Choosing where to stay in Rarotonga isn’t just about finding a nice resort or holiday home. The part of the island you stay in can make a big difference to your holiday, especially if you’re not planning to hire a car or scooter.
Rarotonga isn’t a big island, but each area has a slightly different feel. Some put you within walking distance of restaurants, markets and activities, while others are much quieter, with beautiful beaches and fewer people around.
Before choosing your accommodation, we’d suggest thinking about how you want to spend your days.
Do you want to walk to dinner at night? Be close to a good swimming beach? Snorkel straight from shore? Have shops and supermarkets nearby? Or would you rather stay somewhere peaceful and don’t mind catching the bus or driving when you want to go somewhere?
For us, choosing the area comes before choosing the accommodation.
So rather than giving you a long list of hotels and resorts, we’re going to take you around Rarotonga and look at what each area offers, who it might suit and what you should think about before booking.
Muri – Best for Convenience Without a Car
Located on the southeastern side of Rarotonga, Muri is one of the island’s most popular areas to stay, and if you’re visiting without hiring a car or scooter, it would be one of our first areas to consider.
Muri has plenty going on without feeling like you need to leave the area every day. The beautiful Muri Lagoon and Muri Beach are right on your doorstep, with swimming, snorkelling and plenty of water activities available.
Around Muri you’ll find:
- Muri Night Market
- Restaurants, cafés and bakeries
- A small superette for drinks, snacks and basic groceries
- Captain Tama’s Lagoon Cruises
- Kayaking, paddleboarding and other lagoon activities
- Te Vara Nui Village nearby for a cultural experience
- Muri Beach and the lagoon for swimming and relaxing
One of the biggest advantages of staying here is how much you can reach on foot.
The local bus also travels through Muri, making it easy enough to explore other parts of Rarotonga without having your own vehicle. You can jump on the bus and head into Avarua, visit Punanga Nui Market on Saturday, or explore another part of the island for the day.
There’s also a huge range of accommodation around Muri, from beachfront resorts and hotels to apartments, villas and private holiday homes.
We’ve previously booked through Experience Rarotonga Accommodation, which has a great selection of holiday houses and is particularly handy if you’re travelling with family or a larger group.
Who Would We Recommend Muri For?
- First-time visitors to Rarotonga
- Travellers without a car or scooter
- Families
- Anyone who likes having restaurants and cafés nearby
- Those wanting easy access to lagoon activities
- Travellers who prefer being able to walk to dinner at night
Our thoughts: If convenience is important and you don’t plan on hiring a vehicle, Muri would be hard to beat.
Thinking Muri sounds like the right area for you? Browse Muri Beach hotels and accommodation to find a stay that suits your budget and travel style.
Arorangi & the West Coast – Best for Sunsets and a Quieter Stay
Located on the western side of Rarotonga, Arorangi has a noticeably quieter feel than Muri. Accommodation, restaurants and shops tend to be more spread out, with a mixture of local homes, resorts and smaller properties dotted along the coast.
And one of the biggest reasons to stay on this side?
The sunsets can be absolutely breathtaking.
This is an area we’d choose if our holiday was going to be more about beach days, pool time, good food and slowing down rather than having lots of attractions within walking distance.
Around Arorangi and the west coast you’ll find:
- Beautiful sunset beaches
- Resorts and boutique accommodation
- Restaurants and resort dining
- Smaller grocery stores for basic supplies
- Cafés and casual places to eat
- Swimming and snorkelling spots
One of our favourite places to eat on this side is the Falafel Shack on the beach.
We’ve found that some stretches of beach along the west coast can be a little rougher depending on the conditions, but there are still some lovely swimming spots. Black Rock Beach is also on the western side and is popular for swimming, snorkelling and sunsets.
Because everything feels more spread out, we’d personally prefer to have some form of transport if staying here. You can use the island bus, but having your own vehicle gives you much more freedom.
There are plenty of accommodation choices, including Castaway Resort, The Edgewater Resort, Manuia Beach Resort and Coral Sands, along with smaller boutique properties and holiday homes.
Who Would We Recommend Arorangi For?
- Couples
- Sunset lovers
- Travellers wanting a quieter stay
- Those happy spending plenty of time at their resort or beach
- Repeat visitors who don’t need to be close to the main attractions
Our thoughts: If you want beautiful sunsets and a more relaxed base, the west coast is a lovely choice. We’d just prefer to have transport.
Love the idea of quieter days and beautiful sunsets? Browse Arorangi and West Coast accommodation to find your perfect base on this side of Rarotonga.
Avarua & the North Coast – Best for Shops and Convenience
On the northern side of Rarotonga, Avarua is the island’s main town and a very different experience from staying around Muri or the quieter southern beaches.
This is where you’ll find many of the island’s shops, supermarkets, cafés, restaurants and everyday services, so it’s a practical place to stay if convenience is important to you.
You’re also close to Punanga Nui Market, making it easy to wander down on Saturday morning for breakfast, shopping and the cultural performances.
Around Avarua you’ll find:
- Punanga Nui Market
- Larger supermarkets
- Shops and local businesses
- Cafés and restaurants
- Cultural and historical sites
- Easy access to the airport
- Regular transport around the island
Because this is the main town, it’s naturally busier, and we find it a little noisier than areas such as Titikaveka or Arorangi.
You’ll find accommodation around this side of the island, including Club Raro, which is adults only, along with hotels, apartments and holiday homes around Avarua, Nikao and the surrounding areas.
Who Would We Recommend Avarua For?
- Travellers who like being close to shops and supermarkets
- Anyone wanting easy access to town
- Those staying for a shorter visit
- Travellers who value convenience over having a beautiful swimming beach outside their accommodation
Our thoughts: We wouldn’t personally choose this area for the beaches. We’d choose it for convenience. If shopping, eating out and being close to town are important, it could work really well.
Prefer being close to shops, markets and everyday conveniences? Browse Avarua accommodation and find a stay close to the heart of Rarotonga.
Titikaveka – Best for Beaches, Snorkelling and a Slower Pace
Head around to the southern side of Rarotonga and you’ll find one of our favourite areas – Titikaveka.
It’s noticeably quieter than Muri, and this is where the holiday starts to become much more about the lagoon, swimming, snorkelling and doing very little at all.
The beaches around Titikaveka are beautiful, with clear lagoon water and some good snorkelling. It’s the sort of area where we’d be perfectly happy spending most of the day near the water.
Around Titikaveka you’ll find:
- Beautiful beaches
- Excellent swimming
- A quieter atmosphere
- Small local shops
- A handful of restaurants and cafés
- Resorts, villas and holiday homes
- Plenty of places to simply relax
There’s not a huge amount of sightseeing or organised entertainment clustered around here, but that’s part of what we like about it.
Accommodation ranges from simple self-contained properties and holiday homes through to boutique and more luxurious beachfront stays.
If you’re planning to explore the rest of Rarotonga regularly, we’d recommend having a vehicle. The island bus is another option, but your own transport gives you much more freedom to come and go when you want.
Who Would We Recommend Titikaveka For?
- Beach lovers
- Snorkellers
- Couples
- Travellers wanting somewhere quieter
- Anyone happy spending their days swimming and relaxing
- Those who don’t need restaurants and attractions on their doorstep
Our thoughts: Titikaveka is one of our favourites. If your idea of a good Rarotonga holiday involves more beach time than sightseeing, we’d definitely consider staying here.
Looking for beautiful beaches and a slower pace? Browse Titikaveka accommodation for a relaxing stay on Rarotonga’s southern coast.
Aroa, Vaimaanga & the Southwest Coast – Best for a Relaxing Beach Holiday
If we were choosing an area purely for the beaches, the southern and southwestern side of Rarotonga would be right up there for us.
This part of the island includes beautiful stretches of coastline around Aroa and Vaimaanga, with Papa’aroa further along the southern coast.
Aroa Beach and its marine reserve are particularly good for swimming and snorkelling, and there are some gorgeous places along this stretch where you could quite happily spend most of your holiday doing very little.
Around the south and southwest coast you’ll find:
- Some of our favourite beaches
- Great swimming and snorkelling
- Wigmore’s for groceries and supplies
- Restaurants and cafés scattered along the coast
- Smaller local shops
- Artsy little places to discover
- Resorts, villas and holiday homes
- A quieter, relaxed atmosphere
What you won’t have is the concentration of activities and restaurants that you get around Muri.
We’d recommend having a vehicle if you’re staying here and want to explore the island, particularly if you’re planning to head regularly to Muri, Avarua or other attractions.
But if your plan is simply to relax, swim, snorkel, read a book and enjoy the beach, being a little further away from everything may not bother you at all.
Who Would We Recommend This Area For?
- Beach lovers
- Snorkellers
- Couples
- Families wanting a relaxed beach holiday
- Repeat visitors
- Travellers who don’t need lots of organised activities nearby
- Anyone quite happy doing absolutely nothing for a while
Our thoughts: If we were choosing purely on beaches, this would be one of our top areas to stay. Have some transport if you want to explore, but if you’ve come to Rarotonga to switch off, this area makes that very easy.
Dreaming of a holiday where the beach is the main attraction? Browse Aroa, Vaimaanga and Southwest Coast accommodation and find a relaxing base close to some of our favourite beaches in Rarotonga.
So, Which Part of Rarotonga Should You Stay In?
There’s really no single best place to stay in Rarotonga. It depends on what you want your holiday to look like.
If we had to narrow it down:
- Muri – best for convenience, restaurants, lagoon activities and staying without a car
- Arorangi & the West Coast – best for sunsets and a quieter stay
- Avarua & the North Coast – best for shops, supermarkets and everyday convenience
- Titikaveka – best for beautiful beaches, snorkelling and a slower pace
- Aroa, Vaimaanga & the Southwest Coast – best for a relaxing, beach-focused holiday
Before you book your accommodation, choose your area first.
Think about what you’ll actually be doing each day. Do you want to walk to dinner? Will you have a car? Do you want to snorkel straight from the beach? Are you planning lots of activities, or are you quite happy spending your days beside the lagoon?
“The best place to stay isn’t always the busiest or the most beautiful. It’s the place that lets you enjoy your holiday your way.”
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