routes: one runs clockwise, the other anti-clockwise.
• WLAN on Rarotonga is like a shy animal – expensive, slow, rare. Being offline isn't a state, but the island's standard. And actually... it's rather nice.