Revitalizing The Lagoon of Rarotonga
Nursery Site: The Rarotongan Resort / Arorangi, Rarotonga
On the island of Rarotonga, our coral nursery site located at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium serves as a living hub for coral restoration and learning.
The nursery showcases a range of coral propagation techniques designed to support reef regeneration in the lagoon.
Guided by the expertise of the Ocean Tupuna team—including Louisa Castledine, Dr. Antony Vavia, and Zoe Teikamata—the site demonstrates methods such as coral fragmentation, nursery frames, & ongoing maintenance and cleaning that help strengthen reef resilience.
7 month observation of coral growth on-site (before & after)
This nursery not only contributes to active reef restoration, but also provides a space for education surrounding coral ecosystems and practices.
Connecting Tourism With Sustainability
Lagoonarium Experience – At The Rarotongan Resort, Ocean Tupuna supports a thriving lagoonarium where restored coral habitats attract abundant reef fish and give visitors a real-time experience of reef restoration.
Responsible Turtle Tours – With Ocean Toa Cook Islands, visitors can experience guided turtle encounters that follow the strictest guidelines within the country, ensuring respectful, conservation-focused interactions with marine life.
A portion of all turtle tours also directly funds another initiative within the Ocean Tupuna ecosystem, which is Ocean Tamariki.
Collectively, these initiatives address the reality of living in a part of the world where tourism is highly prevalent, and transforms what would be negative environmental pressures, into opportunities for regenerative tourism - engaging visitors of the Cook Islands to be a part of improving our destination.