Page 38 - Explore Magazine Autumn 2018

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SUN, SEA, SAND AND

SNORKELLING

With the help of Ellen Lee of helloworld Waipukurau, client Gina Prosser and her husband
enjoyed a chilled-out seven-day honeymoon on the tropical island of Rarotonga.

After much deliberation and help from our very patient travel agent The fish were colourful and plentiful and we saw different species
Ellen Lee, my husband and I decided on and booked our holiday to every time. After our time in the water the sun loungers on the white
Rarotonga. The four-hour plane trip from Auckland went by quickly sandy beach were a great way to chill out and contemplate the next
and when we landed at Rarotonga International Airport in the Avarua move, which was usually food and cocktails!
district it was bring on paradise!
Which were delicious! Basically, you can relax at a beach front café
Our coach picked us up and after a fairly brief trip (Rarotonga has a with a spectacular view and devour the most divine fresh fish sandwich,
circumference of only 32km), we arrived at Palm Grove Resort on the or order a three-course meal at an expensive restaurant right on the
southern side of the island and directly across the road from a stunning beach while watching a stunning sunset, or have your lunch or dinner at
beach. We received a very warm welcome and found this to be the case a seaside pub with a good chance of spotting a whale or two. You can
with everyone we encountered throughout our stay on the Island. also taste some of the local cuisine at the Muri night markets. Whatever
suits your budget or takes your fancy, you can find it all here. There are
Although there is a great bus service on Rarotonga and car hire plenty of little cafés too so a decent coffee isn’t hard to find.
is readily available, a good majority of locals and tourists travel
around the Island on scooters. A scooter licence is fairly easily We loved Rarotonga and its friendly
obtained at the police station in Avarua and takes only a few hours
to be issued, so that was us. people and beautiful beaches and

Personally, I think scooters are a chilled-out, laid-back vibe.
must-use means of transport when Our days were busy, with plenty to see and do, whether it was a
holidaying in Rarotonga: it’s part of glass-bottom boat cruise on the Muri lagoon or snorkelling on the
marine reserve or a BBQ lunch. There were also cultural village tours,
the overall island experience. overwater night shows and Island/Western buffet dinners. Off-road
buggy tours through hills and plantations. A wander around the
It proved a great way to cruise around the Island and check out some Punanga Nui Saturday markets or just kicking back on the beach.
of the stunning scenery both on and off the beaten track. Personally, Rarotonga really has something for everyone. In a nutshell, we loved
I think scooters are a must-use means of transport when holidaying Rarotonga and its friendly people and beautiful beaches and chilled-
here: it’s part of the overall island experience. out, laid-back vibe. We will be sure to venture back.
The beach across from Palm Grove was a magical place to snorkel
and we found ourselves out in the lagoon for several hours every day.

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