On January 21st, 2019, we arrived at Rarotonga, one of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, which was formed approximately 2 million years ago by volcanic eruptions in the ocean. Nowadays, it`s a green tropical island with no volcanic activities anymore; a coastal road circumferes 32 kms (20 miles) around the mountains and along white beaches by the lagoon.
I took a 4x4-Safari-tour around the whole island and enjoyed seeing the lush rainforest in the interior countryside, where very steep roads and muddy paths go up and down the mountains (could not have done without 4x4!). Was fun riding in the open jeeps! Furtheron, I was pleased seeing pretty well kept homes with mowed lawns, while I was disappointed when seeing wracks of cars between the gardens - nature takes over and soon, those wracks will be hidden by plants - that’s how islanders „recycle“, I assume.
The beaches looked beautiful, however, where we stopped for the views, the sand was full of dead corals and not easy to walk on when barefoot. The island has many plantations of all kinds of fruits, and everywhere are growing beautiful plants and flowers. All in all a nice island, but I wouldn`t travel there all the way for a longer vacation.
