Rarotonga Getting there & around

Getting around

Bus & tram

Bus

Cook's Passenger Transport (25512, after hours 20349) operates a round-the-island bus service along the main coast road. The bus is a reliable and cheap way of getting around, and is a great way of spotting some of the main landmarks. It takes about 50 minutes to circumnavigate the island.

All buses leave from the bus stop outside Cook's Corner in Avarua. Daytime buses going clockwise around the island depart every hour on the hour from 7am to 4pm on weekdays, 1pm to 4pm on Saturday, and from 8am to midday and 2pm to 4pm on Sunday.

Buses going anticlockwise depart at 25 minutes past every hour, 8.25am to 4.30pm on weekdays only.

A night-time bus service runs clockwise only from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday from 6pm to 10pm, with extra hourly buses on Friday night from midnight to 2am.

The service runs pretty much on time - you can usually work out when the next bus is likely to come along, or just stand on the side of the road and flag the bus down anywhere along its route.

The bus fare is NZ$3 for one ride, NZ$5 for a return trip (two rides) or NZ$20 for a 10-ride ticket. Children's fares are NZ$1.50 single, NZ$2 return. A family day pass, valid for two adults and two kids, costs NZ$20. There's also a day pass valid for one day's unlimited travel (NZ$10).

You can pick up free bus timetables from the tourist office or the bus drivers, or ring Cook's Passenger Transport for information. Several free booklets, including the Jason's guide, also contain timetables.

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Car & motorcycle

To rent a car or motorbike in the Cook Islands you need to obtain a local driving licence from the police station in Avarua - even an international driving permit is not good enough for the Cooks. It's a straightforward operation - you just need to turn up and present your home driving licence, pay the NZ$10 charge and have your picture taken. If your licence doesn't include motorbikes, you'll sometimes have to take an easy practical test (usually once around the block) for which you'll be charged an extra NZ$5. You can get your licence any day from 8am to 3pm, but it pays to turn up early - if the island's busy, the queues at midday can be horrendous.

The quintessential mode of transport in the Cook Islands is the scooter. Practically everyone has one (if not several), and almost everyone rides them, from teenagers right through to old-age pensioners. All car-rental agencies rent motorbikes, generally 70cc to 100cc models. Ring around to find the best deal or just walk up the main road in Avarua and pop in. The lowest rates are about NZ$20/90 per day/week (most places offer discounts for weekly rentals). Many hotels also rent motorbikes.

Nearly all the rental motorbikes are automatic, but if you can be bothered to master a semi-automatic gearshift, they usually guzzle petrol at a much more economical rate. Take the time to learn how to ride the bike before heading out onto the main road - they're pretty simple to control, but take a bit of getting used to - and be extra careful of the red-hot exhaust pipe beside your right leg, especially if you're riding pinion.

Budget is the only company with safe-looking helmets. If you insist on wearing one, you'll certainly occupy the moral ground, but don't be surprised if you get a few funny stares.

Rates are around NZ$55/65 per day for a small/medium car and NZ$70 per day for a jeep, with discounts for three- to five-day rentals and even further discounts for rentals of a week or more. Baby capsules can be rented at Budget for NZ$5 per day, and child seats are available at Avis and Budget for NZ$5 per day.

It's worth phoning around to check the prices; many companies will have special deals going. Check if insurance and the 12.5% VAT are included in the stated cost.

Avis Rental Cars(www.avis.co.ck) airport (21039); Avarua (22833) Franchise of the global hire firm. Cars and jeeps are both available.

BT Rentals main office (23586; 'Arorangi); Muri Beach Local firm renting bicycles, motorbikes and cars.

Budget Rent-a-Car(www.budget.co.ck) main office (20895; 2 St Joseph Rd, Avarua); downtown office (26895; Avarua, next to police station); airport (21039, only open for international flights); Edgewater Resort (21026); Rarotongan Beach Resort (20838; opposite the resort); Muri Beach (21838) Largest rental firm in the Cook Islands, with a decent fleet of well- maintained cars, jeeps and convertibles. Shares offices with Polynesian Bike Hire.

Fun Rentals (22426; www.funrentals.co.ck; opposite airport, next to Rarotonga Rentals) The only company on the island that offers bubble-shaped 'scootcars'.

Island Car & Bike Hire(www.islandcarhire.co.ck) 'Arorangi (22632; Ara Tapu); Avarua (24632; opposite Punanga Nui market); Muri (21632) Local firm with scooters, motorbikes and cars. Cheap weekly rates, but don't expect luxuries like working speedometers.

Rarotonga Rentals(22326; www.rarotongarentals.co.ck; opposite airport) The usual range of scooters, motorbikes and cars, as well as a few luxury runabouts.

Tipani Rentals (22382; 'Arorangi) Opposite Edgewater Resort. Mainly rents scooters and motorbikes.

The driving on Rarotonga is reasonably sane (except late on Friday and Saturday when there's heavy drinking). The speed limit is 30km/h (19mph) in town, 40km/h (25mph) out of town. Drive on the left-hand side of the road - and look out for dogs.

There are two important rental-car rules: don't leave the car windows open, not because of the risk of theft, but because of the chances of an unexpected tropical downpour leaving the car awash; and don't park under coconut palms, because a falling coconut can positively flatten a tiny Japanese car.

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Local transport

Taxi

You can phone for a taxi any time between 6am and 10pm, although many companies offer a 24-hour service. Rates (which are government controlled) are NZ$2.50 per kilometre, so it will cost around NZ$40 to go from Muri to the airport. Taxi operators include:

Areiti Taxis & Tours (23012, cellphone 55752; Muri Beach; 24hr)

Aroa Taxi Shuttle (28144; 'Arorangi)

Doro's Taxi (21400, cellphone 52355; Avana; 24hr)

JP Taxis (26572, cellphone 55107; 'Arorangi; 24hr)

Kia Orana Taxis (20203, cellphone 50721; 24hr)

Lazaro Taxi(20529; 'Arorangi; 24hr)

Muri Beach Taxis (21625; Muri Beach)

Parekura Taxis(26490, cellphone 55870; Avarua)

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Bicycle

Mountain bikes are readily available for hire on Rarotonga and generally cost NZ$5 to NZ$10 a day, with discounts for weekly rentals. Cycling is a great way to explore the island at your own pace, and is especially rewarding along the quieter inland roads - the coast road can be pretty hectic.

Bikes and helmets can be hired from most of the larger car-rental companies and some resorts.for details.

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