Best restaurants, cafes and accommodation in Rarotonga
Looking for where to go for coffee, burgers, fine dining and the best accommodation when staying on the largest of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific? Here are top eats and hotel recommendations for Rarotonga.
- January 2020
There’s seafood, poke and even places for a fancy dinner on Rarotonga before you pick the best place to stay from self-contained villas to resorts with a kids club on this Cook Islands destination.
Cook Islands Coffee Company
It roasts and serves excellent beans; if the orange traffic cone is out front, the place is open for business.
Ara Tapu, Matavera District, +682 50 646
Tamarind House
The home of upmarket Pacific cuisine, Tamarind House is set in a restored colonial property on the Tupapa beachfront.
Pue, Tupapa, +682 26 487, tamarindrarotonga.com opens in new window
Beluga Café
This cute place serves a punchy modern café menu of burgers, poke bowls and smoked marlin Caesar salads.
Main Road, Arorangi District, +682 27 788, opens in new window
Vaiana’s Bar & Bistro
For dinner, the beachfront bar offers sand-in-your-toes dining with a seafood-centric menu eaten at picnic tables on Nikao Beach.
Ara Tapu, Avarua District, +682 24 516
Pacific Resort Rarotonga
This resort has a famed kids’ club fronting directly onto the sand of Muri Beach as well as excellent family-friendly suites and villas. From about NZD $470 (about AUD $438) per night.
Muri Beach, +682 20 427, pacificresort.com opens in new window
Rainbow Villas
The luxury boutique resort consists of two eco-luxury self-contained villas located on one of the highest points of the island. Crafted in traditional Polynesian design with thatched roofs, each villa sleeps up to four and overlooks the golf course to the ocean beyond. From NZD $475 (about AUD $443) per night.
Ara Metua, Pokoinu Tapere, Avarua District, +682 74 809, rainbow-villas.com opens in new window