Things To Do in the Cook Islands
Where to eat, swim, walk and unwind — a local guide to the islands. 79 places listed
79 places
Aitutaki accommodation: where to base yourself
The island is small enough that location matters less than on Rarotonga — but it still matters. What the different areas are like.
Aitutaki at sunset
The lagoon and the western shore at the end of the day, and why it is worth planning one evening around it.
Aitutaki in a day: is a day trip enough?
A day trip from Rarotonga is possible and popular. An honest account of what you get, what you miss, and when staying over is worth it.
Aitutaki lagoon cruises: what they include and how to choose
Most visitors see the lagoon on a group cruise. What a typical day looks like, and the questions worth asking before you book.
Aitutaki Lagoon: what makes it different from Rarotonga
A vast triangular lagoon dotted with motu, far shallower and wider than Rarotonga's. Most of it is only reachable by boat, which shapes how you spend your time here.
Aitutaki Night Market
Aitutaki’s New Orongo Night Markets Bring Community, Culture and Kai to Life Aitutaki’s evenings are getting a whole lot brighter…
Aitutaki: Ootu Beach and the airport side
A long sandy stretch near the airport at the northern end, with shallow calm water and one of the better shore swims on the main island.
Aitutaki: the marae and the arrival of Christianity
Aitutaki was where the London Missionary Society first landed in the Cook Islands in 1821. The island carries both that history and older marae sites.
Aitutaki: what to bring, because the shops are small
A short list of things that are easy to buy on Rarotonga and awkward to find on Aitutaki. Worth reading before you get on the plane.
Anatakitaki Cave and the kopeka
A jungle trek over jagged makatea to a limestone cavern holding freshwater pools and a bird that navigates in darkness by echolocation. The single best reason to come to Atiu.
Arai-Te-Tonga: Rarotonga's most important marae
An ancient ceremonial site just off the inland road, marked by standing stones. Quiet, unstaffed and easy to miss — and one of the most significant places on the island.
Aro'a Beach and the west coast sunset
A west-coast beach with good snorkelling directly offshore and an uninterrupted view of the sunset. Quieter than Muri and better for late afternoon.
Arutanga: Aitutaki's town, and the oldest church in the Cook Islands
The main settlement on Aitutaki — small, quiet, and home to a coral-lime church dating from the 1820s.
Atiu coffee: the island's revived plantations
Coffee has been grown on Atiu since the nineteenth century, abandoned, and brought back. You can walk the plantation, see the processing and drink the result.
Atiu's beaches: empty, almost always
Small sandy coves notched into the makatea coast. Not lagoon swimming in the Aitutaki sense, but you will very likely have the beach entirely to yourself.
Birdwatching on Atiu, the Land of Birds
Atiu's traditional name is Enuamanu — land of birds — and it earns it. Eleven native species, including the kakerori that was brought back from the edge of extinction.
Black pearls: what you are actually buying
Cook Islands black pearls are a genuine local industry from the northern atolls. Quality and price vary enormously, and it pays to know what you are looking at.
Black Rock (Tuoro): sunset, swimming and a place of departure
A volcanic outcrop on the north-west coast with sheltered swimming, one of the island's best sunsets, and real significance in Cook Islands belief.
Bonefishing on the Aitutaki flats
Aitutaki's shallow sand flats are a recognised bonefishing destination. Catch and release, on foot, with a guide who knows the tides.
Captain Cook's landing and Taunganui Harbour
Cook came ashore on Atiu in 1777 and was received rather better than at Mangaia. The harbour and the landing site are both worth the short trip.
Cook Islands Christian Church, Avarua
A coral-limestone church from the missionary era in the centre of Avarua, and the place to hear Cook Islands hymn singing on a Sunday morning.
Cook Islands National Museum and Library, Avarua
A small national museum covering navigation, traditional tools, missionary contact and island history. An hour well spent, and a good rainy-day option.
Cycling around Rarotonga
A flat 32km ring road, low traffic by most standards, and a slower pace that suits the island. The most underrated way to see Rarotonga.
Diving in Rarotonga
Wall dives, canyons and wrecks just outside the reef, with visibility that is often exceptional. Suitable for beginners through to experienced divers.