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The Star: May 11, 2017

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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> 33<br />

Travel<br />

Latest Christchurch news at www.<br />

Island paradise is picture perfect<br />

.kiwi<br />

Thursday <strong>May</strong> <strong>11</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />

• By Mike Yardley<br />

LAZING ON sugar-white beaches,<br />

fanned by coconut palms,<br />

while gazing at the gin-clear<br />

lagoon that lassoes the island, is<br />

why the reality of Rarotonga is as<br />

perfect as the postcards.<br />

Drinking in that crisp lagoon<br />

palette of electric blues and<br />

turquoise hues, and basking in<br />

its bath-warm gorgeousness, is<br />

central to Rarotonga’s perennial<br />

stature as a fly-and-flop destination.<br />

A great new way to explore<br />

the underwater world of Muri<br />

Lagoon, is to join a Sea Scooter<br />

Safari with Ariki Adventures.<br />

<strong>The</strong>se ingenious hand-held machines<br />

are shaped like a torpedo<br />

and battery-powered to pull along<br />

you through the water at 4km/h.<br />

Kitted out with a mask, snorkel<br />

and fins, I noticed my water speed<br />

almost doubled when I used the<br />

fins. After a group safety briefing<br />

and short play in the water,<br />

my guide led us through some<br />

of the most abundant marine<br />

snorkelling spots in the lagoon,<br />

swimming amid techni-coloured<br />

schools of fish. (Arki also runs<br />

extra-adventurous tours beyond<br />

the reef on their Ocean Safari.<br />

You’ll need to be comfortable in<br />

the open sea, a competent swimmer,<br />

and not prone to freaking<br />

out if an occasional reef shark<br />

comes into view. <strong>The</strong> Ocean safari<br />

takes you out to a century-old<br />

shipwreck.)<br />

If you’ve got a GoPro, you can<br />

mount your device on the front of<br />

the sea scooters. You can also hire<br />

wetsuits if you’re anxious about<br />

rubbing up against coral in the<br />

SAFARI: Explore Rarotonga’s underwater world with a sea scooter, it will pull you along at speeds of up to 4km/h. Right – <strong>The</strong><br />

beachfront at Moana Sands.<br />

thriving coral canyons.<br />

Avoid all red and yellow corals<br />

– and fire coral is aptly named for<br />

the painful sensation it wreaks,<br />

if you brush up against it. I’m<br />

not the most practical of people,<br />

but the scooters are effortless to<br />

master.<br />

Each handle has a throttle button<br />

which should be held down in<br />

tandem, for optimum propulsion.<br />

And the steering system faithfully<br />

follows the direction you point it<br />

in, including nose-diving down<br />

to the lagoon floor, for intimate<br />

encounters with coral gardens<br />

and giant clams.<br />

During our safari we crossed<br />

paths with a lagoon cruise, as they<br />

were attracting the sea life with<br />

food. Suddenly, the sheer size of<br />

the schools of fish frenetically exploded<br />

before our eyes, including<br />

the welcome presence of larger<br />

specimens, like trevally, joining<br />

the feeding frenzy.<br />

<strong>The</strong> kaleidoscope of marine life<br />

COLOUR:<br />

<strong>The</strong> awardwinning<br />

show<br />

at Te Vara Nui<br />

Village.<br />

RESTFUL:<br />

Inside a<br />

villa at Moana<br />

Sands.<br />

is full of surprises. Keep a look<br />

out for moray eels slinking about<br />

the rocky depths, or the graceful<br />

joy of seeing eagle rays and<br />

sea turtles breezing through the<br />

lagoon.<br />

Ariki Adventures are the only<br />

sea scooter safari operator on<br />

Rarotonga, and their innovative<br />

90min tour reveals so many<br />

eye-popping treasures within the<br />

lagoon. www.arikiholidays.com<br />

On my latest visit to Rarotonga,<br />

I finally made a date with the<br />

nation’s multiple award-winning<br />

island night show at Te Vara Nui<br />

Village.<br />

Launched in 2010, an old taro<br />

swamp was spectacularly transformed<br />

into a show-stopping<br />

performance space, wrapped in a<br />

floating garden, lustily showcasing<br />

Rarotongan music and dance<br />

in style.<br />

<strong>The</strong> thoughtfully-designed<br />

seating layout wraps around the<br />

elaborate overwater stage, creating<br />

a potently atmospheric arena.<br />

<strong>The</strong> lavish buffet dinner includes<br />

a generous spread of signature<br />

dishes, including that sterling<br />

icon of Rarotongan cuisine, ika<br />

mata.<br />

Anticipation reaches its crescendo<br />

as the heavy drums beat<br />

with greater and greater intensity.<br />

<strong>The</strong> production’s exceptional<br />

sound and lighting elements,<br />

complete with flaming torches,<br />

electrifies proceedings.<br />

Suddenly I felt like Las Vegas<br />

had descended on Muri Beach.<br />

Group upon group of beautiful<br />

local dancers throng the multilevel<br />

stage, to celebrate the legend<br />

of Tangaiti and the settlement of<br />

Rarotonga. <strong>The</strong>ir artistry, choreography,<br />

energy and stamina is<br />

mind-blowing.<br />

I have seen my fair share of<br />

cultural shows, but nothing has<br />

come even close to the exhilarating<br />

spectacle at Te Vara Nui. I<br />

recognised one of the performers,<br />

Chris, who had earlier in the<br />

day joined me on a Buggy Tour.<br />

Straight after that, he was slogging<br />

his guts out, playing a top-level<br />

club game of rugby league. And<br />

now he was dancing up a storm<br />

on stage. Where do these people<br />

get their energy from?<br />

Te Vara Nui is undeniably the<br />

mother of all island nights. www.<br />

tevaranui.co.ck<br />

FAST FACTS<br />

•If you prefer a quiet<br />

and more boutique<br />

accommodation experience,<br />

Moana Sands Beachfront<br />

Villas ticks all the boxes. <strong>The</strong><br />

villas are extra-generously<br />

spacious, with enough<br />

room to house a passing<br />

vaka sailing crew. Superbly<br />

equipped with full kitchen<br />

facilities, you’ll enjoy all<br />

the home comforts with<br />

flat-screen TV, DVD player,<br />

couches, dining area and<br />

balcony. <strong>The</strong> absolute<br />

beachfront garden and<br />

barbecue area allows you<br />

to slink onto the sand, within<br />

steps from your villa. Free<br />

private parking is available<br />

on site and a variety of<br />

water sports equipment,<br />

including snorkelling gear<br />

and kayaks are available for<br />

complimentary use. You’ll<br />

love this Rarotongan roost in<br />

Vaimaanga.<br />

http://moanasands.co.ck/<br />

Look who moved into<br />

our new retail precinct.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re’s plenty of food, fashion<br />

and fun on offer at Faringdon’s very<br />

own South Point retail precinct.<br />

Stage 19 now available.<br />

Sections 401 to 831m 2 from $159,000.<br />

Call Bruce Harvey 0800 667 849<br />

or visit www.faringdon.co.nz<br />

Visit our info centre, corner<br />

Goulds and East Maddisons Roads,<br />

Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm - 4pm.<br />

You’re home.<br />

FRD30195-90x260

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