Things To Do in the Cook Islands
Where to eat, swim, walk and unwind — a local guide to the islands. 79 places listed
20 places on Aitutaki
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.
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.
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.
Getting to and around Aitutaki
A short flight from Rarotonga, then a small flat island where a scooter or bike covers everything. What to know about baggage limits, the airstrip and getting about once you land.
Honeymoon Island: the small motu with the big reputation
A tiny sand motu in the Aitutaki lagoon, often quieter than One Foot Island and included on many lagoon cruises. Nesting birds and very little else — which is the point.
Maina and the Aitutaki giant clams
One of the better snorkelling stops in the lagoon, known for giant clams in shallow, brilliantly clear water.
Maungapu: the short climb with the whole lagoon underneath it
Aitutaki's highest point at around 124 metres. A steep but short climb — half an hour or so — for the view that explains the shape of the lagoon better than any map.
One Foot Island (Tapuaetai): the passport stamp and the sandbar
The most photographed motu in the Cook Islands, reachable only by boat, with a tiny post office that will stamp your passport. Here is what it is actually like when you get there.
Photographing the Aitutaki lagoon
The colour is real, but it does not photograph itself. When to shoot, where from, and why midday is both the best and the worst time.
Respect and etiquette in the Cook Islands
A handful of things that matter locally and are easy for a visitor to get wrong without meaning to.
Snorkelling on Aitutaki: where to go and what you will see
Giant clams, reef fish and coral gardens in water shallow and clear enough that you barely need to swim. What the lagoon holds, and where the good spots are.
Where to swim from the shore on Aitutaki
The motu get the attention, but there is good swimming from the main island — if you know which side and which tide.