Getting Around
The Ara Metua: the thousand-year-old inland road
📍 Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Where
Inland ring road
Opening hours
Any time; daylight for the views
Typical cost
Free
Rarotonga has two ring roads. The coastal Ara Tapu is the one everyone uses. The Ara Metua runs inland, and parts of it follow a route laid down centuries before European contact.
Why take it
Because it passes through taro patches, banana plantations, family graves in front gardens, small churches and back-yard workshops. It is the working island rather than the resort island.
Practical
- The surface is patchier than the coast road, with potholes in places.
- It is not continuous everywhere — you will occasionally be routed back toward the coast.
- Good on a scooter, better on a bike if you are reasonably fit.
💡 Local tip
Do one full circuit on the inland road rather than the coast road. It takes a little longer and you see the island people actually live in.
Listed as a local guide entry — not bookable through CI Booking. Details can change; it is worth confirming before you go.
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