Rarotonga roadtripping
We find ourselves exploring the island at our own pace, greeted by the friendly locals with a neighbourly wave. Passing through quaint countryside of banana crops, starfruit, guava, papaya and taro (the potato of the tropics) we watch the farmers at work – a wonderful experience for our little ones who are eager to learn how all the different fruits and vegetables are grown. The kids excitedly spot pigs, goats, cows and chickens as we cruise by.
It is not long until we find a road that winds up and into the steep hills. The extinct volcanoes are capped by their very own clouds and it feels as though we’ve entered into the Jurassic era – at any moment a Triceratops may just jump out at us from the jungle!
Luckily there are no dinosaur encounters, but we do stumble upon a 600-year- old Highland Paradise, once home to the Tinomana Tribe. Walking the 25 hectares of manicured gardens and fruit trees on a self- guided tour we find recreated huts, fire pits, tribal artefacts and canoes. We soon learn of the tribe’s meeting place and place of worship, called a Marae, and their practices of tribal justice which included human sacrifice and cannibalism. Intrigued, we carry the kids onwards and upwards into the hills in search of the Sacrifice Rock. We reach a clearing surrounded by moss- covered boulders and take a closer look at this dark part of the island’s history and all agree we are glad it is no longer practised today! our stay to the night markets for dinner, sharing mixed plates of local fare and, of course, Marli’s favourite treat – drinking coconuts!
Being on a tropical island we encounter a mixture of cloudy days, rain and bursts of sunshine. A great wet weather excursion is a visit to the Whale & Wildlife Centre, a hands-on museum and a treat for any nature-lover, covered from floor to ceiling with fish and whale bones, preserved specimens and knickknacks collected from the ocean.
There are so many activities available on the island, it’s hard to pick what to do first, from a