Back on Rarotonga, we were picked up by our accommodation for the last 2 nights of our trip, Rarotonga Backpackers.  We were staying at the beachside (they also have a hillside location) and the waterfront bungalow ($80 US per night) was beautiful. The bungalows are up on stilts, with an unobstructed view of the ocean, framed by palms.  The sound of the surf could easily be heard through the window, as the reef is so close in (as compared to Aitutaki, where the reef is far out from shore). There is a small swimming pool outside the common area.

  Inside the recently built unit, there was a hot water shower, complete furnished kitchen (but oddly enough missing a microwave). Outside on the balcony there was a gas grill.  This would have been a beautiful setup had we been there for longer, or had it been sunny. 

The only negatives for the room were the fierce presence of ants at the smallest bit of left food, and the lack of privacy in some of the room because of a missing curtain in the kitchen area looking straight out towards the pool.  (All the bungalows were missing this curtain, I guess they just forgot to order enough curtains!)

It rained both days we were in Rarotonga.  Not a light rain, either – more of a torrent downpour interrupted by brief periods of lighter rain.