Are There Bus Tours Around Rarotonga and the Cook Islands?
We get it; whizzing around Rarotonga on a scooter isn’t for everyone! Luckily, there is a much easier way to explore the island’s highlights, with the convenience of a driver and a guide to provide a fun yet informative experience. Yes, bus tours do exist on Rarotonga!
While only a small selection, there are bus tours available for Rarotonga that show you the sights, take you to local homes for dinner, and even offer nightlife tours that take you to the bars. We have compiled a list of various bus tours of Rarotonga below.
Note that there are no bus tours on the outer islands of the Cook Islands, with the exception of a bit of sightseeing tour by bus as part of the Aitutaki Day Tour, between a flight and a lagoon cruise. Find out more in the 10 Best Tours of Aitutaki.
Table of Contents
1. Raro Tours – Rarotonga Island Discovery Tour
Operating one of the largest fleets of tour buses on Rarotonga, Raro Tours is an obvious go-to for bus tours in the Cook Islands. Their “Island Discovery Tour” is an excellent way to get acquainted with Rarotonga by bus, including its snorkelling spots.
The three-hour bus tour also includes some exclusive highlights of its own, such as stops and commentary at historical maraes (ancient gathering places), visits to local industries like a perfumery factory, and tastings of locally made liqueurs. You’ll also stop for a coconut husking demonstration to learn more about the “Tree of Life”.
Tours start at 10 am, Monday to Friday, and include transfers. Check out more ways to sightsee on Rarotonga, other than taking the bus, in the 10 Best Sightseeing Tours in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.com2. Cook Islands Tours – Rarotonga Orientation & Sightseeing Tour
Treating travellers to a range of popular bus tours on Rarotonga, Cook Islands Tours offers more ways to explore the island with the convenience of bus transport included. Their 2 hrs 30 mins “Orientation & Sightseeing Tour“ is a good choice for sightseeing, where you will be shown some excellent places to eat on the island, interesting activities to do, as well as stopping by some cultural attractions that you can tick off the list.
Additionally, their evening “Progressive Dinner Tour“ offers a unique opportunity to dine with locals, enjoying a different course at various local homes while being transported by bus in between.
Learn more about Progressive Dinner Tours on the 10 Best Foodie Experiences in the Cook Islands.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.com3. Rehab Party Bus Tour
Get ready for a wild night out with Rehab Party Bus, Rarotonga’s ultimate nightlife adventure! This fun-filled tour operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, taking you to the island’s most buzzing bars and clubs.
Dance, play hilarious games, and mingle with like-minded travellers under the “thatched” island-style roof of the party bus.
Your night begins with a convenient pick-up from your accommodation. Let your hair down as you hit some of Raro’s best bars before concluding at the Rehab nightclub. With transfers sorted, you can fully immerse yourself in the island’s vibrant nightlife scene.
For more nocturnal adventures, check out the Ultimate Guide to Rarotonga Nightlife + Happy Hour List.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.com4. Going Troppo Nightlife Tour
That’s right, there’s another nightlife party bus on Rarotonga! Gather in “the green bus”, decorated with LED lights and with up to 22 other soon-to-be friends on the Going Troppo Nightlife Tour. Grab your souvenir LED “Going Troppo” wine glass or stubby holder and hit the road to various bars and clubs around the island.
The four- to six-hour tour, with pick-ups at 7 or 8 pm, includes a complimentary snack platter to keep you going throughout the night.
Tours operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
© Going Troppo Nightlife Tour 5. Self-Guided Rarotonga Bus Tour
Finally, another way to tour Rarotonga by bus is by simply hopping on the round-the-island bus and hopping off wherever you like along the main road – there are even day passes available to do just that! Clockwise and anticlockwise buses run every hour throughout the day from Monday to Saturday.
Create your own itinerary of Rarotonga (or use A Self-Guided Day Trip Around Rarotonga) and explore the sights while enjoying the local bus, which is both fun and reasonably priced.
Learn more about the Rarotonga bus, the price and schedules in Taking the Bus in Rarotonga: Bus Fares, Timetable & More.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comMore About Bus Tours in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands
That’s our comprehensive list of all the bus tours around Rarotonga and the Cook Islands. As we said, there aren’t that many, but there are many more ways to tour the islands, whether it’s via electric tuk-tuk, safari Jeep, self-drive 4WD buggies or something else. Find out more in the guides below:
- 10 Best Tours in the Cook Islands
- 10 Best Island-Hopping Tours in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands
- 5 Best Off-Road Tours in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands
Finally, get more advice for ways to travel around the Cook Islands in the Cook Islands Transport Guide: 15 Best Ways to Get Around the Cook Islands.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across the Cook Islands and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Transport (Transport operators and licenses - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Finance & Economic Management (Border restrictions advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Agriculture (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Meteorological Service (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Statistics Office (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2025])
- Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for the Cook Islands - Updated [2025])
- Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for the Cook Islands - Updated [2025])
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