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
Fishing off Rarotonga
The drop-off is close to shore, so game fishing starts within minutes of leaving the harbour. Mahi mahi, tuna, wahoo and marlin depending on the season.
Getting around Rarotonga: the bus, the ring road, and hiring a scooter
One sealed road runs right around the island — about 32km, an hour at island pace. Here is how the bus works, when you need your own transport, and what a Cook Islands licence involves.
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.
Getting to and around Atiu
A short flight from Rarotonga to an island of a few hundred people, one main road and very few vehicles. What to arrange before you arrive.
Getting to and staying on Mangaia
Around 40 minutes by air from Rarotonga, on a limited schedule, to an island with a handful of guesthouses and no restaurants in the usual sense.
Getting to Mauke and what to expect
One of the smallest and least visited of the southern group. A handful of guesthouses, no restaurants, and a pace that takes a day to adjust to.
Highland Paradise: the old village above Arorangi
A cultural centre on the site of a hilltop village abandoned in the missionary era, with views across the west and south coasts.
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.
Island hopping the southern group
Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke and Mitiaro are all reachable by air, but not all on the same days. How to plan a multi-island trip that works.
Island Night: what a cultural show actually is
An umu feast followed by drumming, dancing and song. Several venues run them on set nights. What to expect, and why the drumming is the part people remember.
Kea's grave and Araiti Cove
A cliff-top grave above a small cove, and the story of a woman who watched the sea for a husband who never came back — though he had in fact survived.
Kitesurfing on Muri Lagoon
Consistent trade winds and shallow flat water make Muri a well-regarded spot. Lessons are available, and the shallow lagoon is a forgiving place to learn.
Language and greetings: a little goes a long way
English is spoken everywhere, but Cook Islands Māori is the first language of the islands and a handful of words changes how you are received.
Maina and the Aitutaki giant clams
One of the better snorkelling stops in the lagoon, known for giant clams in shallow, brilliantly clear water.
Mangaia: pineapples, taro and the inland plateau
Inside the coral ring is fertile wetland and plateau, irrigated by a subterranean system, growing taro, pineapple and — because Mangaia is the coolest of the islands — crops that struggle elsewhere.
Mangaia: the oldest island in the Pacific
Around 18 million years old, ringed by a wall of fossilised coral up to 60 metres high, with about 500 people living on it. The least-visited large island in the Cooks.
Mangaia's carving and the ceremonial adze
Mangaia produced the finest ceremonial adzes in Polynesia — objects now held in museums worldwide. The carving tradition is still alive on the island.
Mangaia's coastline and small beaches
Small white beaches notched into the coral rock, with a narrow fringing reef. Swimming is possible in places, but this is a coast for walking rather than lounging.
Mauke, the Garden Island
Fertile soil in the fissures of the makatea gives Mauke its name. Flowers, fruit, and the maire used for garlands across the Cook Islands.
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.
Money, phones and wifi in the Cook Islands
New Zealand dollars, patchy card acceptance outside the main centres, and internet that is better than it used to be but not what you are used to.
Motuanga: the Cave of a Hundred Rooms
A cave system said to run a hundred chambers out under the reef. Limestone growth has closed most of it — three rooms remain accessible, and the legend does the rest.
Muri Beach: the lagoon everyone means when they say Rarotonga
Shallow, warm and protected, with four small motu offshore. The best all-round swimming and paddling spot on the island, and the busiest — which is worth knowing before you go.
Muri Night Market: dinner from a row of food stalls
An evening food market at Muri Beach several nights a week. Local barbecue, seafood, curries and ika mata from a cluster of stalls — the easiest good-value dinner on the island.