One of the best things about Rarotonga is that you’re never far from the water. But while the sea around the island is warm and beautiful, not every beach is the same.
Some are sandy and sheltered, others are rocky or a little rougher, and some are much better for swimming and snorkelling than others.
We hired bikes and rode around the island, which turned out to be a great way to suss out some of the best places to stop for a swim.
But before we get to our favourites, there’s one thing we’d recommend packing before you even leave home.
Two Things We’d Pack Before Leaving Home
If you’re planning on swimming or snorkelling in Rarotonga, there are two things we’d definitely recommend bringing with you.
- Reef shoes – some beaches can be rocky, with sharp edges, coral and marine life underfoot. A good pair makes getting in and out of the water much easier.
- Your own snorkel and mask – we always take our own. Some resorts provide snorkelling gear, but we’ve found it can be well used and not always in the best condition. Having our own means we know it fits properly and we can snorkel wherever we stop.
Aroa Beach – Our Favourite
Of all the beaches we stopped at, Aroa Beach was one of the best we found.
There were some flat rocky areas, but they were easy enough to walk over, with lovely sandy areas for swimming and relaxing.
If you’re staying nearby, including around The Rarotongan Beach Resort, you’ve got a beautiful beach right in front of you.
What we liked:
- Lovely swimming and snorkelling
- A good mix of sandy and flat rocky areas
- Plenty of parking
- Trees providing some natural shade
- Popular with locals as well as visitors
We loved seeing local families arrive with their gazebos and BBQs, settling in for the day, while we found ourselves a shady spot underneath the trees.
Papa’aroa Beach – An Easy Stop for a Swim
We discovered Papa’aroa Beach while biking around the island and stopped here to cool down.
It was exactly what we needed:
- Easy beach access
- Nice sandy areas
- Plenty of parking
- Shade available
- A great place to stop for a swim while exploring the island
It wasn’t somewhere we’d specifically planned to visit, which made finding it even better.
Titikaveka – Beautiful for a Morning Swim
For our 50th birthdays, we stayed at an Airbnb in Titikaveka, and the beach became part of our morning routine.
We could walk down to the beach each morning and honestly couldn’t have asked for a better way to start the day.
What we found:
- Easy access to the water, although there were some rocky areas
- Lovely sandy spots for swimming and relaxing
- Good snorkelling straight from the beach
- Calmer water closer to shore during our visit
- Rougher conditions towards the reef when we snorkelled further out
We did venture further towards the reef with our snorkels, but the water became a bit rougher the closer we got, so we were quite happy staying nearer the calmer lagoon area.
If you’re staying in Titikaveka, having this beautiful stretch of coastline on your doorstep is a pretty special bonus.
Muri Beach – Calm and Sheltered
We spent some time at Muri Beach while waiting for our whānau to return from a day out with Captain Tama’s Lagoon Cruizes. We’d done the cruise ourselves on our previous trip, so this time we were happy just enjoying the beach.
Muri was quite different from some of our other swimming spots:
- Very sheltered and calm
- Shallow water, easy snorkelling
- Easy for a relaxed swim
- Surrounded by restaurants and accommodation
We didn’t find the water quite as clear as some of the other beaches we’d visited, and because Muri is such a popular area, parking wasn’t as plentiful. We parked on the main road and walked in, but it wasn’t far.
Black Rock
Black Rock seemed particularly popular with locals when we visited.
For us, though, the water was a little rockier and rougher than the beaches we’d enjoyed most. It reminded us somewhat of the beach outside the Edgewater.
It’s still a beautiful stretch of coastline, but if swimming was our main priority, we’d choose Aroa or Titikaveka first.
Some of the Beaches Around Black Rock
The setting is beautiful, but during our stay the water was quite rough and some areas were rocky. The reef is very close to shore along this stretch, which we think may be part of the reason the water felt rougher here than at some of the other beaches we visited.
When the waves came in, they were strong enough to knock us off our feet, and a few people in our group struggled to stay upright in the shallower water. With the rocks underfoot as well, this was definitely one beach where we were very glad we had our reef shoes.
It didn’t stop us from getting in and enjoying the water, but compared with some of the other beaches we visited, we found it a little harder to relax and swim comfortably here.
What We’d Pack for a Rarotonga Beach Day
After spending plenty of time swimming, snorkelling and biking between beaches, these are the things we’d make sure we had:
- Reef shoes – our number one recommendation
- Your own snorkel and mask – you know it fits, it’s in good condition, and you’re not relying on resort equipment
- Good sunscreen – the Cook Islands sun gets seriously hot
- Beach towels – our resort supplied them, but our Airbnb didn’t
- Plenty of water
- A hat or something for extra shade
And one little warning that’s easy to forget when you’re looking for shade:
- Be careful sitting underneath coconut trees. A palm tree might look like the perfect shady spot, but you don’t want a coconut joining your beach day unexpectedly. 😂
Our Pick?
Based on our own visits, we’d put Aroa Beach right up there for swimming, snorkelling and spending a few hours by the water.
But one of our favourite things was simply exploring. Hire a bike or car, throw your swimmers and snorkelling gear in, and stop when you find a beach that looks inviting.
Sometimes those unplanned swimming spots end up being the ones you remember most.
🌍 Travel Planning Resources
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“You don’t need a plan when the whole island is surrounded by paradise.”