Nature & Wildlife
Anatakitaki Cave and the kopeka
📍 Atiu, Cook Islands
Where
Atiu — guided access only
Opening hours
Half-day tour, usually morning
Typical cost
Guided tours are typically around NZD 50 per person
Anatakitaki is the cave people come to Atiu for. Reaching it means a walk through dense forest and across makatea — uplifted fossil coral, jagged and unforgiving underfoot — and then down into a series of chambers with stalactites, high cathedral ceilings and clear cold pools.
The kopeka
The cave is home to the kopeka, a small swiftlet that nests deep in the dark and finds its way by clicking, in the manner of a bat. Hearing them overhead in a black chamber is the part people describe afterwards.
Swimming
There are freshwater pools inside. The water is cold and the swim is usually by torch or candlelight, which sounds like a gimmick and is not.
Practical
- A guide is required. There are no marked trails and the makatea is easy to get lost in.
- Book through your accommodation or the island information centre.
- Two to three hours. Take water.
💡 Local tip
Closed shoes with grip, not sandals. The makatea is fossilised coral and it is genuinely sharp — this is the walk where footwear decides whether you enjoy the day.
Listed as a local guide entry — not bookable through CI Booking. Details can change; it is worth confirming before you go.