Rarotonga, Cook Islands

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We were unable to disembark at this stop as the sea was too rough to use the tender boats to ferry the Van Gogh passengers ashore. The swell was 1.5 to 2 metres and it was far too dangerous to leave the ship. However, we took some photos from the deck.

Rarotonga is the most populous island in the Cook Islands Group and for this reason it houses the international airport and Parliament buildings. Cook Islanders are often referred to as Raotongan but they could come from one of the other 14 islands in the group. Rarotonga is a popular tourist destination (for people from Oz and NZ). It is a volcanic island rising to 14,750 feet above the sea bed. The volcano is 50 kilometers (31 miles) in diameter. Te Manga is the highest peak on the island.

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