Motorcycling in Rarotonga

[Jantar]

We have heard so much about how easy it is to get a motorcycle licence in Raro that we decided to make it this year's holiday destination. As usual for overseas holidays we try to sample two totally different styles of places to stay, one touristy (usually expensive) and one local (usually cheap).

We were met at the airport and taken to our resort. Here is our first view of the Sheraton Resort.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_m_sher01_zps9ed3a91b.jpg

The grounds could do with a bit of a tidy up

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_m_sher14_zpse1f48fad.jpg

Every room had its own spa bath

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_m_sher10_zps77569b05.jpg

And the walls were all decorated by local artists

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_m_sher09_zps124a23a5.jpg

Furnishings were a bit sparse for a luxary resort though

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_m_sher07_zpsc05bbf64.jpg

But the food was good.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_a_edge04_zps702c5023.jpg

Paulette forgot to bring her New Zealand drivers licence so initially we decided on one large bike that we could use 2 up. Our choice was a Yahama 1250. It seemed to have lost a 0 though.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_j_moto20_zps979bb87d.jpg

Note that even here I am very safety concious. Leather footwear, one of the new "invisible" helmets, Full body "Human Skin" protection with SPF +30 sunblock.

There is a great variety of bikes on Raro, including this Typhoon 250-4 which is missing a couple of cyclinders

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_j_moto12_zpsb81d5c31.jpg

It is still able to carry a fairly big load.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_j_moto13_zps52f3f94f.jpg

The only Honda scooter I saw was this one being ridden by very pretty boy.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_j_moto11_zps512a3d4e.jpg

Most hire places had a good range of Yamaha and/or Suzukis available

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_j_moto10_zps573ff27a.jpg

There is a generous sprinkling of various chinese bikes like Lifans etc, and a few I just couldn't identify.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_j_moto07_zpsf8afbf71.jpg

Our last 6 nights were at a budget accomodation place

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_n_pris06_zpsd653ce7e.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_n_pris03_zps3af1ca6e.jpg

This one is ceratinly popular with the locals as it has 29 long term residents. To stay there for months or even years at a time it must be good.

On our last day we found this 5 star establishment for lunch.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_j_moto14_zpsc6630109.jpg

[Jantar]

Oh, We didn't actually stay at the Sheraton, or the Prison. Our Resort was the Edgewater.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_a_edge15_zpsd8826a18.jpg

And our "Budget accomodation" was at Tianna's, right on the beach.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_f_tian25_zps9d58688c.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/jantarml/Rarotonga/Raro_f_tian04_zps35c50597.jpg

[Akzle]

haha! funny guy!

wish i could afford to... and that they'd let me out of the country:wait: (or back in, once i got out :()

can't believe you go 3000km and still drink speights!!!

[Timmeh:P]

Was in Raro recently for a holiday. Decided on a 50cc scoot 2 up for transportation around the island. We did a lap or two round the island every few days just for the hell of it.

We also saw someone with a VTR1000 on the island. Doubt he ever gets it out of first gear! :weird:

You should have tried the local brew Matutu, not bloody speights mate!

[Jantar]

Was in Raro recently for a holiday. Decided on a 50cc scoot 2 up for transportation around the island. We did a lap or two round the island every few days just for the hell of it.

We also saw someone with a VTR1000 on the island. Doubt he ever gets it out of first gear! :weird:

You should have tried the local brew Matutu, not bloody speights mate!

We did try Matutu where we could get it. Most places just didn't stock it.

[Maha]

Been there twice, Anne has been there five times, look forward to going back.
Everyday we would pack the scooters with reef shoes/googles and snorkels and spend the day dong what you do in a south pacfic island, where you stay is just somewhere to sleep.

[Blackbird]

Malcolm,
We had a Yamaha Cygnus 125 scooter as part of our package. Would you believe that it was the first scooter I had ridden since getting my license in 1964? :Oi: Once we'd got used to the small wheels, it was huge fun. Hope Paulette enjoyed it!

270402

[skippa1]

Been there 4 times, I have seen an R1 and a big arse chopper there that had a huge V twin in it. Nothing like that warm air, the smells, duty free Burbon and the warm water....ahhhhhh:cool:

[JimO]

who is the old geezer with the chick

[Kiwi Graham]

Crikey its bloody popular over there, nearly everyone that's taken a winter break has been there it seems....
Heading over there for a week in a weeks time, Just in time for the Raro GP, fairly confident of a good grid position too :cool:
Staying at the Edgewater too any hints and tips J?

[Jantar]

who is the old geezer with the chick

Oh him? He's my wife's husband. :love:

[tri boy]

Me n kanny got hitched there in August.
Stayed at the Muri bch resort, and the wedding was there also.
Feck the scooters. Use the local bus, relaxed and ya meet some cool locals. Matutu is a fine wee drop. MHO

Oh, forgot to mention I caught a 22kg Wahoo. Yeahhh boi!

[Jantar]

....Staying at the Edgewater too any hints and tips J?
The Edgewater was a pleasant place to stay, but all the fun things happen on the other side of the island at Muri beach. Muri has much better swimming and snorkling than Edgewater.

Don't miss the Drums of our Fathers at Highland Paradise for a taste of local culture.

[Sketchy Snr]

Great pics.
Was my bar still there ???:cool:

[Berries]

I've got two licences for Raro. I got the first when I arrived so I could have a scooter for a few days. Great fun buzzing round the island and I thoroughly recommend doing a Waynes World and getting down to the inland end of the runway at night. My other recommendation is to not drop your guard and think you are in some kind of paradise. I got my second licence a couple of days later purely to record the black eye I received after being a good samaritan trying to stop some drunk local from being run over. The black eye turned in to three days in hospital when multiple skull fractures were identified when I finally got somewhere where they were willing to turn on an x-ray machine.

On the plus side, chicks dig black eyes so it turned out alright in the end. Mind you, I think I stayed at the same hotel, the one with the Bobby Sands?


PS - You don't look like your avatar.

[Gremlin]

Good read Malcolm :niceone:

[Winston001]

LOL Malcolm, an excellent report with pics so it must have happened.

Went there 12 years ago, stayed at Moana Sands near Muri and we enjoyed a wonderfully relaxed and interesting holiday. Rarotonga is essentially a circular island around a dead volcano cone. Its possible to walk around the island in a day.

I did a cross-island walk through the jungle and for me that was a highlight.

I'm a bit surprised the Sheraton hasn't been developed - it was like that back then. Can't remember the story but I think it involved the mafia and big tax losses which ultimately did no good for the Cook Islands.

[tri boy]

I'm a bit surprised the Sheraton hasn't been developed - it was like that back then. Can't remember the story but I think it involved the mafia and big tax losses which ultimately did no good for the Cook Islands.
Locals told me the managament pissed the land owners off because very little local workers were going to be hired. (Thais, Phillipinos were to be bought in).
So the land owners put a vito/tapu on the land. So others tryed to lift the tapu, but failed. So there it sits, abandoned and no one wants a bar of the land.

[Timmeh:P]

Local told us that the Tapu was there before they started developing, so the project was doomed from the beginning (if you believe in these things).


Yes Mafia were also involved.


http://www.lostresorts.com/?p=598

[Berries]

My little confrontation with a local mentioned earlier resulted in me spending a few hours at the main police station. Having a cigarette out the back I couldn't help but notice all the absolutely munted scooters. Talking to the cops I heard a few stories about the munted tourists.

Saw this tonight - Bike crash kills Kiwi in Cook Islands (http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/7701367/Bike-crash-kills-Kiwi-in-Cook-Islands)

[Jantar]

This accident happened at the other end of Muri from where we were staying. We saw the Rarotonga equivilent of the Seious Crash Unit at the scene marking out the road and showing where he left the road. I won't go into details other than to say neither Paulette or I could understand how anyone could leave the road at that point.

[Highlander]

Have to watch out for the dogs running around the place too. We managed to hit one on the scooter, Dog bounced off and ran away so we kept on riding.

[shafty]

Good write up Jantar - doesnt sound lke Four Points material tho

[Highlander]

Good write up Jantar - doesnt sound lke Four Points material tho

4 Points Raro. That would fill in about a half hour. :msn-wink:

[Jantar]

4 Points Raro. That would fill in about a half hour. :msn-wink:

33 minutes - two up. We did it a few times. :scooter:

[Grizzo]

Sorry, couldn't help it. :msn-wink:
Kill two birds with one stone...

[Maha]

33 minutes - two up. We did it a few times. :scooter:

Add in a few Resort stops along the way, the odd swim at any of the beaches, and you can make a day of the 40km loop.
Got a hankering to go back there in the coming year.

[hayd3n]

will be there in june this year staying at the sanctuary for 7 1/2 days:yes::yes: