5 Best Snorkelling Tours in Rarotonga

KiteSUP offers shore-based snorkelling tours (no boats) for all abilities, running Sunday through Friday. Tours run approximately two hours in total, with 30–45 mins of actual swim time, and small groups of around four people mean you get plenty of attention from the two guides per group.

Beginners, families and kids will enjoy the "Intro Snorkel" at Sash Lagoon, where you can spot giant trevally, moray eels and giant clams. Confident swimmers can explore the 100-year-old wreck of the SS Matai on the "Shipwreck Snorkel", now teeming with coral and fish.

For advanced swimmers, the "Adventure Turtle Snorkel" takes you to Papua Passage to swim with turtles in their natural habitat, one of the least crowded snorkelling spots on the island. Transport is provided by van, or you can make your own way there.

Adventure Cook Islands offers an exhilarating "Reef to Sea Snorkel Tour" that takes you beyond Rarotonga's fringing reef. This 2 hrs 30 mins adventure allows six to seven snorkellers to explore two sites on the outer reef, where you'll encounter larger marine life like eagle rays, turtles, and friendly reef sharks. With minimal boat time, you'll have plenty of opportunity to explore underwater.

But that's not all! Adventure Cook Islands also provides a full range of rental gear. From snorkel sets and wetsuits to weights, kayaks, and bodyboards, they've got you covered.

Rental prices vary based on duration, with discounts for longer hires. If you're staying a while, multi-day hires often include free delivery to your accommodation (subject to a pricing threshold).

Location: Main Road (Ara Tapu), Aroa Beach, Arorangi.

Join the cheeky crew from Captain Tama's Lagoon Cruizes for a fun day out on the Muri Lagoon and Motu Koromiri. The half-day cruise includes around 45 minutes of snorkelling at the "Fruits of Rarotonga" snorkelling site a.k.a. the Tikioki Marine Reserve where you'll be free to swim among the giant clams, angelfish, butterflyfish, surgeonfish and much more.

After snorkelling, the cruise on the glass-bottom boat crosses the Muri Lagoon to the uninhabited Motu Koromiri for a barbecue lunch combined with a hilarious coconut and sarong-tying show. Learn more from the 10 Best Day Cruises in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.

Location: Tours depart daily from Muri Beach, Main Road (Ara Tapu), Muri. Just look for the yellow boats!

Almost identical to Captain Tama's Lagoon Cruizes, Koka Lagoon Cruises also offers a good portion of snorkelling at a marine reserve just outside of the Muri Lagoon.

Koka Lagoon Cruises offers one of the most well-rounded half-day experiences on Rarotonga, combining glass-bottom boat views, guided snorkelling and a barbecue lunch on a private island, all with a live ukulele band setting the mood from the moment you step aboard.

Departing at 10 am from Muri Beach, the four-hour "Rarotonga Glass Bottom Lagoon Cruise" takes you to the Tikioki Marine Reserve, where you'll snorkel among colourful fish and giant clams (gear provided) before heading ashore on Motu Koromiri for a barbecue feast prepared by on-site chefs.

Back on the water, the fun continues with a coconut demonstration and pareu tying, with the crew keeping the energy high throughout. Resort transfers are included, with pick-up and drop-off from all resorts island-wide via Cook Island Transport. Cruises run Sunday through Friday, and children five and under go free.

Ariki Turtle Tours & Sea Scooters is one of Rarotonga's longest-established snorkelling tour operators, and for good reason: few outfits do it with this much polish.

Based at the stunning Avaavaroa Passage, their flagship "Premium Sea Scooter Turtle Adventure" is a two-hour tour with a guaranteed turtle interaction, using lightweight 'Le Feet' sea scooters that make gliding through the passage feel almost effortless (and fun).

In our experience, they were great for easier access to the eagle rays but turtles don't like to hang around the "buzz" for long.

Confident swimmers can opt for the "Onu Free Swim Adventure", while the "Premium Sea Scooter Ocean Adventures" tour takes you over the RMS Maitai shipwreck, now absorbed into the reef just below the surf zone.

Large groups are split into smaller groups, typically with one to three guides per four guests, and all tours include premium snorkel gear, a safety boat/guides, and tour photography. There's even an on-site café with WiFi if you want to arrive early and settle in.