Picture this: brilliant blue lagoons – some would say turquoise but it’s better – dotted with dark corals that are home to hundreds of fish, coconut tree-fringed white sandy beaches, impossibly jagged volcanic peaks and rainforests.
No high rise buildings, traffic lights, touts, haggling, snakes, dangerous wild animals, language difficulties.
These are the Cook Islands, a tiny formation of 15 atolls halfway between Sydney and Hawaii, where if you arrive from Australia, you arrive yesterday. And that says a lot about this tropical paradise.
The beauty (there are no beasts)
Think Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef islands back in the 1970s – unspoilt, plastic free, unhurried.
On the most visited island, Rarotonga, local families get from A to B in the back of utes; seatbelts and helmets are encouraged, crime is virtually non-existent, wandering roosters crow all day, the perfume of gardenias and frangipani is ever present.
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Tourism is the main industry, but the communities have not sold their soul. Shops shut at 3pm (sometimes earlier), church is a strong part of life and restaurants and bars honour the culture and local foods.
How to get there
The country’s international borders were closed in March 2020 in a bid to protect islanders from COVID. Australian travellers weren’t invited back until April 2022.
We travelled with Air NZ, brilliantly efficient, with a one-night stopover in Auckland at the Novotel Airport Auckland just a few metres from the international terminal. I’ve had some bad experiences with tedious check-ins but not here. Be sure to book dinner in the bistro if that’s your plan.
The overnight stay in Auckland – the only option when we travelled last November – meant the trip was cut into two very comfortable legs of 3.5 and 4.5 hours. We left Auckland at 8.50am and arrived in Rarotonga at about 1.30pm – the previous day.
The trip will become quicker in June 2023 when Jetstar starts direct flights from Sydney.
Air Rarotonga flights to Aitutaki – the jewel in the crown of the Cook Islands – leave several times a day and take 40 minutes.
Where to stay
There’s a range of accommodation from hostels to Airbnb to five-star and eco-friendly resorts. Camping is not allowed.
On Rarotonga, Muri Lagoon is the prize and we stayed at Moanna Sands Lagoon Resort – adults-only accommodation. The Moanna Sands group also has a hotel and separate villa accommodation in another area on the lagoon.
Moanna Sands Lagoon Resort was a delight – spacious accommodation, a big pool, directly on the lagoon and close enough to a range of activities so you could walk. Snorkelling gear and kayaks were readily available; staff were friendly and helpful.
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On Aitutaki – the second most visited island in the group and a 40-minute flight away – we stayed in a villa at the Tamanu Beach Resort, again directly on the lagoon. And this lagoon is amazing – regularly voted by travel writers as the most beautiful in the world.
Tamanu Beach Resort is split into two with an adults-only area with a private pool some 200 metres from reception. But who needs a pool when you have a lagoon that is bathwater warm and teeming with fish?
What to do
On Raratonga, we did Captain Tama’s Lagoon Cruize – great value and a laugh fest for much of the day. More energetic and knowledgeable crew would be hard to find. The glass-bottomed boat gives less active types a wonderful view of the fish but those who want to get among the action will find a myriad fish types drawn to the area with the promise of food! And talking food, the barbecue lunch is restaurant quality.
Corinna’s Storytellers Eco Cycle Tour was wonderfully informative, a taste sensation and. not at all taxing if you haven’t been on a bike for a while. Corinna knows so much about the history of the island, the vegetation, the back stories to island life. And again, lunch was included and delicious, though we had foraged for and eaten mangoes, coconut, pawpaw, Surinam cherry, ice cream bean and assorted other produce as we cycled and hardly needed more!
I’d also suggest the Ariimoana Reef Explorer Tour. You learn so much from the tour guides.
Climb Rarotonga’s tallest peak Te Manga or walk some trails if you’re a more energetic type, but a guide is definitely recommended.
Where to eat
Restaurants and bars are scattered around both islands. (I’ll go into more detail about beautiful Aitutaki in my next article).
Two of the top non-resort restaurants are Antipodes on the western side of the island. It’s fine dining with a seafood platter the signature dish and the sunset the main show.
Tamarind House on the eastern side is a beautiful colonial residence, great menu, great service.
For a less expensive night out, the Muri night markets are a must. There’s lots of choice, but get there early to make sure you don’t miss out. Some things sell out quickly.
And take cash.
Charlie’s Bar is a great venue for dinner or just a quiet drink on the lagoon (do try their pina coladas!), but it also has a vocal group at least once a week. Make sure you book.
Fish, particularly locally caught tuna, is on most menus and you can’t go wrong with fresh tuna and a pawpaw salad.
Avatea Café on Aitutaki is a quirky café and gift shop. The curries are excellent, but do take the insect repellent.
The cost of drinks in most venues we visited was very similar to that in Australia. Cocktails $15–$20, wine prices on a par with Australia both in restaurants and from bottle shops.
How to get around
Activities, restaurants and shops are spread across both Rarotonga and Aitutaki, so if you want to explore, hire a scooter or a car, or use the bicycles that might be available with your accommodation. You can take the bus on Rarotonga or walk the back roads. A circumnavigation won’t take long as it just 32 kilometres around.
The top speed limit is 50kmh across both islands and in places that drops to 30 and 20, so it’s super friendly driving.
Best time to visit
I’m not sure there’s a bad time to visit. Late November through to early March is regarded as the wet season but locals say it generally rains late afternoon or overnight. Summer temperatures get to the high 20s with minimums in the low 20s. In winter, maximums drop to the low 20s.
The best time to visit would be April through to November when humidity is lower and temperatures still balmy.
Read: 10 amazing waterfalls you need to see before you die
The best bit? The water temperature in the lagoons ranges from about 23 to 28°C.
No need for wetsuits even in winter.
A few other things
Jetstar flights will depart Sydney on Thursdays and Sundays at 9.30pm, arriving in Rarotonga at 7am the same day. The flights will depart Rarotonga at 9am arriving back in Sydney at 12.30pm the following day. Jetstar already flies to Rarotonga from Auckland, New Zealand.
Beware the time difference when booking. It could be easy to misunderstand the 21-hour difference (depending on daylight saving). But – it’s oddly soothing. It’s a stretch to know what day it is on holiday at the best of times but even more difficult on the Cook Islands. Wonderful!
Take insect repellent, no matter what time of year, due to the presence of dengue fever.
Maybe, buy a visitor SIM card.
Water is generally safe to drink.
Dogs are king on Rarotonga. They seem to be attached to the land and have right of way. They wander around contentedly, are certainly very friendly but you’re requested not to feed them.
Cook Islanders keep their dead close. Most homes have their deceased loved ones on the property and marked by lavish headstones.
Tsunami evacuation points are dotted around Rarotonga.
Be sure to have some cash (and spend it before you leave) although your usual credit/debit cards are fine.
The Cook Islands won Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel’ award for 2022.
As the Cook Islanders say, kia orana (may you live a long and fulfilling life) – and may you get to visit this tropical paradise.
Read about the Cook Islands jewel, Aitutaki, on 25 February.
Janelle Ward visited Aitutaki as a guest of Cook Islands Tourism.
Do you love a tropical island? Have you been to the Cook Islands? Why not share your journey in the comments section below?
