Avarua attractions

In Rarotonga, you will swim with the turtles and explore the island’s marine environments in a fresh, hands-on way. Accompanied by an experienced team, you will snorkel while using an Ariki Sea Scooter, which lets you move smoothly through the water and see more beneath the surface. As you travel with the team, they will be on hand to support and guide you while you focus on the sea life and scenery around you. The combination of snorkelling and the Ariki Sea Scooter offers a different perspective on Rarotonga’s waters, putting turtles and the marine environment within easy reach as you explore.

On this eco-focused snorkelling experience around Rarotonga, you will be guided by experienced staff through human-powered snorkelling that avoids motorised equipment. The approach is deliberately low-impact and eco-friendly, so you can enjoy the reef and its wildlife without disturbing them. The emphasis on human-powered movement keeps noise and disturbance to a minimum, letting you focus on the sea life; you may encounter turtles and other marine creatures, and the quieter method creates a more natural, immersive experience. Safety is central: since 2018 the operation has maintained a 100% safety record. Guides carefully assess daily ocean conditions and select the best and safest locations for each outing, prioritising your comfort while protecting marine ecosystems. The tour is designed to balance guest safety and comfort with conservation, so by joining you will support a responsible way of exploring Rarotonga’s ocean environment.

Moana Sea Scooters invites you to explore marine life using small sea-scooters, offering a quicker way to reach and swim with the turtles rather than relying on traditional swimming. The experience uses Fun Sea-scooters and is run by a locally owned and operated team, so you’ll get an authentic island perspective as you move through clear waters. Tours are kept intentionally small, with just 4–6 people, creating an intimate, personal atmosphere. As you ride the sea-scooter you’ll cover more distance with less effort, giving you more time to observe marine life and enjoy being close to the turtles. Along the way you’ll have the chance to connect with nature, take in the beauty of the sea and leave with memorable moments from a relaxed, small-group outing.

With Storytellers Eco Tours, you’ll cycle at a relaxed pace in a small group along the Ara Metua 'back road', winding lane ways and occasional gentle bush-track terrain. As you move through the island’s quieter areas, you’ll experience the tranquil rhythm of local village life and take in a variety of scenic views. There are frequent stops along the route where your guide will explain what you’re seeing and share local stories and insights. The explore tour finishes with a picnic lunch on the beach, where you may enjoy a swim to cool off. This tour is the more advanced of Storytellers’ three bicycle options, so it is best suited to people who already have some confidence cycling.

On this private tour of Rarotonga’s reef environment, you will enjoy a more personal and relaxed ocean experience. A dedicated guide will stay with your group, offering one-on-one support in the water. This makes the tour well suited to beginners, families or anyone who prefers a gentler pace. With no larger group present, you will have more space and time to move through the reef and to observe marine life in a more natural way. The tour follows a minimal-impact, eco-friendly approach and avoids motorised assistance so the experience stays quiet, safe and immersive. Along the way your guide will assess sea and weather conditions each day to help ensure the best possible experience for your group. Since 2018, the provider has maintained a 100% safety record. You will explore the reef up close, learn about the local environment as you go, and enjoy a calm, respectful encounter with marine life.

At Coco Brush Cultural Classes on the island, you will immerse yourself in local culture through hands-on creative sessions. You can choose from a tropical-style paint-and-sip session, a weaving workshop to create your traditional lei, or a cooking class to learn how to make local dishes. Each option focuses on practical skills and a relaxed, social setting, with time to practise and enjoy the activity you pick. As you take part in your chosen class, you will have the opportunity to learn about the island’s rich cultural heritage while creating your unique masterpiece. The sessions pair instruction with cultural context, so you will gain insight into the traditions behind the painting, weaving or cooking you try. Whether you paint a tropical scene, weave a lei using traditional techniques, or prepare local recipes, the experience will centre on learning and making something personal that reflects the island’s culture.

This sea scootering experience takes you out into the electric blues of the open ocean to explore a 100‑year‑old shipwreck just beyond the Avarua dock. Sea scooters will assist you as you glide over reefs and around the wreck, letting you cover more water with less effort and enjoy clear views of the site from the surface and near‑water level. Along the way, you may encounter a variety of marine life. Sea turtles and reef sharks are among the species commonly seen, and giant trevally may appear as you move through the area. Humpback whales may also be present in season, offering a possible memorable sighting. The focus is on enjoying the ocean scenery and the wreck while the scooters help you explore the surrounding marine environment.

Only available June to November, this purpose‑led whale swim combines close encounters in pristine environments with active conservation work. Experienced guides with decades of time working with whales will lead the trips, prioritising whale welfare and operating ethically and safely. They will carry out photo‑identification and record behavioural observations that contribute to ongoing research and responsible whale tourism. Groups are kept small, giving a more personal, unhurried experience and increasing time in the water and swim opportunities — suitable for solo travellers, couples and adventure seekers. Professional photography is included, so you can stay present in the moment while receiving high‑quality images of your encounter. Along the way you will hear knowledgeable commentary from the crew and learn about identification and behaviour as observations are made. Guests routinely note the strong organisation, skilled crew and quality equipment, alongside the exceptional encounters in these natural settings. The experience is designed to be meaningful for you while directly supporting whale protection and research.

Paint and Sip is tropical themed and offers a relaxing, fun atmosphere where you can unwind and unleash your creativity. The setting is designed to put you at ease, so you can focus on painting in a calm, friendly space that encourages experimentation. What sets this experience apart are the stunning views of the island you can enjoy as you work on your piece. The natural surroundings provide a beautiful, tranquil backdrop that may inspire your choice of colours and subject matter. You’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in the tropical setting and create your own artwork while taking in the scenery around you.

This tour is ideal for wildlife lovers who want a straightforward way to see marine life. Instead of spending time searching on your own, you’ll go to a place where you are guaranteed to swim with turtles. You’ll get close to these marine animals and experience them in the water, enjoying the chance to observe turtles up close. A photographer accompanies you throughout the experience to take photos of you and the turtles, so you can concentrate on the moment rather than on taking pictures. After the tour you’ll receive online access to a digital photo album containing the images taken during the trip, allowing you to download and share your memories.

Cook Islands Tours believes your first and last impressions shape how you remember your holiday, so they provide a distinctive meet-and-greet for all international arrival and departure transfers to Rarotonga. On arrival you will be welcomed at the Cook Islands Tours Desk and presented with a fresh flower Ei (a fresh flower necklace). Staff will escort you to the transfer coach, and you will be given a refreshing towelette and a cool bottle of water to help you settle in. For departure, the team will offer a shell Ei as a parting gift to keep as a memento of your time on the beautiful island of Rarotonga. Transfers operate as a seat-in-coach service, and the welcome and farewell touches are intended to bookend your trip with a personal, local sign of hospitality.

On this snorkelling experience around Rarotonga, you will visit a protected site known locally as the island’s healthiest snorkelling spot, a location that is only accessible with a local guide. As you move through clear water, you will snorkel alongside eagle rays and turtles and see a range of thriving marine life up close. The setting is focused on the underwater wildlife and the chance to spend time with these animals in their natural environment. The team will work with swimmers of all levels. If you are new to swimming or snorkelling, the guides can teach basic skills and free-diving techniques to help you feel secure and capture better underwater photos. You will receive premium, world-class photographs after the trip via an online gallery link, so you can share your images easily. The guides are experienced and knowledgeable, and the activity is aimed at people who want an immersive underwater adventure.

This guided snorkel and free‑diving tour around Rarotonga takes you into one of the island’s healthiest reef ecosystems. You’ll swim through the Passage, a natural channel with crystal-clear water and colourful coral gardens, where curious reef fish are often seen. The tour gives you the chance to swim alongside majestic Green Sea Turtles and the rare, endangered Hawksbill Turtle, while you explore vibrant underwater scenery that many people describe as aquarium-like. You’ll be in small groups and use premium equipment supplied by the operator. A brief introduction to the Passage will explain what to look for, and experienced local guides stay with you in the water to offer assistance, spot marine life and share facts about the creatures you encounter. The experience suits snorkellers and confident free divers alike, and the guides will support you as you move through the reef and observe its plants and animals.

On Rarotonga, this private couples or small-group turtle tour offers an intimate snorkelling experience paired with professional photography. You will be accompanied by an experienced underwater photographer and receive world-class beach portraits, creating lasting images of your time on the water and shore. You will swim in what the provider describes as the healthiest snorkelling spot on Rarotonga, rich with marine life. The area is filled with abundant species, including eagle rays and turtles present year-round. Along the way, the tour can be tailored to suit non-swimmers, children and senior citizens, so everyone in your party can take part in a way that feels comfortable and safe. This is the provider’s most popular tour.

Enjoy a special photo shoot in paradise with your significant other or family, created to help you capture memories of a lifetime. During the session, you will spend time together while being photographed in the location’s natural surroundings, so you can focus on moments and interactions that matter to you. The shoot is arranged for couples or families and aims to produce a lasting record of your time in this setting. The experience includes at least 50 photos, which will be sent to you in a downloadable album. You will be able to download the images to keep, share or print as you wish. The digital album gives you an easy way to revisit the session and preserve the memories you make during your time in paradise.