Getting around Rarotonga: the bus, the ring road, and hiring a scooter
Rarotonga has one main road, the Ara Tapu, running around the coast for roughly 32 kilometres. There is a second, older inland road, the Ara Metua. You cannot get properly lost, and the whole circuit takes about an hour by car at the speeds people actually drive.
The bus
The island bus runs the ring road in both directions. Buses are marked Clockwise and Anti-Clockwise, which is all the information a circular route needs. You can flag one down anywhere along the road. Service is reduced on Sundays and in the evenings.
For a stay based around one area — Muri, say, or Arorangi — the bus covers most of what you need.
When you want your own transport
If you are staying somewhere without much within walking distance, want to be out after the buses stop, or are travelling with children and beach gear, hiring makes the trip considerably easier. Scooters are the classic Rarotonga option; small cars are more practical in the wet season.
Driving here
- Drive on the left.
- Speed limits are low — 50km/h on the open road, lower in villages and around schools.
- Dogs, chickens and pedestrians use the road. So do people on scooters at night without lights.
- A local driving licence has historically been required for visitors, and rules around this have changed over the years. Check the current position with your hire operator before you ride.
Sunday
Sunday is quiet in the Cook Islands in a way that catches visitors out. Many businesses close, bus services thin, and church is the centre of the day. Plan accordingly rather than discovering it at lunchtime.
Book something on Rarotonga
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