The trip around the island Rarotonga

One of the most popular trips in Rarotonga is leading around the island along the main road Ara Tapu, which has only about 30 kilometers. It can be undertaken on a moped, bike or or on the bike with motor help. You will see green mountains on all sides, typical houses, occasionally beaches – but you would probably expect there will be much more beaches. There are several short roads leading from the main road directly into the interior, so this trip can also be extended. In addition, the main busy road leading along the coast is in more than halfway around the island accompanied by much greener and quieter small parallel road through interior. So you can actually bypass the island twice and each time a little differently.
South coast
The road runs in circle around the island, so it does not matter at what point you start and what direction you take. You always end up where you started :-) Most tourists are located in the southwest in Muri, so let’s start our bike trip around the island here. The entire southern coast is renowned as the best area for beaches, but there are only a few places where you can swim well. Water is mostly very shallow.

Island prison
After passing a few kilometers you reach at an interesting gateway to local tropical prison.

The picturesque landscape
Right next to the prison is very picturesque hilly landscape.

Parliament
The road approaches to the airport that occupies large part of the north island. There's a lot of traffic and there is the least to see. Small attraction is here the local parliament – the building looks like as being composed from uni cells.

Manufacturing a catamaran
The road from the airport continues to Avarua with beautiful mountain scenery that is worth a separate visit. On the edge of town you can see workshops, where catamarans are made as in the old days.

Close behind Avarua
The most beautiful part of the trip is on the east coast between Avarua and Muri. From here there are the best views of the mountains and there is not only external but also internal road.

Picturesque housing
The local buildings are not at all monumental and it is good – houses beautifully fit into the local picturesque green landscape full of flowers and papaya plantations.

National football stadium
National football stadium boasts with beautiful panorama. Directly behind it towers the highest mountain on the island – Te Manga.

Fields in Rarotonga
The fields are small, but crops are big and frequent.

The massif above the jungle
Most tourists visit Rarotonga for swimming, but perhaps even more beautiful sceneries are in the interior.

The mountainous interior
From some perspectives the interior of the island seems to be completely impassable.

Early evening in the interior
The circle around the island is slowly closing, but the views are still great.

Sunset
Just in front of Muri – from the bridge over the river Avana, around which leads also a short trek, there are beautiful sunset views of the local mountains.

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