Te Vara Nui Village
Te Vara Nui
A cultural village near Muri where daytime tours showcase traditional crafts and daily life, and an evening 'Island Night' show with a lakeside stage and buffet dinner.
Te Vara Nui Village lies in a valley garden on the west side of Muri Beach. Daytime cultural tours are led by locals, who explain Cook Islands traditional architecture, weaving, fishing, the uses of coconut and medicinal plants, and visitors can taste traditional food. The evening 'Super Show' takes place on a floating stage on the garden lake. Performers present a dance drama telling stories of ancestral voyages, combining drumming, grass-skirt dancing and fire dancing with lighting. A buffet dinner cooked in a traditional umu (earth oven) is served alongside. It is one of the most popular shows on the island. Advance booking is required.
Opening hours
Cultural tours during the day; dinner show several evenings a week
Nearby sights
- Muri Night Market
- Te Ara – Cook Islands Museum of Cultural Enterprise
- Muri Lagoon & Beach
- Avana Harbour (Ngatangiia)
- Titikaveka Beach & Fruits of Rarotonga Snorkelling
- Maire Nui Gardens
- Takitumu Conservation Area
- Arai-Te-Tonga Marae