Our Rarotonga Accommodation in Muri + Best Beach Pants
I did a lot of research prior to us leaving on our trip to the Cook Islands. When it came to deciding on an accommodation, I specifically wanted to stay in an area of the island that had a lot of things to do and places to eat within walking distance. I didn’t want to rent a car or scooter (scooters are a popular form of transportation on the islands and requires a motorcycle license or a special Cook Islands scooter license that tourists can get), as there was a bus on the island we could take if needed. I also primarily considered properties that had rooms right on the ocean and that provided some sort of breakfast and transfers from and to the airport. I didn’t really consider large resorts in my search since most were out of the budget.
We ended up spending our week at the Muri Beachcomber, which is located on Muri Beach in the southeast corner of the island (read reviews on TripAdvisor). It’s a popular destination thanks to the many places to stay and abundance of activities that are family-friendly. There’s a wide, shallow lagoon to swim and snorkel in and four motu (islands) to explore. We saw and heard big waves crashing on the reef! The trade winds come from the southeast so it’s breezy but not unbearably so.
We selected a seaview room and got a room closest to the ocean, so we had a view of the lagoon and distant waves. The room was more like a little apartment; we had a small living space, dining space, and kitchenette with two burners, a small fridge, and a microwave. It came stocked with supplies if you wanted to cook at “home”, and there was a grill out front to use and a small patio with a table and chairs. The bedroom was a separate room and included a king-sized bed and nice wardrobe for hanging our clothes (well, my clothes, haha). And of course, the bathroom was spacious and had a lovely rainhead shower! I had never used one before. The water on the property is filtered and UV sterilized and totally safe to drink; we had no problems with it!
Our rate included daily breakfast packs (bread, jams, cereal, milk, juice) to get us started and free transfers from and to the airport. We also got to use bikes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and snorkeling equipment (masks, snorkels, fins) as we pleased. They also had water shoes with hard soles if you didn’t want to bring a pair. There’s a small pool on the property that the kiddos loved to swim in, and laundry is available onsite (NZ $3 each for the washer and dryer). The ladies at the front desk were so helpful, and they wrote out the daily weather, tides, sunrise/sunset times, and things to do on a white board for guests to reference. There’s a bus stop right outside the property.
We loved walking this path by the water every day on our way out and about! The grounds are so lush and well-maintained with lots of tropical foliage everywhere (and lots of animals—chickens, roosters, stray dogs, and their 12-year-old sassy tabby cat named Estelle). I shared a couple of videos on Instagram stories with sound so you can get the full effect. ;)
For the trip, I packed a few tops to mix and match with one pair of shorts and this pair of pants. I purchased these a couple of weeks before my trip and knew they would be perfect! The cotton-linen blend is so airy and comfortable. I wore these pants every night when it cooled down in the evening, paired with my lightweight hoodie or cotton-linen sweater. They lived through a tomato sauce spill from the night market on day one and countless rain showers and still looked…well, decent enough. ;) Ha!
OUTFIT DETAILS
Grana tee / old; similar by Banana Republic
Madewell pants / exact (on sale!)
Sandelles sandals / similar by Banana Republic
ABLE earrings / exact
Le Specs sunglasses / exact style
Dior Lip Glow in pink / exact