Cook Islands Rarotonga 🇨🇰

Rarotonga the largest and most populated island in the Cook Islands. It is a stunning volcanic paradise in the South Pacific with a 32km road encircling its entire circumference. It is known for its lush, rugged mountainous interior—including "The Needle" peak—clear turquoise lagoons, coral reefs, and a relaxed, no-building-higher-than-a-palm-tree culture. A serene pace invited us to exhale, explore, and sink into a paradise that feels personal, authentic, and beautifully unhurried.

What did we do?

Muri Beach

Low tide you could walk to the island

Muri Night Markets

Pool Time

A different world

Mozzies & Dengue
 Pretty serious - we had spray, coils,
netting around bed. Even the 
restaurant had multiple cans
of spray

This $2 coin can only be used on the 
Cook Islands even though it is
New Zealand currency

We have an international 
adapter but it did not work 
with this outlet. Luckily the 
resort had adapters we 
could borrow

There was a Clockwise bus and an 
Anticlockwise bus

Where & what did we eat?

The onsite restaurant was the Nautilus Restaurant. It is highly rated on Google maps. Our breakfast was included and we had the option to choose from the buffet or order from a menu.

Breakfast

Spicy Beans with Hallouomi 

Coffee with a view

Banana Belgium Waffles
Served with mixed berry compote,
Banana, crème Chantilly &
 maple syrup

Lunch

Club Sandwich 
A triple decker sandwich of smoked
chicken 🐔 , bacon 🥓, lettuce, cheese &
tomato 🍅 on multigrain toast
 Served with fries

Dinners

Aromatic Coconut Parrot Fish
Lightly poached local parrot
fish on a bed of glass noodles,
and bok choy, immersed in a
fragrant lemongrass, kaffir
 lime coconut sauce

Thai Pork Belly
Slow braised Thai spiced pork belly,
lightly sauteed greens, tropical fruit salsa
and a green Thai curry sauce
with crackling

Maple Miso Chicken Roulade
Baked roulade of chicken breast
stuffed with a herbed chicken filling,
accompanied by cauliflower & beetroot
puree, charred baby carrots,
 drizzled with a miso maple glaze

Seafood Pasta Pasifika
Tagliatlle nero topped with sous
vide prawns, mussels & calamari,
blended with a mazavaroo
chilli & coconut cream sauce &
parmesan-coconut wafers

Pumpkin & Goat Cheese Ravioli 
Pumpkin & Goat cheese mousse encased
in our own pasta pockets. sauteed in a
nutty browned butter with capers, herbs &
cherry tomato topped with shaved Pecorino

Aromatic Coconut Parrot Fish
Lightly poached local parrot fish
on a bed of glass noodles, and bok
choy, immersed in a fragrant
lemongrass, kaffir lime coconut sauce

Night Market

Garlic Prawn

Dumplings

TEM Store and Takeaways

Crispy Tacos - really good and messy!

Where did we stay?

Nautilus Resort Rarotonga

Our welcome drink

Videos of the room!

How did we get there?

We flew Air Tahiti from Papeete, Tahiti. I'm used to a pat down but I went through the scanner and buzz, buzz, buzz. Please remove your shoes, watch, earrings, no problem. Back through scanner buzz, buzz, buzz, I had to be wanded down, up, and sideways, lol. It was my damn bra.

Awesome photo bomb

We retrieve our luggage and go through customs, we exit the terminal and realize we have no Google Fi service. There is a Vodafone store but an airport 'information' lady tells us they are only open for International flights. Also, since it was Saturday, there were no taxis.  Wait a minute! Didn't we just fly from the French Polynesian Islands. Oh well, there is a couple getting cash from an ATM so Rob follows suit and I start talking to the couple. They had prebooked their taxi... unlike us. She was going to give me the number but they had no phone service either. She suggested that we speak to their driver and maybe he could call us a taxi or come back for us. We ended up sharing the taxi as we were going further than them. We did prebook the taxi for our ride back. Once we arrived at the resort, Rob was able to use their limited wifi and order an eSim so we could have data.

They use New Zealand currency

When did we visit? February 21 - 25, 2026

Kia Orano "May you live a long and fulfilling life”

French Polynesian

Moorea is a tropical volcanic island in French Polynesian located in the South Pacific Ocean just about 11 miles northwest of Tahiti. Moorea is a lush, heart‑shaped island where emerald peaks rise sharply from a lagoon that glows in shifting shades of turquoise. Moorea is the kind of island that stays with you long after you’ve left. As you wander the coastal road, life feels wonderfully simple with pineapple fields glowing gold in the sun, tiny fruit stands offering chilled coconut, and lagoon shallows so clear you can see every ripple of sand. The island’s two great bays cradle villages where children bike home from school and fishermen mend their nets in the shade. By late afternoon, the whole island seems to pause as the sky blushes over the water, and you realize Moorea isn’t just beautiful—it’s deeply, quietly alive, inviting you to slow down and feel part of its gentle heartbeat.

What did we do?

Beach

Island Exploring Via a Scooter

Belvedere Lookout

Look at the view

Snacks Anyone

We did not have the proper 
shoes to take the trail

Back on the road

The winding roads back down to archeological ruins

Marae Ti'i-rua is a  

significant archaeological site

Hairpin turn

Random pictures from around the island

Toatea Lookout it overlooked the 

 Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort

Bikers

Time to filler up 

Pools

Back yard private pool

Resort exploring

Getting a tan

Hey, look at me

All by myself, Don't wanna be, All
by myself, Anymore 

Where did we eat?

Arii Vahine at the resort was also the breakfast restaurant.

Shrimp Amuse

Beef Medley "Bourguignon" Style

A perfect night to sit outside

La Cantine Chez Papi was a hole in the wall mom & pop shop on the side of the road.

Sweet & Sour Chicken
It was a huge bowl of fried chicken 🍗 
and sauce on the side (not in pic) 

Special Chao Men

Rotui Bar & Grill 

Rudy's is a restaurant off-site but shuttle service is offered by the town.

Soupe a l'Oignon Gratiné

Filet de Perroquet Fauci au Crabe
Filet of parrot fish 🐟 stuffed with crab

We went back a second night 🌙 🤪.

Carpaccio de Thon
Tuna Carpaccio 

Cassolette de Fruit de Mer
Seafood casserole au gratin

Mahi-Mahi Muenière
Mahi with lemon sauce

Where did we stay?

Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa King Deluxe Garden Pool Bungalow.  At the time I booked, the over-the-water bungalows were unavailable 🙃 😪 🙃. 

How did we get there?

We walked from the Cruise 🛳 Port right next door to the Ferry ⛴️ Terminal.

When did we visit? Moorea February 15 - 18, 2026

Papeete sits on the northwest coast of Tahiti, facing the deep blue stretch of the South Pacific and the misty silhouette of Moorea across the channel. As the capital of French Polynesia, it’s a lively waterfront city where markets overflow with tropical fruit, monoi oils, and bright pareos, and where the marina hums with ferries, fishing boats, and sunset wanderers. 

What did we do? Honestly we ate, drank, layed around and watched the Sunsets. (Sorry for all the sunset pictures). At least we were able to get an over-the-water bungalow!

Don't tell Rob but I liked watching the boats row by.  

Lagoon fish pictures

I was trying desperately to get this
yellow fish and it kept disappearing 
into the rocks

A few more random pictures!

It was too bad the current was so strong

Look at that a sunset picture

Our Bungalow 

What can I say 

Hanging Out

I should switch these captions, lol.

Where did we eat

Huriama Garden 

Planche de charcuterie
 & fromages

 Charcuterie & cheese platter

Le Lotus Restaurant is their gourmet French restaurant over the water. The view and the service was spectacular. We had the option of a five course dinner but instead we chose a 2 course.  One starter, two mains, & one dessert.  

Amuse

Marbled foie gras terrine,
iced papaya chutney and
guava gel, coffee-scented
Viennese bread
They split the starter into 2 plates

Halibut, with brown butter,
celery leaf vierge & finger lime

Scallops, octopus and pomfret
fish prepared Provençal-style,
with tomato confit

Polynesian vanilla mille-feuille,
amaretto gel and vanila ice cream

Te Tiara Restaturant was the main restaurant. We had breakfast & lunch.

The breakfast selection was very interesting
I had fried eggs, veggies, greens & ham 

Hawaiian tuna poke bowl

Pizza Burrata 

Where did we stay?

InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa 

How did we get there?

We took the ferry from Moorea and a taxi. Note: taxis do not take credit cards but do accept US dollars. Rob got his change in French Polynesian currency and put it towards our ride to the airport.

When did we visit? Papeete February 18 - 21, 2026

"Life is an adventure, and every island is a new chapter."