sample story: diving in the cook islands
true review: real behind the scenes info for visitors
If you're expecting acres of bright, multi-hued corals on your scuba dive then the Cook Islands is not the place for you.
Explanations vary for this. Some say the reef is largely dead, hence its mostly bleached look. Others say that it just not that kind of reef, but that fish more than make up for it. Even if you're not a scuba diver, traditional marine reserves - called raui in Cook Islands Maori - were reintrodued in 1998 inside the reef and, visitors report, now boast a great variety.
So with whom to scuba? Dive Rarotonga had an all female crew recently, instructors coming and going as they make their way on a working world holiday. Dive Raro is a distinctive yellow A frame on the west side of the island, near the Edgewater Resort.
Cook Islands Divers is also near the Edgewater. Featuring possibly the ugliest looking website seen on this side of the third millennium, Cook Islands Divers must be doing something right because it is the biggest, most experienced and best qualified operation on Rarotonga.
The Rarotongan Dive Centre is found opposite the Rarotongan Beach Resort and, as you might suspect from that n at the end of Rarotonga, is owned and operated by the resort. This dive centre created a bit of controversy when it started up, breaking supposed investment rules against hotels offering services that compete with existing local businesses. But the resort is locally owned and has charmed most of its local critics, pouring millions of dollars into fixing up a formerly state owned and rather dowdy operation. No word yet on what their dives are like but you can find pikkies here.
Pacific Divers Cook Islands is handy to those staying in the Muri area, on the south side of Rarotonga. One diver reports a bit of a "grumpy" experience, saying Dive Rarotonga was "friendlier." But Christine MacDonald is one of the old hands at diving Rarotonga as you can see for yourself from their scrapbook.
If you're expecting acres of bright, multi-hued corals on your scuba dive then the Cook Islands is not the place for you.
Explanations vary for this. Some say the reef is largely dead, hence its mostly bleached look. Others say that it just not that kind of reef, but that fish more than make up for it. Even if you're not a scuba diver, traditional marine reserves - called raui in Cook Islands Maori - were reintrodued in 1998 inside the reef and, visitors report, now boast a great variety.
So with whom to scuba? Dive Rarotonga had an all female crew recently, instructors coming and going as they make their way on a working world holiday. Dive Raro is a distinctive yellow A frame on the west side of the island, near the Edgewater Resort.
Cook Islands Divers is also near the Edgewater. Featuring possibly the ugliest looking website seen on this side of the third millennium, Cook Islands Divers must be doing something right because it is the biggest, most experienced and best qualified operation on Rarotonga.
The Rarotongan Dive Centre is found opposite the Rarotongan Beach Resort and, as you might suspect from that n at the end of Rarotonga, is owned and operated by the resort. This dive centre created a bit of controversy when it started up, breaking supposed investment rules against hotels offering services that compete with existing local businesses. But the resort is locally owned and has charmed most of its local critics, pouring millions of dollars into fixing up a formerly state owned and rather dowdy operation. No word yet on what their dives are like but you can find pikkies here.
Pacific Divers Cook Islands is handy to those staying in the Muri area, on the south side of Rarotonga. One diver reports a bit of a "grumpy" experience, saying Dive Rarotonga was "friendlier." But Christine MacDonald is one of the old hands at diving Rarotonga as you can see for yourself from their scrapbook.
posted by Avaiki Nius at 12:35 pm
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