• Snorkeling: Coral reefs enclose the island, providing an unbeatable opportunity for snorkelers to commune with Rarotonga’s abundant marine life. There are actually laws against fishing in the best snorkeling spots, so you are sure to see many colorful fish, if not entire schools of them. The best spots for snorkelling are "Fruits of Rarotonga" and  the shallower "Aroa Beach".
  • Hiking: The island of Rarotonga has one hiking trail, named “ The Needle” after its major landmark, a towering rock structure. The trail extends between the southern and northern coasts, approximately cutting the island in half. If you’d like to say you hiked across one of the Cook Islands, here is your opportunity – you could fit it in a day even if you did the trail twice!
  • Kayaking: It's possible to kayak all the way around Rarotonga, if you wish. The waters are relatively calm except by the Avatiu harbor, where the waves tend to be larger. If you launch your kayaks from Muri Beach, instead, you can avoid the shore by Avarua and escape the worst of the waves.
  • Rugby: Rarotonga’s Tereora College is home to a state of the art stadium, used by rugby leagues from all the Cook Islands during their March-April season. Friday games attract a crowd of enthusiastic locals, but it's still easy to get a ticket since the island population is small compared to the size of the stadium!
  • Glass Bottom Boat Trip: The Pacific Resort one is very laid back. It's worth doing the first part only of this trip i.e. the snorkeling/fish viewing part.  The second part is the BBQ on the island opposite Muri Beach and is OK if you don't mind waiting until after 2pm to get a very average BBQ lunch.
  • Fishing: There are plenty of fishing operators located at the main harbour near the town of Avarua. Types of species that are common to catch off Rarotonga are Mahi Mahi (dolphin fish), Yellowfin & Skipjack Tuna and Wahoo. There is always a chance of Black Marlin in these waters in the summer months (Nov-Feb). Whether you are a serious fisherman of just want to give it a go to enrich your holiday, it is an activity well worth undertaking. The recommended operator for Rarotonga is Wayne from Pacific Marine Charters... Very experienced skipper who will get you better fish.
  • Scuba Diving: For qualified divers, there are sites suitable for all levels of training and experience, from coral dives to drop-offs, and wreck dives to caves. Four dive operators are available on the island and all offer guided dives for certified divers and training courses.  All dives for qualified divers are conducted by boat. The surrounding reef limits shore diving to the shallow lagoon which is only a couple of meters deep. There are around 30 dive sites, with spots on all sides of the island which are accessible by boat, exiting through the reef at one of 4 locations. This allows short boat journeys, in the order of 5-20mins. Around 70% of the diving is carried out around the top half of the island. For most divers visiting Rarotonga, one of the many sites around the north such as ‘Paradise’ and north east of the island, such as ‘ Sand River ’, are the best option. Most of these sites are suitable for all levels of experience and offer some of the most consistent dive conditions, with little or no current and some of the best coral and wildlife. Manning dive boats during dives on Rarotonga is not standard a couple of operators leave boats unattended whilst you are underwater, so ask before you book.