If you are looking for a Rarotonga tour that captures everything about the magic of this tropical paradise island; with a genuine, local and personable adventure this is absolutely it.
A Reef Walk with Ariimoana Walkabouts offers a truly local experience.
You get the chance to be up close and personal with the ocean life that is so vital to the Cook Islands. Exploring the island with guides Kura and Jacopo offers a unique insight to Rarotonga that can only be experienced with locals.
Read on to learn about the incredible life in the lagoon and make your plan to experience a Reef Walk and Rarotonga Tour with Ariimoana too.
What is the Reef Explorer Tour with Ariimoana Walkabouts?
Connecting with nature and culture are two of most memorable parts to any holiday or visit to Rarotonga. Which is exactly what this Rarotonga Tour with Ariimoana shares.
The Reef Explorer Tour is an eco-friendly low-tide reef walk.
The tour is a way to discover the island culture and marine life from a different point of view. Walking carefully on the reef at low tide, being sure not to disturb the coral, you can experience the special marine environment within the reef, without having to snorkel or dive.
Then following the reef walk, you will be provided with light refreshments on the beach or at Kura’s beachside home.
Choosing Ariimoana Walkabouts – Reef Explorer Rarotonga Tour
The Reef Explorer Tour with Ariimoana is hosted by local guides, Kura and Jacopo.
Together Kura, and her partner Jacopo live and breathe life in the waters of Rarotonga offering the kind of personable and memorable Rarotonga tour that can only be experienced with locals.
Kura is an iconic figure of Rarotonga having grown up on the shores of Vaimaanga on the south of the island. She now leads the way as an eco-warrior in the moana (sea) and enua (land).
Jacopo complements this with a wealth of island knowledge, energy and a passion for the inland jungles and mountains of the Cook Islands.
Having grown up on the reef, Kura gives a real insight into how important the ocean is to the people of the Cook Islands. She tells stories of learning about the ocean and the reef from her grandparents as they told stories passed down to them by their ancestors too.
Together, Kura and Jacopo guide the Reef Tour with an uplifting and contagious energy for the magnificent Cook Islands!
About the Rarotonga reef – Ariimoana Rarotonga Tour
The island of Rarotonga is surrounded entirely by a lagoon. In parts, the lagoon extends more than a hundred metres to the reef before sloping steeply into deep water.
To the north of the island, the reef fronts the shore making the lagoon there unsuitable for swimming and exploring.
But to the South, the lagoon is at its widest and deepest. Here on each of the south east and west coastline it is suitable for swimming, water sports and exploring.
Different parts of the reef and lagoon around the island are protected by areas of Ra’ui.
A Ra’ui is a section of the reef, lagoon and shoreline that has been sanctioned so that there is no fishing or collecting of kai moana (seafood).
The idea of this is to help the ecosystem to be sustainable and allow the herbivorous and carnivorous fish and marine life to get back into balance.
Kura and Jacopo explain this with passion for protecting and preserving the marine wildlife and life in the incredible Rarotonga reef.
The Reef Walk with Ariimoana – Reef Explorer Rarotonga Tour
The Reef Walk Tour starts in Vaimaanga; a village on the south coast of Rarotonga.
This is a perfect spot to explore the extended reef and lagoon at low tide. Here the lagoon stretches out almost half a kilometre to the edge of the reef before the drop off into deep water.
From the beach, Kura and Jacopo lead the way out onto the reef. They show carefully where to walk so as not to disturb the coral and explain the different creatures and wildlife that calls the reef home.
As Kura gently picks them up for you to admire, she’ll share her knowledge on these creatures before returning them safely to their homes.
The tour is a unique, eye-opening experience that will leave you in wonderment of mother nature and eco-warriors like Kura who strive to protect her.
Learning about coral – Ariimoana Rarotonga Tour
In a welcoming chat before we leave the beach, Kura explains carefully about the importance of coral and how to recognize coral in the lagoon.
Coral are fragile and can easily be killed or damaged. Not to mention they can sometimes also be very sharp!
So, it is in your best interest to ensure you do not come into direct contact with them.
There are different types of coral in the lagoon but the main coral visible is a soft yellowy colour.
All of the corals are vital to the lagoon, so make sure to walk carefully and away from them.
Different creatures from the sea
There is a myriad of sea creatures to discover on this Rarotonga tour of the reef, including:
- Starfish
- Sea Cucumbers
- Sea Urchins
- Clams
- Crabs
- Trochus Shells
- Edible Sea Grapes
Plus much, much more!
Learning the Reo – Ariimoana Rarotonga Tour
The reo (language) of the Cook Islands is central in expressing the things that make the country and culture unique.
Thus, experiencing this Rarotonga tour with Kura is a humbling opportunity to hear about and learn some of the reo for the life in the water:
- Etu Moana: Blue sea star
- Rori Puakatoro: Red sea cucumber
- Avake: Collectors urchin
- Paua: Clam
- Rori Toto: Blood sea cucumber
- Rori Matie: ‘Green fish’ (spiky looking sea cucumber)
- Remu Kai: Sea grapes
- Onu: Turtle
- Eke: Octopus
What to bring – Ariimoana Rarotonga Tour
There are a few things you need to bring with you for the Reef Walk with Ariimoana:
- Sun Protection: Wear a wide brimmed sunhat to protect against the sun and cover up with a layer of clothing. You will be out in the sun for several hours.
- Sunscreen: Check first to use reef-safe sunscreen.
- Walking Pole: You will be given one of these to help you balance and avoid walking where there might be coral.
- Camera: Because it is incredible!
How long does the walk take?
The Reef Walk Tour takes around 2 – 3 hours in total.
This is including a delicious fruit platter to enjoy afterwards.
What time of day is best to do the reef walk?
The best time to walk in the lagoon is the hour either side of low tide.
Though note because the reef walks are tide dependant it means the operating times differ from month to month.
Contact Ariimoana Walkabouts – Rarotonga Tour
If you are interested in the Reef Walk Rarotonga tour with Ariimoana more information is available on their Facebook page and Instagram.
- Ariimoana Walkabouts
+682 51 871
[email protected]
Give Kura and Jacopo a call and find out when the next best time is to explore the incredible reef life of this magical island.
Read more about travel to Rarotonga
- Fruits Of Rarotonga.
- All About The Rarotonga Bus.
- Hiring A Scooter In Rarotonga.
- Renting A Car in Rarotonga.
- How To Buy A Car In Rarotonga.
- Finding And Renting A House In Rarotonga.
- Is Dengue Fever A Worry For Travel To Rarotonga?
- Getting Around Rarotonga.
More about travel planning for Cook Islands and beyond
These are the companies we use and can recommend for planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, adventure ticket, local tours and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Make sure you have insurance before embarking on travel to Rarotonga!
Hi! I’m Sarah. I am the self-confessed dreamer, travel-schemer and the main editor behind this blog. I love to write, and it is a dream come true to share so many experiences together and inspire others in our stories.
