Rarotonga, Cook Islands

EdHEdH Registered Users Posts: 43 Big grins
edited October 14, 2006 in Journeys
My wife and I went on our dream trip to New Zealand for our honeymoon earlier this year. To rest up after cycling across the south island of New Zealand, we spent five days relaxing on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. It was one of the most beaufiful places we have ever seen.

Some of you might have seen a few of these in the Landscapes forum but I thought our five days on Rarotonga was worth posting to the Journeys forum as well.

We arrived on Rarotonga at about 2:30am. We had booked our house on the internet and were really hoping that it would be as nice as it was described. When we woke up we certainly weren't dissapointed with the view!
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We were hungry after getting in so late so we headed out for some food. Seafood was ridiculously cheap in the Cook Islands, this meal was about $25 (USD).
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After our meal the beach chairs were beckoning.....
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I don't think you can get more relaxing than this!
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View from the chair....
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The sunset on our first night was like nothing we had ever seen
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Each night a group of very friendly dogs would come out to explore the beach.
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They would play in the surf until the sun started to set
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Once the sun started to set they would all stop and watch until it disappeared below the horizon
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It was amazing how quickly the colors can change. This was just a few minutes after the shot of the dog above
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We never ate out for dinner because there wasn't a restaurant that could top the view from our deck.
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The next day we went fishing for marlin. We didn't catch anything but I got a good shot of the island.
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When we got back from fishing we decided to take the kayaks out. The island is surrounded by a barrier reef that creates a perfect lagoon for kayaking.
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Soon it was time for another perfect sunset
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The next day I wanted to try out the underwater housing for our SD400. These shots were taken about 10 feet from the shore in front of our house.
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Of course no day was complete without another unbelievable sunset.
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And since it was our honeymoon we can't leave out a cheesy honeymoon shot
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On our last day we explored the island a little bit more. In 1993 a group of investors tried to construct the island's first and only five star resort. The Mafia connected construction company embezzled the money and construction on the Sheraton resort was halted. The buildings have sat almost finished for the past 13 years.
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After we got tired of driving around we thought we would kayak to the other side of the island. We ended up at Muri Lagoon which is the most well known and built up areas of the island. Our guidebook said it was crowded on this side of the island. By crowded they must have meant 20 people on three miles of beach!
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Soon it was time for our last dinner before our plane left at midnight
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We were treated to some beautiful clouds as some rain squalls moved past us out at sea.
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We couldn't have finished the trip without one last amazing sunset
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Hope you enjoyed some shots from our trip. Our full gallery from the Cook Islands is here: http://hetheringtons.smugmug.com/gallery/1433053

Comments

  • thebigskythebigsky Registered Users Posts: 1,052 Major grins
    edited September 10, 2006
  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,005 Major grins
    edited September 10, 2006
    thumb.gif concrats clap.gif
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • PrezwoodzPrezwoodz Registered Users Posts: 1,147 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2006
    These shots are absolutly incredible. Especially the sunsets! Probably one of my favorite photo sets I have seen yet! You definatly just made the Cook Islands a mandatory stop on my list!
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited September 11, 2006
    Gorgeous!
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • gluwatergluwater Registered Users Posts: 3,599 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2006
    EdH wrote:
    68116479-S.jpg
    Wow!!!!

    After going through this thread the first thing that came to my mind was "I need to go there some day". Excellent series.
    Nick
    SmugMug Technical Account Manager
    Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
    nickwphoto
  • ShimaShima Registered Users Posts: 2,547 Major grins
    edited September 12, 2006
    Those are gorgeous!! I want to go there really bad now....

    ...need...to win...lotto....
  • SwartzySwartzy Registered Users Posts: 3,293 Major grins
    edited September 16, 2006
    Wonderful series
    Those sunsets are unbelievable. Great shots. What a great honeymoon with fabulous photos to boot.
    Swartzy:
    NAPP Member | Canon Shooter
    Weddings/Portraits and anything else that catches my eye.
    www.daveswartz.com
    Model Mayhem site http://www.modelmayhem.com/686552
  • chuckhchuckh Registered Users Posts: 224 Major grins
    edited September 17, 2006
    Very nice pictures and story, thank you so much for sharing!

    I wish the two of you a life-long partnership of love and happiness.:ivar
  • ronphotoronphoto Registered Users Posts: 32 Big grins
    edited September 17, 2006
    I am so very impressed with your post. These are unbelievable moments that you have captured in such exquisite photography. I really really enjoyed reading and viewing all of it. Thank you!
  • SeamaidenSeamaiden Registered Users Posts: 339 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2006
    Holy Cow! My husband's been to the Cook Islands once, he never told me just how lovely it is there. And that BEACH! Far better than the cobblestones we had to navigate when diving in Tulamben, Bali. Doing beach dives through those huge cobblestones was a real misery for me, I'm just not as strong as I used to be. That sand.. (p.s. your wife is ripped!).. just gorgeous and so inviting.

    If you'd like to know what fishes you took shots of, let me know (although the quality of those U/W shots leads me to guess you may already well know).

    Our U/W rig was hosed on our recent trip to Puerto Rico. Doing fine the first dive, then during the 2nd dive I noticed a few drops of water inside and then WHAMMO! Whole thing flooded, Oly 8080 nicely wet down with saltwater. It was the flash unit casing that went. I'm guessing that someone on the boat must have hit it and we didn't notice, because hubby takes very good care of the casing. Anyway, I've been asking him to just give that SD card a try on the reader, since we managed to get a few shots in before the hooey hit the fan, it'd be nice to get something out of it.
    Youth and Enthusiasm
    Are No Match For
    Age and Treachery
  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited September 26, 2006
    Amazing. We are in the ealry stages of planning a honeymoon right now. Anyway you could email or PM me some specific details about where you stayed on Rarotonga?
  • EdHEdH Registered Users Posts: 43 Big grins
    edited October 2, 2006
    truth wrote:
    Amazing. We are in the ealry stages of planning a honeymoon right now. Anyway you could email or PM me some specific details about where you stayed on Rarotonga?

    Thanks everyone for your comments!

    Truth, I'd be glad to answer any questions you might have. We did a ton of research before going so I have a pretty good idea of some of the options on Rarotonga.

    To answer your question, we stayed at Whitesands Beach Villas. They are three villas owned by a local islander and his wife. The web site is here:
    http://www.whitesands.co.ck/

    The villas are very well kept up, not luxury by any means, but perfect for a very low key stay at the beach. There is a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and living room downstairs and the "master" is a loft that looks down on the living room. There is no a/c but plenty of screened in windows to let in the cool air. Its hard to see from the pictures but about two hundred yards from the shore is a barrier reef where the waves come crashing in. The sound at night is unbelievable!

    We explored most of Rarotonga and I would say these are on the best stretch of beach on the island. The south side of the island has some of the best lagoon for snorkeling and is also the least crowded stretch (not that any of Rarotonga could be considered crowded). We saw maybe 10-20 people per day walking by. As you can see from the pictures, the beach juts out just enough so that you get the perfect sunsets over the water.

    We really weren't looking for super luxury since we had already lived it up on our New Zealand trip the previous two weeks. If you are looking to live the high life you might want to check these out:
    http://www.reflections-rarotonga.com/
    http://www.rumours-rarotonga.com/
    http://www.sea-change-rarotonga.com/cook-islands-beachfront-villa/
    We walked by all of these and they looked beautiful. Only problem is you can't see the sunset from their location.

    I would also check out lodging on Aitutaki. Its a nearby island that is famous for having one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world. We didn't have time to make it over there but everyone we talked to who went absolutely loved it. If you are a Survivor fan, its also where the newest season was filmed.

    Feel free to PM or e-mail me if there is anything else I can answer for you. I would absolutely recommend you seriously consider the Cook Islands for your honeymoon. Its like Bora-Bora without the crowds and ridiculous prices.
  • EdHEdH Registered Users Posts: 43 Big grins
    edited October 2, 2006
    Seamaiden wrote:
    Holy Cow! My husband's been to the Cook Islands once, he never told me just how lovely it is there. And that BEACH! Far better than the cobblestones we had to navigate when diving in Tulamben, Bali. Doing beach dives through those huge cobblestones was a real misery for me, I'm just not as strong as I used to be. That sand.. (p.s. your wife is ripped!).. just gorgeous and so inviting.

    If you'd like to know what fishes you took shots of, let me know (although the quality of those U/W shots leads me to guess you may already well know).

    Our U/W rig was hosed on our recent trip to Puerto Rico. Doing fine the first dive, then during the 2nd dive I noticed a few drops of water inside and then WHAMMO! Whole thing flooded, Oly 8080 nicely wet down with saltwater. It was the flash unit casing that went. I'm guessing that someone on the boat must have hit it and we didn't notice, because hubby takes very good care of the casing. Anyway, I've been asking him to just give that SD card a try on the reader, since we managed to get a few shots in before the hooey hit the fan, it'd be nice to get something out of it.

    Thanks for the compliments on the u/w shots (and my wife enjoyed the compliment as well)! You're giving me too much credit though because I took those on a Canon SD400 with the underwater housing! I am into fish so I did know what I was taking pictures of for the most part. The snowflake moray hung out in front of our villa and always came to check things out when I got into the water.

    Sorry to hear about your underwater housing. Our trip was the first time I had used one and I was VERY nervous the first time I stuck the camera in the water!
  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited October 3, 2006
    Thanks EdH. As we get closer to pulling the trigger I might just have a few things to ask ya.
  • ed_hed_h Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
    edited October 10, 2006
    Thanks for sharing, the Cook Islands have always been on our wish list but are drawn back to Bali because of its surf and proximity, We really have to spread our wings. If we ever get to the Cook Islands it will be your pictures that gave us the motivation.
    Ed
    A dog is for life, not just Christmas
    http://www.dogshome.org.au/
  • EdHEdH Registered Users Posts: 43 Big grins
    edited October 11, 2006
    ed_h wrote:
    Thanks for sharing, the Cook Islands have always been on our wish list but are drawn back to Bali because of its surf and proximity, We really have to spread our wings. If we ever get to the Cook Islands it will be your pictures that gave us the motivation.
    Ed

    Funny when I saw your post this morning I was confused as to why a post from "ed h" was the newest post since I hadn't posted to this thread!

    You should definitely take the trip out there. If you are going just for surfing it wouldn't be a good choice but for everything else its perfect. My wife and I have considered Bali as a choice for one of our next trips. You have any pictures?


    On an unrelated note, does anyone know how this thread became a "sticky". I don't mind in the least, just curious.
  • Mickey57Mickey57 Registered Users Posts: 48 Big grins
    edited October 11, 2006
    Hi Ed

    Been married to the same girl for 26 years this month. I gotta tell you that your pictures are soo nice, I am thinking about marrying her again just to go on the same honeymoon.
    Now you ask any guy married that long and he will say...those must be beautiful pictures!!! :D

    Ok I am kidding. I still love her to death....but they are beautiful pictures.
    Maybe a retirement trip

    Dan
    Dan
    Mickey57
  • ed_hed_h Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
    edited October 11, 2006
    EdH wrote:
    Funny when I saw your post this morning I was confused as to why a post from "ed h" was the newest post since I hadn't posted to this thread!

    rolleyes1.gif It stopped me for a second also. I don't have any photos of Bali, haven't been up there since we've owned a digi camera. the hard copy photos and negs were lost in a house fire, I'm sure thats something a lot of people don't give a second thought to.
    We're involved with a not for profit org. with a small village near Ubud, if interested PM me and i'll send the URL.
    Ed
    A dog is for life, not just Christmas
    http://www.dogshome.org.au/
  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2006
    EdH wrote:
    My wife and I went on our dream trip to New Zealand for our honeymoon earlier this year. To rest up after cycling across the south island of New Zealand, we spent five days relaxing on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. It was one of the most beaufiful places we have ever seen.
    We were treated to some beautiful clouds as some rain squalls moved past us out at sea.
    68126460-M.jpg

    Hope you enjoyed some shots from our trip. Our full gallery from the Cook Islands is here: http://hetheringtons.smugmug.com/gallery/1433053


    What a beautiful series of shots clap.gif the waters look so inviting.
    The sunsets are quite stunning, Im sure even your great photos dont do those sunsets justice ........ you just have to be there dont ya :D

    Love that wild weather shot you have in your series, check out the layers of activity in that storm cell that is a really cool shot thumb.gif

    Great report Ed ........ Skippy (Australia)
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

    ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/

    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
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