Kia Orana!
That’s the Cook Islands way of saying ‘warm greetings and may you be well’.
Relatively few people know about the Cook Islands – And that is a very good thing!
The Cook Islands are located in the South Pacific, in the same time zone as Hawai’i, but much like Hawai’i was 60+ years ago. The Cook Islands are comprised of 15 small islands, and numerous motus and cays scattered over the South Pacific.
A pristine paradise where “over-tourism” does not exist. It is not elitist and it is not expensive.
There are no branded resorts, no buildings taller than a coconut tree, and no stop lights – yet the islands offer modern conveniences and amazingly affordable resort accommodation, ranging from home stays to luxury lagoonside resorts, and everything in between.
Roratonga
Rarotonga is just like one big resort with endless adventures and excitement just waiting to be explored. You can rent a car or motor-scooter, but you will have to get your Cook Islands driver’s license first! Or the island is serviced by a bus with two routes, endearingly known as clockwise and counter-clockwise; it takes just 45 minutes to get around the whole Island, so you’ll never have far to travel.
It is a direct flight from Los Angles departing at night, and arriving early in the morning with air fares that can be half of the cost of flying into Tahiti. We can arrange for you to be greeted at the airport, and a quick shuttle to your destination will have you on the beach by 9:00 a.m.
You wouldn’t find any poverty on this English-speaking island filled with some of the most friendly and warm people I have every hard the pleasure to meet. Family and God is in everything they do; on a school holiday expect that their children might be tagging along on an excursion and a brief prayer for the beautiful day you are experiencing might be said at the beginning of an activity. Although an autonomous country, they are closely tied to New Zealand, which is the official currency, and the USD enjoys a very favorable exchange rate.
You’ll be blown away by the different styles of accommodation you can find – truly an option for every budget. From a modest priced self-catering room equipped with a kitchen to a beautiful villa with a private pool, Roratonga has an option for you.
Must See: Muri Beach is a white sandy beach with a reef and four easily accessible tiny islets, known as motu, nestle invitingly in the lagoon – Ta’akoka, Koromiri, Oneroa and Motutapu. To the other side the lush hills and mountains are visible through trees which offer shady respite from the tropical sun.
Aitutaki
Aitutaki is considered the gem of the Cook Islands, and home to about 2,000 souls. It is a short 45 minute flight from for Roratonga. Ringing Aitutaki is one of the most magnificent lagoon’s in the world with small uninhabited islands on its surrounding reef it is unquestionably the most picturesque of Southern Group. You can choose to take a day trip from Roratonga or better yet spend a couple nights of your vacation in this small lost paradise with is breathtaking crystal clear waters, and sparkling white beaches. To head out to even a more remote location take a day trip to one foot Island which boasts the world’s smallest Post Office where you can get your passport stamped. The channel between the Motu Tekopua and One Foot Island provides a great spot for relaxing in the sun and swimming. At low tide you can also walk a quarter of a mile from a sand bar in the middle of the lagoon to One-Foot Island.
In the 1950s Aitutaki was a real refueling stop for TEAL (Tasmanian Empire Airways – now Air New Zealand) flying boats traveling the renowned coral route through the South Pacific – remnants can still be seen on the island today. Flying over the boundless blue Pacific in the 1950s still had a touch of daring, especially when you were low enough to see the sharks! Here the well-to-do of the fifties, including movie stars John Wayne, Cary Grant stopped for a few hours, or even overnight, while the planes were serviced or waiting for weather to clear.TEAL memorabilia can still be found at the Flying Boat Beach Bar & Grill at the Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa.
Snorkeling & Diving
The snorkeling was exceptional; however, you can see some bleaching inside the reef. Outside the reef the coral was pristine, magnificent, it almost brought tears to my eyes realizing what all reefs used to be teeming with wildlife.
Temperatures are tropical with visibility up to 200 feet and a diverse dive sites: steep oceanic drop offs, canyons, caves. A two-tank dive starts at about $65.00 USD!
With over 73 types of live coral and hundreds of fish species, and giant clams it’s an underwater playground.
Midwest Travel Solutions, your local Kansas City Travel Agency would be honored to help you discover REAL island life in the South Pacific.
Best Sunsets in Paradise
“Once you have experienced Polynesia, stay. To fail to do so, means spending the rest of your life yearning to return.”