Readers’ holiday tips

Press, 11 September 1987, Page 37

Readers’ holiday tips

“The Press” last month invited readers to send in their tips for a happy holiday in the Cook Islands. The best of the 30 letters received is printed on this page.

Stepping back in time A visit to Rarotonga is like stepping back in time. The people are friendly and the climate is kind, but take a jersey because a cool wind can blow at times. Transport around the island is fun and the jeepney which runs on the hour to "town” and back for $2. We played golf with transport, caddies and clubs arranged by the Rarotongan Hotel. Casual clothes are best. Take thick soled running shoes for reef walking, as sea eggs are abundent, and the stones are sharp. Stock up on soft drinks on arrival because some of the supermarkets run out and have to wait until the next shipment arrives. Take an Exham Tour for an understanding of the island way of life; it will add to your enjoyment of the Cook Islands. — PIPPA TAIT, Highfield Place, Christchurch, 4. Viewing the sealife In Rarotonga we found a visit to Aqua Sports one of the highlights of our trip. Run by Peter Etches and his partner, Terry, this craft hire centre is sited on the edge of the beautiful Muri Lagoon, only a short drive from the Island’s centre, Avarua. Aqua Sports offers activities for all age groups. Our children enjoyed windsurfing, canoeing and sailing, with the help of instruction. We all enjoyed a lagoon cruise and viewing the magnificent coral through a glass-bottomed boat. For those who want to get closer still to the coral, there is scuba-diving equipment for hire. Swimming in the lagoon is safe. We found the service excellent, prices reasonable, and in addition, were able to buy a cold lunch and drinks from the licensed restaurant on the lagoon edge. - J. REES, Christchurch. Riding around on a scooter Rarotonga — we loved it. It is the ideal place for those who want a relaxing holiday just soaking up the sun on beaches and enjoying the pleasant nightlife. Rarotonga is not a miniature Fiji — there is no high humidity. We were pleasantly warm in the lightest of clothing during the whole of our midwinter holiday. (Take a light raincoat though). Hire a bike, either motor or pedal, and ride around the island. First impressions are not the true Rarotonga. Go into the “back" country and see the immaculate orchards and farms, climb the hills and look down on the breathtaking shoreline, and take a day to walk from one side of the island to the other. Take as much food from New Zealand as you can — biscuits, cheese, and muesli. Most food is either frozen or in tins. Local bread is delicious, but the varieties of cake seem limited to either banana or coconut. Even if you are not a church goer, you should make the effort to attend in Rarotonga — the singing is out of this

world. Go to Rarotonga weighed down with worry and woe, but leave refreshed, light hearted and carefree as the happy people who live there. — BETH WEBB, Tankerville Road, Christchurch, 2. Umbrellas a wise idea We stayed at the Muri Beachcomber Motel on the edge of Muri lagoon, the best beach on the island. We offer this advice: take one umbrella per person — it rained four out of our seven days there; go on Exham’s Lifestyle Bus Tour for a taste of true Rarotongan culture; cycle around the island — great fun, but you maybe stiff the next day; attend the fashion parade, Friday lunchtime, at the Rarotongan Hotel. Relax and unwind in the friendly warm Cook Islands — no television, phones, or radios. If you want contact with the rest of the world, take your own transistor. We thoroughly recommend Rarotonga and hope to return in the near future. — N. H. ANDERSON, Greenwood Street, Christchurch, 1. Shop Saturday mornings If you are staying in a motel, and arrive on the flight that gets in just before daybreak on a Saturday, note that most places close for the week-end at noon so that the locals can devote the afternoon to sport and Sunday to church. Most restaurants are closed on Sundays, although there ar now a few takeaway bars, and small village shops tend to be more flexible with their hours. So make the effort to shake off the weariness of a night’s travelling plus the time differences — its about two hours later than you think — and get into "town,” (Avarua) well before midday to visit the supermarket. In any case, Avarua on Saturday mornings is well worth a visit — almost the whole population seems to be there, and for what is really a very small town, the sheer volume and type of traffic, and general bustle, is quite surprising. —MRS JANET W. TALBOT, Zephyr Tee, Governor’s Bay. Island ‘limn’ food recommended A buffet meal cooked in the traditional “Umu” underground oven is a treat not to be missed. Swimming is within walking distance of most accommodation; the sea is warm and inviting with beautiful shells scattered on the beach. Dancing is the most famous of the islands’ culture — the slow graceful undulations of the hula and the co-ordination of the drum dance with its agility and endurance provide great entertainment after a perfect day in paradise. - MRS SADIE SCOTT, Tama Tee, Christchurch, 8.