gaynor

My husband and I will be staying on Raratonga for 1 week in August as part of a RTW trip. We are looking for accommodation where there is really good snorkelling close by (Baros in the Maldives is the best we've experienced so far). We are not looking for a large resort with lots of facilities,but do want somewhere that is clean, comfortable and very close to the sea. I have searched this site and found lots of ideas for accommodation, but not a great deal that relates the accommodation to the snorkelling. Can anyone advise further ?
Thanks

Kiwi_acct

If you would like to be snorkelling within 30 seconds of leaving your front door, then I would recommend somewhere like Palm Grove on Titkaveka beach (South side of Rarotonga). Muri lagoon (Further East along the South Coast) has several accomodation choices based there and the lagoon itself just there is also very good for snorkelling.

Avoid anywhere on the Northern, North Eastern and North Western coasts as the lagoon there is too shallow to snorkel with ease.

gaynor

Thanks for this information. i think we have narrowed down our choice to Palm Grove, Sokala Villas or Rarotonga beach bungalows. Does anyone have information about the last one ?

I noticed on a previous post that Ken says that wind might be a factor to take into consideration when choosing accommodation which is why we haven't ruled out the Sokala Villas as he says they will be more sheltered. As we are from the UK the temperature will not be a problem - we are used to cool (or even cold!)summers here, but how much of a problem is the wind likely to be ?

LordBalfor

Though I'm not specifically familiar with the units themselves, based on their location I would guess that the Rarotonga Beach Bungalows will offer the best snorkeling (in the heart of the area best known for snorkeling), followed by the Palm Grove, then the Sokala Villas (which have a gorgeous (and wind-shelterd) location but pretty poor snorkeling as the lagoon there is pretty shallow and relatively coral-free).

Being from the UK, you will probably find thed temps to be just fine. The reason I warn people about the winter temps down there is not because the Cooks are cold that time of year - they aren't (this is the tropics after all) - it's just that they may not be as warm as some folks expect.

The fact is, how warm it feels is really a relative thing - dependent in large part to what you are used to. In the winter time a 60 degree day feels pretty darned nice, in mid-summer it's a bit chilly. So if you are coming from a North American summer and you've grown very warm temps, the slightly cooler temps (usually mid- 70's) of a Rarotonga winter might be a bit surprising and possibly disappointing.

As an "air force brat" I spent a bit of time in Britain (my mother is from Altrincham and I also spent a summer in Watford) so I'm aware of the fairly cool summer temps there. You be fine.

Ken

LordBalfor

Whoops!

In the 3rd paragraph I meant to say "grown used to very warm temps" - not "grown very warm temps".

Ken