This is my review on our stay at Mahanas Villa.
If you want to forget the world and experience a true 'get-away-from-it-all' escape then Raro is the place to go.
My husband and I wanted/needed peace and alone time and even though that may be your purpose, you can hope for those things but they aren’t always a reality, but for 9 days that’s exactly what we got.
The unit was modern and so we were pleasantly surprised with being able to enjoy the comforts of home and also the reminder of the island paradise as we threw open the doors to be met by the beautiful sunshine and surrounding mountains. It rained one day which we were delighted with because we loved experiencing the tropical rain and warm air as we ate our mango and pawpaw on the deck.
Roaming chickens and roosters were a novelty especially seeing one walking in and out of the cafe in the CBD - ‘cos dats jus wat happens in Raro’.
This one bedroom unit had natural light streaming in everywhere which is important to me. I enjoyed going from NZ winter, to Raro winter, which is like our summer. The perfect time I thought (my husbands smart like that). We were 25 metres back from the main road and sea, which of course surrounds the whole island enough distance from the main road for peace but close enough to the sea to be able to say ‘the sea is right outside our door’.
5 mins from the scooter hireage $15 per day for 4 days, which is the preferred mode of travel around the island but there are other deals for scooters and cars on the island.
7 mins from CBD.
5 mins from the supermarket
3 mins in any direction for the all important ‘Coffee fix’.
15 mins from snorkelling
5 mins from ‘Crossfit’ and gyms (if that’s your thing)
The local market is on Saturday 5 mins away which is a 'must go to’, buy all the relatives and friends the ‘Raro t-shirt, pearls’, and eat island food for breakfast (yummy!).
All in all I think the decision to stay at this lovely bungalow in Raro was the best decision rather than opting for a hotel room for 9 days, you can do that anywhere, anytime but the island experience has got to have green grass, sea and a big slouch chair on the deck. We shall return. Thanks to the Hunts for your wonderful local hospitality and for making our stay memorable. Bye beautiful Mahana.