20 Things to Do on Rarotonga on a Rainy Day

Te Ara Museum offers an engaging and affordable all-weather activity that's perfect for a rainy day in Rarotonga. Immerse yourself in grand exhibitions tracing the journey of early Polynesian navigators, European influence, and the Cook Islands' present and future.

Don't miss the guided culture tours available on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 am or 11 am, led by a fabulous local guide who will bring the exhibits to life. After exploring, relax with light refreshments at the café and browse their selection of 100% locally made gifts at the shop.

Plus, with free WiFi available, you can share your experience instantly! The museum is open seven days a week from 9 am (10 am on weekends) until 4 pm.

Location: Main Road (Ara Tapu), Muri (east side of Rarotonga).

Te 'Are Vananga is the creative workshop arm of the popular Te 'Are Tatatau art shop and tattoo studio, whose shell carving make-and-take experience is ideal for when the weather isn't playing ball.

The standout is the "Parau Shell Carving Make-and-Take Workshop," a four-hour session from 12 pm to 4 pm led by Iaveta, a young self-taught artist who has been selling his work since he was 12. After a quick safety rundown, you'll practise on coconut shells before choosing your own design, tracing motifs such as birds, whales or traditional patterns, and engraving them onto your shell piece using machines lighter than a Dremel.

The focus is on doing, not listening; Iaveta demonstrates technique rather than taking over, and by 4 pm you'll leave with a finished pendant ready to wear as earrings, a necklace or a keychain.

There's also the "Pareu Printing Make-and-Take Workshop," where you roll Cook Islands motifs onto a pareu or tea towel using your chosen boards and colours, with a heat-set finish ready to collect the next day.

That's right, there's no lack of crafting workshops on Rarotonga to keep you dry on a rainy day, and Circle Cook Islands puts an environmentally friendly twist on your session.

Run by Sabine, Rarotonga's very own Eco Warrior with over 20 years of upcycling experience, these hands-on workshops at her Nikao studio transform everyday waste (think bike inner tubes, drink cans and plastic chip packets) into jewellery and handmade bags.

The "Make-Your-Own Upcycled Earrings" workshop runs for 2 to 2 hrs 30 mins, requires zero jewellery-making experience and teaches you how to make a seriously awesome souvenir. The "Learn to Weave" workshop, limited to just four guests, teaches the technique behind her famous upcycled bags, and you'll leave with a souvenir, a PDF guide and the skills to make your own bag at home.

Both workshops run rain or shine, indoors, and everything you make is yours to keep.

Visit the Circle Cook Islands shop on Tuesdays from 10 am to 1 pm, or find Sabine at the Punanga Nui Market every Saturday.

A fascinating rainy-day attraction for nature lovers and families, the Discover Marine Wildlife & Eco Centre packs a wealth of interesting displays into its compact space. From rehabilitated seabirds to intriguing coconut crabs, the centre offers close encounters with local wildlife.

Discover the maritime history of the Cook Islands through whaling and shipwreck artefacts, and learn about the formation of the archipelago. After exploring, treat yourself to a sweet treat at the new Lickity Splitz Ice Cream Parlour.

The centre is open Monday to Friday: 9:30 am to 4 pm, and on Saturdays: 10:30 am to 4 pm. Discover more experiences like this in the 30 Things to Do on Rarotonga with Kids.

Location: Main Road (Ara Tapu), Arorangi (west side of Rarotonga).

You'll forget all about the rain while you're immersing yourself in a therapeutic massage or another island spa treatment. Rarotonga has no shortage of spots to unwind, and a handful of resorts take spa treatments seriously. Among them, Rumours Luxury Villas stands out with its Waterfall Spa, where the Vichy Showers alone are worth the visit.

There are far too many options to list here, so take a look at the 10 Best Spas in Rarotonga and the 10 Best Spa Resorts in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands to find your perfect place to unwind.

Location: Refer to the spa locations listed in the link above.

If you've ever wondered what's behind the crisp, cold Cook Islands Lager you've been sipping all holiday, Rarotonga Brewery is ready to show you.

Founded in 2016, this garden tasting room and retail outlet on the west side of Rarotonga has grown into a genuine local icon.

Located around 800 m (yards) past Black Rock, opposite Edgewater Resort, the brewery follows the German Purity Law for Beer (malt, hops and barley only) and takes sustainability seriously, running a biofuel generator on restaurant waste and saving millions of glass bottles through reusable flagons.

Beyond the signature lager, they craft ciders, artisan sodas, kombucha, limeade, moringa iced tea and garden-grown herbal teas. Free shot-glass tastings of the full range are available daily, while guided brewery tours run every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 am.

Opening hours are from 10 am to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday.

Drive yourself on an exciting off-roading adventure with Raro Buggy Tours or Raro Quad Tours, two self-drive tours that take you deep into Rarotonga's muddy trails, lush valleys and tropical forests.

Choose between one or two-seater 4x4 buggies (lasting 1 hr 30 mins to 2 hours) or single and double quad bikes (lasting 2 hours to 2 hrs 30 mins). Either way, your passionate local guide will get you acquainted with your vehicle before heading off the beaten track toward the Papua Waterfall (also known as Wigmore's Waterfall), while sharing the history and origins of Rarotonga along the way.

Buggy tours depart at 8:30 am, 11:30 am and 2:30 pm; quad tours depart at 8:30 am and 12:30 pm, Monday to Saturday. Note that drivers must be 18 or over with a valid overseas car licence, and passengers must be at least six years old. Arrive 30 mins before departure.

With classes taking place on the verandah of Tiare's when the heavens open, the rain only adds to the ambience of a creative cultural class with Coco Brush.

Coco Brush offers two of Rarotonga's most social and creative Friday-night experiences: the "Paint and Sip" class and the "Prosecco and Petals" ei-making class, both held at Tiare's Restaurant.

Each two-hour session kicks off with a drink voucher redeemable at the bar (prosecco, wine, smoothies or whatever takes your fancy), before a guide leads the group through either a step-by-step Cook Islands-inspired painting or the art of weaving a traditional ei, a floral crown worn throughout the Cook Islands.

No experience is needed for either class, and the pace is efficient yet super sociable, with plenty of banter and, on most Friday evenings, live music adding to the atmosphere.

You'll leave with either a fully finished island-inspired painting or a beautiful floral crown to wear, plus a group photo shared on social media. Private classes are also available on request, at a time and location that suits your group!

Many are surprised to discover that such a small island in the South Pacific offers numerous shopping opportunities. That’s mainly because Rarotonga and the Cook Islands specialise in many unique crafts, with a highlight being black pearls, which are only farmed in two countries in the South Pacific.

Woven fans, earrings, and locally crafted perfumes are also highlights on the shopping list. So pick out some stores from The Guide to Shopping in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands + The Best Places to Shop and use a rainy day on Rarotonga to visit them all!

Location: See shop recommendations and locations in the link above.

Tivaevae Collectables is the go-to shop on Rarotonga for tivaevae, the traditional Cook Islands quilting art form you'll spot adorning beds across resort accommodations throughout the islands.

Whether you're after throw pillowcases or a full bed set, you'll find both handmade options from the Cook Islands and machine-made linens from Bali, as well as rito hats sourced from Penrhyn.

Every Wednesday, the store also runs "Sewing Classes" (sessions run for 1 hr 30 mins, with a maximum of six people) covering the basic blanket stitch and hemming techniques. Afterwards, participants can purchase a pack to continue practising at home.

Obviously, this is a rainy day activity on Rarotonga that you can only enjoy on a Sunday. Nevertheless, if this applies to you, the powerful harmonies echoing across the churches on a Sunday are an experience not to be missed!

Dress in your most church-appropriate attire (covering knees and shoulders) and head to one of the churches across Rarotonga, which typically holds a 10 am service. The Avarua CICC Church is highly recommended for a traditional experience.

Alternatively, enjoy something more contemporary and upbeat at the Celebration Church in Avarua. For more recommendations, check out the 10 Best Churches in the Cook Islands to Experience as a Visitor.

Location: See the link above for locations.

You'll hardly care what the weather is doing while you're conjuring up your own scent with Manongi Aromatics' intimate aromatic blending workshop.

You'll start by exploring a wide array of scents, from resins and woody notes to florals and fruits, before Sylvie guides you through how to smell and pair them into something entirely your own. Using a worksheet to work out quantities and percentages, you'll measure your blend with a pipette, name it and hand-write your own label. Cookies and lemongrass tea are served throughout, which is a nice touch.

By the end of the two-hour session, every guest leaves with a diffuser blend and a roll-on personal fragrance. Scents are island-inspired, drawing on ingredients like guava seed oil, hibiscus seed oil, moringa and Rarotongan botanicals, with all essential oils sourced organically from small producers. Sylvie also offers science-based therapeutic blends for those with specific needs.

The big blue store of Tuki's Pareu is a good go-to for island-style attire. A rainy day, however, is the perfect time to finally get that island shirt made! That's right, Tuki's offers tailoring services where their experienced designers and seamstresses can create a perfectly fitted, flamboyant shirt that will make you look the part for all your South Pacific holidays.

They are open from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday, and until 12 pm on Saturday.

Location: Main Road (Ara Tapu), Avarua, the blue buildings at the eastern end just past Trader Jacks.

No one is above a rainy day snorkel! Since you’re going to get wet anyway, why not head out with your snorkelling gear and meet the fish?

Free snorkelling sites include the "Fruits of Rarotonga" site at the Tikioki Marine Reserve and the Aroa Marine Reserve at Aroa Beach.

Needless to say, if the rain is accompanied by stormy seas, it's best to avoid snorkelling.

Check out all of the snorkelling spots in The Best Snorkelling in Rarotonga: Top 10 Places to Snorkel or join one of the guided tours listed in the 5 Best Snorkelling Tours in Rarotonga.

Location: See the links above for locations.

Another museum you can rely on for a break from the rain, the Cook Islands National Museum holds an interesting display of historical and cultural artefacts and replicas. Browse carvings, seafaring vaka replicas, and traditional tivaevae linens, and learn more about their significance through the informational text on the walls.

The museum is open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4 pm and has a small admission fee. There are more indoor attractions in Avarua, so check them out in the 10 Best Things to Do in Avarua.

Location: Sir Geoffrey Henry National Culture Centre, Corner of Constitution Avenue and Victoria Road, Avarua (north side of Rarotonga).

The Cook Islands Māori culture and marine environment are the main inspiration for art across Rarotonga. This makes for some breathtaking pieces to admire at the galleries of the island’s talented artists. Pop into the Bergman Gallery, Two Mamas Gallery and more while exploring the island.

The Coco Brush Paint & Wine Experience offers a delightful two-hour painting session that’s perfect for unleashing your creativity, rain or shine. Expert instructors provide guidance and all the materials you need, so you can focus on enjoying the artistic process.

See what makes each gallery worth visiting in the 5 Best Art Galleries in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.

Location: For the painting workshop, meet outside Charlie’s Cafe, Titikaveka, southeast coast of Rarotonga. See the link above for more art galleries and their locations.

Yes, this is a different museum in Avarua, but it’s not too far away from the one previously mentioned. Set on park grounds surrounded by some of Avarua’s oldest buildings, the Cook Islands Library & Museum displays interesting ceremonial artefacts, cooking utensils, shells and weapons.

Outside are the museum’s maritime displays, such as a vaka and an anchor. Their library also holds a collection of rare books. The museum is open from 9 am to 1 pm, Monday to Friday.

Discover how the museum ranks among the best in the 5 Best Museums in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.

Location: Makea Tinirau Road, the eastern end of Avarua (north side of Rarotonga).

If there's a time to visit the Papua Waterfall, also known as Wigmore’s Waterfall, it's when it's raining! The falls are at their best under heavy rain when the river level is high. Find the waterfall in the forest in a clearing with picnic tables, just in case, you know, the weather clears up and you want to stick around for even longer.

While swimming is usually popular in the bottom pool, it's not recommended to swim if the water level is too high or to climb the sides where rocks have been known to fall. What you can do, however, is take some insect repellent with you. See more natural attractions like this in the Sightseeing in Rarotonga: Top 10 Sights in Rarotonga.

Location: End of Papua Road, Vaimaanga. Note that the dirt road all the way to the waterfall is in bad condition – suitable for 4WD or SUVs only. If you’re unsure, park at the SPCA car park and walk from there (6 mins walk). You may be asked for an entry fee (around NZ$2 for scooters and NZ$5 for cars/trucks).

While a pretty obvious thing to do, it can't be denied that huddling under the shelter of a restaurant while gorging on island cuisine isn't a bad way to spend a rainy day.

Whatever your vibe and budget, Raro has the cafes and restaurants to suit you. The list is too extensive to go through here, but you can check out recommendations in The Food Guide to Rarotonga: Places to Eat & Food Tours.

Location: See the links above for locations.

That’s right, DVD rental stores are still a thing on Rarotonga and a rainy day saviour! Look out for the DVD rental shop signs on the main road in both Nikao and Vaimaanga (open from 5 pm - 8 pm, Monday to Saturday).

Oh, and you’ll want to make sure your accommodation has a DVD player first - many of them do. Alternatively, accommodations like Rendezvous Villas and Magic Reef Beachfront Bungalows have movie hard drives for guests, while Muri Beachcomber has a selection of DVDs in their lounge.

Location: Nikao Cottages and Nikao Beach Video - Main Road (Ara Tapu), Nikao. DVD Shop - Main Road (Ara Tapu), Vaimaanga.