Aroa Rā’ui

★★★★★ (6)

The Aroa Marine Reserve, or “rau’í“, offers great snorkeling in a safe environment straight off the beach. It is one of the favorite snorkeling spots inside the lagoon. This site is also used for confined water scuba dive training.

Schools of goatfish, gold-lined seabream and surgeonfish can be seen here. Massive star pufferfish, flounders, octopus and different types of moray eels also call this area their home.

Dive Activity

Dive Centers Catering This Dive Site

Adventure Cook Islands

Adventure Cook Islands

Aroa Beach, 0000 Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Dive Sites Nearby

Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Queens Reef (★4.4)

Queens Reef (★4.4)

This is an easy dive that follows the drop-off in usually very clear water. It is frequently dived when visibility around the south-coast passages is reduced.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Avaavaroa Drop Off (★4.8)

Avaavaroa Drop Off (★4.8)

The site boasts a series of sand channels running through the reef in front of Avaavaroa Passage. The dive starts diving along a sand channel that leads into one of the most impressive drop-off’s on the island. You can follow the drop-off edge or swim into the big blue and look for pelagics.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Avaavaroa Passage (★4.5)

Avaavaroa Passage (★4.5)

Follow the reef passage from the outer reef through the surfzone into the lagoon. During the dive you will swim through tunnels and steep canyons that make you believe to be in an Indiana Jones movie. This dive can have very strong currents and is not for heavy breathers. Depth 24m - 26m
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Papua Drop Off (★4.7)

Papua Drop Off (★4.7)

On the dive you follow the sand channel out towards the drop off. The reef starts sloping off from about 18 metres here. You can choose to dive down the drop off or stay on the reef plateau. There is a small opening to a cavern in about 10m. This is an easy dive for any experience level. Depth 12m to 40m
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Rutaki Drop Off (★4.6)

Rutaki Drop Off (★4.6)

A deep sand channel in the reef leading from Rutaki Passage into the drop off. You can choose to stay on the reef plateau, follow the edge of the drop-off or explore the deeper parts of the reef.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Papua Passage (★4.3)

Papua Passage (★4.3)

The traditional name of the passage is Avaiti. Starting on the outer coral reef, you will dive through the passage and into the lagoon. This is the shallowest and shortest of the south-coast passages. Steep walls, swim-throughs and shallow, light indulged caverns make this a very special dive.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Rutaki Passage (★4.3)

Rutaki Passage (★4.3)

Avanui is the deepest passage on Rarotonga and has narrow, vertical canyon walls, starting just below the surface. Visibility is usually limited to 10 to 15 metres, which adds to the passages’ natural spookiness. Together with swim-throughs and frequent strong currents it makes for an exciting dive.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Pinnacles (★4.5)

Pinnacles (★4.5)

This site has a sloping coral reef with a steep drop off. The main feature of this dive are two large coral bommies (pinnacles) sitting in about 22 metres, of which one is completely collapsed. Depth 20m – 30m
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Avana Passage (★5.0)

Avana Passage (★5.0)

This passage on the east coast leads into Ngatangiia Harbour. You can either dive the outside of this sandy passage or dive through the passage into the lagoon.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Ngatangiia School (★5.0)

Ngatangiia School (★5.0)

The reef starts to slope off in around 15 metres, making this an easy drop-off dive even for the less experienced diver. For more experienced divers, there is a small swim through at 27 metres. Depth 16 - 30 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Arorangi Drop Off (★4.3)

Arorangi Drop Off (★4.3)

This site is situated in front of Arorangi Passage, this site features a gradually sloping reef with massive coral bommies to explore.Depth 18 - 30 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Arorangi Passage (★4.5)

Arorangi Passage (★4.5)

This is the smallest and shallowest of all the passages in Rarotonga and has frequently very strong currents. This main passage has been dredged out in recent years to make it suitable for smaller vessels and cruise ship tenders.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Matavera Wall (★4.9)

Matavera Wall (★4.9)

Lying just south of Matavera Point, this drop-off can be dived by experienced divers and total beginners alike. Starting at 12m, a 20m long near vertical wall drops off to about 35m from whereon the bottom slopes off into the abyss. Theis site has usually very clear water. Depth 12 - 30 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Matavera Point (★4.0)

Matavera Point (★4.0)

Located just north of Matavera Wall, this site can be dived on it’s own as a deep dive or in conjunction with Matavera Wall. A reef plateau in around 20 metres sticks out into the blue and forms a corner where the currents meet. The drop off here is a vertical wall that keeps falling into the abyss. Depth 25 - 40m
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Sunset Lava Tubes (★4.7)

Sunset Lava Tubes (★4.7)

A large coral shelf that rises from 18m to 5m below the surface. There is a cavern and small tunnel system with different overhead exit points to explore. Depth 10 – 20 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
FV Maritime Reefer (★4.9)

FV Maritime Reefer (★4.9)

The Fishing Vessel Maritime Reefer was the first ship on Rarotonga that got sunk (in 1981) to create a shipwreck site for divers. Laying in around 24 metres, this wreck has suffered major damage by numerous storms. Depth 20 - 30 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Tupapa Sandriver (★4.4)

Tupapa Sandriver (★4.4)

A sand channel with coral reef on both sides that starts in the surf zone and extends into the drop off. The northern side of the sand has a very steep wall, on the southern side the reef slopes off more gradually into the abyss. Depth 18 – 40 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Blackrock (★4.4)

Blackrock (★4.4)

Situated right in front of Black Rock. The site features a series of reef plateaus rising off the bottom. The reef has healthy coral bommies and interesting swim throughs. It is also worth exploring the shallow caverns at the end of the dive. Depth 12 - 28 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Labyrinth (★4.2)

Labyrinth (★4.2)

The site features a shallow tunnel and cavern system underneath the surf zone, stretching all the way from the Runway to Black Rock. This site is also known as Dave’s Cave, The Maze, Croc Caverns or Nikao Tunnels. The site can only be dived in very calm seas. Depth 10 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
R.M.S. Maitai (★4.4)

R.M.S. Maitai (★4.4)

The 1892 built, 3400 tons steamship R.M.S. Maitai struck the reef outside Avarua Harbour on Christmas Day 1916. After over 100 years of resting just below the surf zone, the wreck is now part of the reef. The wreckage is scattered over a large area. Depth 10 metres
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Avarua Passage (★4.5)

Avarua Passage (★4.5)

Starting off from Edna’s Anchor mooring and following the sand/ reef edge towards shore. The sandy passage leads all the way into Avarua Harbour.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Runway (★3.1)

Runway (★3.1)

Located right in front of the runway. Several smaller reef plateaus with sandy trenches in between are the main features of this site. Depth 18 – 26m.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Edna’s Anchor (★4.5)

Edna’s Anchor (★4.5)

The dive follows the sand/ reef edge towards the drop off. At about 22 metres, the sand starts to slope off like a ski slope. In 24 metres, in between 2 coral bommies, lays the big anchor of the schooner Edna which later sunk in Atiu. In 30 metres, the reef drops straight down to about 65 metres.
Adventure Cook Islands, Rarotonga
Ngatipa Reef (★4.4)

Ngatipa Reef (★4.4)

Big coral formations and a couple of sand patches are the main feature on this dive. A reef dive suitable for all levels. The site is often used for training or as a second dive of the day.