COOK ISLANDS VACATION +Rarotonga +Sights +Avarua +Brewery -Tuesday & Thursday at 10:00am -Go inland on road next to the Post Office, on the right -Phone 21-083 +Library & Museum -Takamoa Road +Perfume Factory -on the ara metua +Survey Department -Maps of the islands -behind Post Office +Taputapuatea -Palace of Queen Makea Takau +Other locations +Cultural Village -In Arorangi -Phone 21-314 or 22-225 +History & Culture of the Cooks -Top Entertainment Value -Visit at beginning of the trip -$20NZ ($12US) includes lunch +Mon-Fri, 9:45-1:30 -Arrive by 10am +Also offers a morning historical tour which concludes with lunch and the dance show -$18NZ ($11US) +Piri Puruto -The Master of Disaster -The Coconut King of the Cooks +Shows at hotels around the island -$7.50NZ ($4.50US) -Phone 20-309 +Restarants & Bars +Avarua +Banana Court Bar (BC) -Open daily except Sundays +Live music & dance shows -Wednesday - Saturday $3 cover -Phone 27-362 +Cook's Corner Cafe -Inexpensive -Center of town +Breakfast & lunch -Basic grills, fish & chips, burgers, and egg dishes -Take-outs available -Beer at adjacent Hideaway Bar -Open-air patio -22-345 +Chinese Wok -Inexpensive -Take-outs with picnic tables -28-223 +Grandstand Pub -Above brewery +Hibiscus Restaurant -Inexpensive -Near JPI Store -Burgers to four-course meals -Good snacks on the bar menu -Outdoor patio or indoor seating -Open til midnight (usually) -Phone 20-823 +Hideaway Bar -Cook's Corner -Cozy -Live music on weekends +Mama's Cafe -Center of town +Lunch -Sandwiches, some grill items, French croissants +Best ICE CREAM on Rarotonga -Coconut, papaya, & banana +Metua's Restaurant & Bar -Seafront, in Brown's Arcade shopping area -Inexpensive +Lively bar in the evenings -Live music on the weekends -Great omelettes for breakfast -20-850 +Paulina's Restaurant (TJ's Maruaiai) -above TJ's Dance Hall -Inexpensive +Open for lunch & dinner -Fish, steak and burgers -Lunchtime favorite -20-576 +Portifino -Upscale -East side, near the Paradise Inn +Italian, seafood, European, & pizza -Seafood Marinara recomended -Daily specials are good choices -GREAT desserts -Carryout pizza -Owner Bill Carruthers -Phone 26-480 +Rendez-Vous +Open for lunch & dinner -Good Steak & seafood spot -Daily specials & tropical desserts -Reservations suggested on weekends +Sheriff's -Inexpensive -Near Airport -European & island dishes +Tangaroa -Upscale +Chinese -Take-outs available -20-017 +Tere's Bar -Popular with locals & yachties -Open-air patio -Occasional live music -Tere Davis is the son of the Prime Minister +Trader Jack's -On the Waterfront -Fishing spot +Lunch & dinner -Fresh Seafood & grilled steaks -Good lunch spot -26-464 +Near Manuia +Cap't Andy's Pub -Across from Rarotongan Resort -Darts and board games -Open til 6pm? -Phone 21-024 +Clubhouse Cafe & Bar -In front of the Edgewater Resort -Open until midnight -Light snacks & take-outs -Pool table & darts -25-441 +AJ's Takeaways -South of the Edgewater Resort -Fish, chips, and chicken -Open Sundays -20-742 +Outrigger Restaurant -Burned down in February 1993 -Upscale +Seafood -All types -Daily specials particullay good -Owners Helen & Hugh Henry -Phone 27-378 +PJ's Cafe -Near Edgewater Resort -Inexpensive -All meals & Take-out -Full Dinner menu -Licensed bar +Entertainment, most evenings -Piano & string combo +OPEN 7 Days -Fridays til midnight -All nights to 10pm -20-367 -Owners PJ(Peter John) & Apii McKinley +Tumunu Bar & Restaurant -Near Edgewater Resort -Opens late afternoons +European & Island-style dishes -Pork roast on Sundays -Dart night dinner once a week -Some live music -Darts +Vaima Restaurant & Bar -Steakhouse with full menu -Polynesian String band nightly -Open 6:30pm-10:00pm Monday-Saturday -Transport available -Phone 26-123 +Muri Beach Area +Flame Tree Restaurant -Upscale +Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, & Vietnamese -also steak, seafood, & local dishes -Owner Sue Carruthers -Open 6:30pm-9:30pm Tuesday-Saturday -Phone 25-123 +South Coast +Vaima Restaurant -Upscale -1« miles from Rarotongan Resort +Polynesian & European cuisine -also some German food -Chef Renaldo from L'Etoile in LA -Polynesian string band most evenings +Kaena Restaurant -Near Rarotongan Resort -Upscale +Seafood, Steak & local Specialties -wide variety of Beer, Wine, & Cocktails +Tours +Hugh Henry & Associates -Phones 25-320/25-321 +One of the most informative -Uses of land -Cultural & Religious ceremonies -Significant historical sites -Current Cook Island issues +Can arrange Cross-Island hikes -Daily, weather permitting -$18NZ($11US) +Guided Reef tours -Depends on tides & weather -Operated by Hugh & Helen Henry, who also own the Outrigger Restaurant, in Arorangi +Exham's Tours -Phone 21-180 +Life-style Tour -Agricultural production -Quit making -Lunch at their home -4 hour tour -Monday - Saturday -$23NZ($14US) +Cook Islands Tours & Travel -Phone 20-270 +Nite on the Town -Call for current prices & times +Tipani Tours -Phone 22-792 +Specialized group tours -One of the oldest companies -Owned by the Makea family +Pa's Mountain Trek -Phone 21-079 +Pa, Son of Polynesia -Pa Teuruaa +Historical Mountain Trek -Through thick jungle to the base of a prehistoric volcano -Optional climb for great views +Cross-Island Hike -Five-hour trip -Strenuous climbs +Nature Walk -Easygoing -Through shaded tropical jungle & vanilla plantations -$20NZ ($12US) +Activities +Snorkeling +Locations +Muri Beach Area -Far side of southernmost motu, Taakoka -Further south, near the Akapuao Stream, the lagoon is deep out near the reef +West Coast -From Rarotongan Sunset down to the Rarotongan Resort +Titikaveka -Park near T.M. Motors and snorkel nearby +Gear Rental +Dive Rarotonga -Arorangi -Phone 21-873 +Sailing Club -Muri Beach -27-350 +Palm Trading +Matavera -Phone 26-665 +Avarua -Mana Court -Phone 26-675 -Mostly for sale, may rent +Fishing +Seafari Charters -M.V. Seafari - 34ft. +Elgin & Sharon Tetachuk -Canadians -Phone 20-328 +Pacific Marine Charters -Te Manu Ka Rere - 26ft. -Phone 21-237 +Lagoon Fishing -Popular with locals -Tour companies can provide a guide +Shopping +General HOURS -Weekdays 8:00am - 4:00pm -Saturday 8:00am - Noon -CITC, and some other stores, stays open a half-hour longer +STORES +Avarua +Bounty Bookstore -Get Aitutaki map +Cook's Corner(the largest) -About a dozen shops +TAV Ltd. -Tropical Clothing +Manu Manea -Tropical Clothing +CIDB Building +Joyce Peyroux Garments -T-shirts -Mana Court +Browne Arcade -Joyce Peyroux Garments +Department Stores -CITC -JPI +South Seas International -General Store +Survey Department -Maps -Behind central Post Office +Around the Island +Joyce Peyroux Garments -Arorangi +Perfume Factory -Open 8:00am-5:00pm Monday-Saturday +PEARLS +Beachcomber Ltd. -Cook's Corner +Joan Rolls -Expert on pearls & jewelry +Pearl Shop -Cook's Corner -Edgewater Resort +HANDICRAFTS +Avarua +Women's Craft Center -at Banana Court -Hats +Island Crafts -Center of town +Akatikitiki(Visual) Arts Center -Back airport road -Mike Tavioni and his carvers make and sell their wares +Around the island +Akaoa Arts -Arorangi -Ian & Kay George -Carvings, tropical wall-hangings, and distinctive clothing +Tivaevae -Hand made quilts -generally over $500NZ +Aitutaki +"THANK YOU" -"meitaki atupaka" +Restaurants & Bars +Lagoon hotel -Sunday barbacue +Saturday Island Night Buffet -$22NZ ($13US) +Big Jay's Takeaways -Near Post Office -Daily, except Sunday, 9:30am - 9:30pm -Closed between 4-6pm +Only place to eat in town -Great fish & chips -KURU (breadfruit) chips -Chicken -Burgers -Salads -Shakes +Rino's Bar -Friendly place to meet locals -Wednesday - Saturday +Light lunches & dinners -Fish & chips -Burgers -Chicken -Across from Rapae +Crusher Bar -Daily, except Sunday -Near Airport +Lunch & dinner -Burgers -Chicken -Seafood -Ricky & Leslie De-Von -Home of BRUTUS the pig +Aitutaki Game Fishing Club -Behind the CITC-Donald Store -Open most evenings +Food Stores +Taua's Bakery -Next to Rapae -BEST BREAD ON THE ISLAND +R & R Food Shop -Close to Town -7:30am - 7:30pm, except Sunday -Great Ice Cream Cones +Donut Shop -Across from Tom's Beach Cottage +Tours +Papa Tutai -Tiare Maori Guest House -Phone 31-119 +Interesting van tour -Goes to the maraes -Wear INSECT repellant -$15NZ ($9US) +Maeva Kirikava -Rapae Cottage Hotel -Phone 31-320 -$15NZ ($9US) +Lagoon Tours +Clive Baxter's Lagoon Tours -Offers snorkeling & fishing -Boat handles 8 people -$25-35NZ ($15-21US) -Phone 31-025 +Lagoon Adventures -16' Hobie Cat -Handles 2-3 people -Includes lunch -$30NZ ($18US) -Phone 31-009 +Tere Viking -Phone 31-180 +Air Rarotonga -Phone 31-888 +Shopping +Handicrafts Center -Near Police Station +White Rito hats -Half price of Rarotonga -Maina Traders -JPI +Post Office -Aitutaki prints its own stamps +Sights +Cook Islands Christian Church -Arutanga (across from Big J's) -perhaps oldest building in Cooks +Services 10À Sunday -Exquisite hymnal singing +Te-Poaki-O-Rae -Rough dirt tracks south of hospital -Unusual Marae +UTO -Sweet coconut sponge -look near beach -brown coconut with leaves about two feet long -Sweet chiffon-like treat -Need machete to open +Trail to Mt. Maungapu -Directly across from Paradise Cove +Half-hour walk -Well marked -Itchy grass, wear long pants -Wear mosquito repellant