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This is the mostly quiet business, government and religious center of Aitutaki. As you can see from the picture, there is a constant bustle in the air. Small stores and guesthouses sprawl along the main road north of here.
Bear with me here - I hope to move this and the following tips to a separate 'Aitutaki' page but until I have the folks at VT add this island, these tips are all included in the Cook Island section in general.Aitutaki Intro:Idyllic beaches and lagoons, warm people, Maori cultureVery quiet and a very long ways awayThis will truly spoil you for other beach vacations in the future!On Aitutaki, you will find a piece of the South Pacific you may have dreamed about. A gorgeous lagoon sprinkled with beautiful white sand beached islets and a friendly welcoming people. This is truly at the end of the transportation line, but as you sit out along a lagoon beach gazing over turquoise waters - what an end it is!Captain Bligh and the Bounty were the first Europeans to visit in 1789. Here, the first Christian missionaries set foot in the Cooks. The island has been settled since about 900AD. Before the...
What is a beach without a sunset? Maybe a beach facing the West? Here in the Cooks, you can have both sunrise and sunset. You can stay out on the beach afterwards and gaze skywards to the Southern Cross and the billions of other stars. You can stay here for a long time.
This is the main island and capital of the Cooks. The international airport was built in the 1970's - the island was accessed by boat before then. There are many motels and guest houses scattered about the island. Lots of information can be obtained from: http://www.ck/ You can stay on the beach, swim in the waters, catch a native dance session, rumble about in the jungled interior, listen to beautiful music in the island churches on Sunday, shop about in the main center of Avarua or the Saturday market, visit the national museum just east of Avarua, bicycle around the island - endlessly :-)
There are several hikes ot do on the island, the longest is the cross island trek, takes about 4 hours and is pretty damn hard. 45 minutes basically straight up to the top at about 400m, then down endlessly through thick vegetation to this amazing waterfall.
Visit Aitutaki, or one of the smaller islands.Aitutaki is only 8km long , and a few kms wide, but it is attached to a large, blue lagoon, with many 'motu' or small islands around the perimeter. You can cycle around the island in a few hours, taking in the churches, the villages, and the lagoon. A lagoon cruise is recommended, and you can visit many unihabited islands and pretend you are a castaway for a while! The snorkelling is good, not least because its usually only you and a few other couples in the area! And sipping a tropical cocktail at sunset looking over the lagoon is indescribable.
as the island is small, rent a bike and cycle round it in 2 HOURS.The beaches are a must as you can imagine with the white sand and blue water, and there is even rainforrest on the island. and if you are a surfer or body boarder, take your boards with you, there are some nice waves, just watch it with low tide or you will cut yourself on the reef ( I did haha)
Market on Saturday:Go to the Market in town on saturday, and you have to be there early, you get the best deals, and the food is sizzling hot, (great for that hangover), lovely island music, pearls are abundant, pareus cheap too..There is a wide variety of handicrafts available, from carvings of Tangaroa to woven bags, fans, mats as well as ululeles, fresh veges and also large tuna fish ideal for ika mata(marinated fish)!!
I did a very strenuous hike over the mountain in the center of Rarotonga. At the top of the mountain was 'the Needle'.You will pass through beautiful countryside, taro patches, coco palm groves, papaya groves, then through a rain forest. Steeper and steeper takes you to near vertical climbs where you must use all four limbs to ascend to the top by grasping tree roots.I wore TEVAs to climb and was perfectly comfortable. Take plenty of water to drink. It is HOT! The views from the top are spectacular. Definitely not for the unfit! At the top there were colorful wild flying roosters. The descent was almost as difficult. A wonderful, unique hike. It takes you to the opposite side of the island. Return by taking either the clockwise or 'anti-clockwise' bus back to town.
The Cultural Village on Rarotonga!In a few highly-entertaining hours, you learn how the Maori used to hunt, fish, carve, cook, make clothes, heal, and open coconuts. And that is before the dance instruction, concert, and delicious lunch!The format is unique and refreshing: visitors walk between huts on their beautiful grounds. In each hut, one aspect of culture is presented for about 20 minutes by very knowledgable and friendly guides. The morning is finished with a music and dance presentation and a delicious lunch. You finally get to eat the food that you were tantalized with in the cooking hut!Very strongly recommended. Educational and fun.
Crown Beach Resort Rarotonga
212 Opinions
Etu Moana Aitutaki
1 Review and 422 Opinions This place is amazing! The service is top notch. The resort is very nice. We were greeted by...
Sea Change Villas Titikaveka
364 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Cook Islands attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Cook Islands sightseeing.
Q: Thinking of visiting Cook Islands for a 10 day break a friend and wondering if there are any better locations than others we...
A: I have not been there personally - but Aitutaki is THE island to go if you have 10 days. It surely is not a nightlife but a relax destination with sensational...
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