General Information
Weather and Climate
The climate of Rarotonga, Cook Islands is tropical which makes the weather extremely pleasant for holidaying. The rainy or summer season is from November till April when there is high humidity and clouds. The dry season from May till October is the best for visiting the Cook Islands, with warm sunny days the norm.
Come at any time of the year and you can expect very warm temperatures. In our coldest month last year, Rarotonga experienced lows of 18.4°C and highs of 24.9°C. In our warmest month, the temperature ranged from highs of 29.1 to lows of 23.1, so there's no bad time to book a holiday at Royale Takitumu.
For the current weather situation in Rarotonga click here.
Shopping
The country's number one export is the black pearl, most of which are produced at Manihiki and Penrhyn atolls in the Northern Group. You'll be offered pearls at small shops and even by street vendors, but stick to dealers who are members of the local Pearl Guild. By and large, you will pay less for loose and set black pearls here than in French Polynesia.
Currency & Banking
The Cook Islands currency is the New Zealand dollar and cent monetary system. New Zealand notes are used throughout the islands but the Cook Island has its own decorative $3 note in circulation as well as a few old coins. New Zealand coins are used mostly throughout the islands.
Geography
Rarotonga is the vibrant centre of the Cook Islands and is where government resides. Circular and only 32 km in circumference, it is dominated by high mountain peaks which rise to 653metres from which lush rain forests cascade and provide a dramatic backdrop to a palm-fringed shore. The island is almost completely encircled by a reef, which harbours a lagoon of clear turquoise waters and many inviting white sand beaches. Beyond the reef, the indigo blue of the ocean provides a vivid contrast and a bountiful supply of fish.
History
Though spread across a vast empty expanse of ocean, the Polynesians knew all these islands by heart long before the first Europeans came. Rarotonga was first sighted by Polynesians between 600 and 800 AD. Anthropologists believe these people may have originated in Peru and migrated to Malaya in Asia Minor and then to Polynesia. However, local legend says they came from a land called Avaiki, (place you were before) which refers to Raiatea in French Polynesia.
