Adventure Reef

Aorangi Wreck

Avana Passage

The Boiler Wreck (SS Maitai)

Kaikoura Gardens

Mataora Wreck (MV Mataora)

Ngatangiia Swamp Passage

Paradise Tikioki

Sand River (Avaavaroa Passage)

Drop-Off (Wigmore's Wall)

Rarotonga’s food scene blends Cook Islands tradition with Pacific resort dining. The national dish is ika mata, raw fish marinated in coconut and lime, similar to ceviche. Umu feasts feature food slow-cooked in an earth oven, while imported New Zealand beef, local taro, cassava and banana accompany most meals. Resorts and the Punanga Nui market offer fresh tuna, mahi-mahi and reef fish, and tropical fruits such as papaya, pineapple and passionfruit are abundant. Coconut is used in everything from sauces to desserts.

Muri Beach Club Hotel

Pacific Resort Rarotonga

Nautilus Resort

The Islander Hotel

Moana Sands Beachfront Hotel

Rarotonga South is the heart of Cook Islands diving, where the fringing reef meets the open Pacific through a series of dramatic passages and drop-offs. The southern coast offers the legendary Sand River at Avaavaroa Passage, where white sand flows like a river through the reef, and Wigmore’s Wall, a sheer drop beginning at just 8 metres and plunging into deep blue water draped in black coral and gorgonians. The MV Mataora and Aorangi wrecks provide accessible artificial reefs packed with marine life, while shallow sites such as Paradise Tikioki and Kaikoura Gardens are perfect for beginners and macro photographers. Avana Passage delivers thrilling drift dives with schooling jacks and tuna. With daily flights from New Zealand and a range of professional dive operators based around Muri and Tikioki, the south coast is the most accessible and diverse diving in the country.

Rarotonga (South)

International flights arrive at Rarotonga International Airport at Avarua, the main gateway to the country. The southern dive sites are reached by short boat rides of 10 to 25 minutes from bases around Muri, Tikioki and Avarua. Several PADI and SSI dive centres operate daily trips, and shore diving is possible at a few sheltered sites. The ring road makes transfers between the airport and the southern dive bases quick and easy.

Dive Sites in Rarotonga (South)