The Real Cook Islands Umu Experience

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Witness husking coconuts, grating, handling food, and watch a real umu unearthed before sitting down to a family-style feast of local dishes. 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9 } ], "cancellation_policy": "flexible", "confirmation_type": "instant", "min_people": 1, "max_people": 30, "minimum_age": "All Ages", "pickup_available": true, "languages": "English", "inclusions": "<ul><li>Five interactive umu stations</li><li>Family-style umu dinner around a central platter</li><li>Water and local tea</li><li>Cultural dance performance with live drumming</li></ul>", "exclusions": null, "what_to_bring": "<ul><li>Insect repellent</li><li>Cash for extras or tips</li><li>Light layer (it can get cool in the evenings)</li></ul>", "additional_info": "", "meeting_point": "<div>Ara Tapu (Main Road), Ooa Tupapa, north coast of Rarotonga. 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By 6:30pm, everyone heads outdoors for the interactive umu stations: a hands-on, thirty-minute session set across five stations, each one with drumming keeping the energy going in the background.<br><br>This is not a stand-and-watch demonstration. Volunteers will be husking coconuts, grating and handling real ingredients as your host walks you through the Cook Islands cooking traditions behind each dish. Depending on the season, stations typically cover breadfruit, taro, rukau and/or pumpkin, and a dummy umu showing the layering process, alongside the opening of a real underground umu that has been cooking throughout the day.<br><br></div><div>At 7:00pm, that umu gets opened. The food is lifted out and plated onto sharing platters ready for the table.<br><br></div><div>Dinner is served family-style with warriors bringing platters directly to each table. A spread of salads, and local hot and cold dishes, sits alongside including ika mata, poke, salads, mainese and papaya salad. With a maximum of thirty guests, the setting feels like a genuinely communal, family experience. A string band strums you through the dinner with relaxed island music.&nbsp;<br><br></div><div>Once your stomach is happy, the evening closes with a thirty-minute cultural dinner show featuring Cook Islands dance performances and live drumming. If you're feeling brave, our performers will ask you up to teach you a move or two.<br><br>There is a bar available, should you want to treat yourself to alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages throughout the night. Otherwise, water and local herbal tea are complimentary.</div>", "departure_and_return": "<div>Ara Tapu (Main Road), Ooa Tupapa, north coast of Rarotonga. We are well signposted along the main road between Super Brown Tupapa and Love Cafe (and we are on Google Maps). We have car parking on-site but please let us know when booking if you require transfers.</div>", "faq": "<div><strong>What happens during The Real Cook Islands Umu Experience?</strong></div><div>The evening runs for approximately 2.5 hours and has two parts: a hands-on outdoor umu section where you watch and help prepare traditional foods, followed by a cultural dinner show with live string-band music and dance performance.</div><div><br></div><div><strong>How big are the groups at Umu Experience?</strong></div><div>Maximum 30 guests per show. It's deliberately kept small so the evening stays conversational and personal.<br><br></div><div><strong>What food is served at The Real Cook Islands Umu Experience?</strong></div><div>Dinner is family-style, served at the table by warriors. Expect umu-cooked dishes alongside ika mata, poke, taro, breadfruit, and a buffet of hot and cold local sides.<br><br></div><div><strong>When does Umu Experience run?</strong></div><div>Shows run Monday and Wednesday evenings. Doors open at 6:00pm and the experience wraps up around 8:30pm.</div>", "pg_review": "", "product_help": null, "featured": true, "cancellation_policy_extra_info": "", "fitness_rating": "1", "fitness_notes": "", "accessibility_rating": "2", "accessibility_notes": "<div>The venue has ramp access and is all on ground level. However, we lack facilities like grab rails in the bathrooms, etc. Please let us know if you have any special requirements and we will see how we can accommodate.</div>", "highlights": "<ul><li>Hands-on umu cooking in an intimate setting</li><li>Taste the real umu pulled fresh from the ground</li><li>Family-style dining, not a buffet line</li><li>Live string-band music during dinner</li><li>Intimate cultural show, with Cook Islands dancing and live drumming</li></ul>", "facilities": [], "itinerary": [], "extra_notes": "", "all_public_holidays_closed": false, "cruise_extra_information": "", "custom_accordion_item_title": null, "custom_accordion_item_content": "", "display_hours_publicly": true, "allow_single_bookings_once_capacity_is_reached": false, "require_fully_booked_before_next_available": false, "require_minimum_capacity_for_booking_confirmation": false, "minimum_capacity_required_for_booking_confirmation": null, "email_extra_information_to_customer": "", "return_option_available": false, "minimum_duration_for_customer_defined_booking": null, "is_rental_product": false, "rental_inventory_count": null, "rental_unit_label": "", "allow_customer_duration": false, "qr_code": "https://d2iwhohslm84tu.cloudfront.net/qr_codes/qr_product_the-real-cook-islands-umu-experience.png", "total_booking_count": 24, "total_review_count": 0, "updated_at": "2026-09-24T06:09:19.172936Z", "business": "1de1909c-e8f3-433b-89c9-727d2e06ad5a", "accommodation": null, "asset": null, "asset_pool": null, "route": null, "return_product": null, "awards": [], "bed_configurations": [], "room_amenities": [], "type": "product" }