Cook Islands Transportation

 
by pure1942
 
  •   Transportation
    by pure1942
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    by easterntrekker
  •   Transportation
    by easterntrekker
  •   Transportation
    by easterntrekker
  •   Transportation
    by easterntrekker
 
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Rent a car to explore Rarotonga

by worldkiwi

Hiring a car on Rarotonga for a few days is a great way to have more freedom to explore. The island is very small, so you will circumnavigate it in less than an hour! The speed limit in Avarua and villages is 40km/hour and on the "open road" it is 60kph. A rental means that you can go out for dinner to restaurants more easily (they're spread all round the island), or pack a picnic lunch and head off to some beach for the day. Because we were in a big group, it worked out to be quite a good deal for us, but the price is prohibitive if you're single or a couple. Motorbike rental would be a better bet.Daily charges are about $70 a day for a car.We hired from Island Car & Bike Hire over in Arorangi.

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Explore The Outer Islands

by catalysta

Air Rarotonga also flies to the Outer Islands. At this link on KiaOrana.com, just click on the name of an island to see map & information about it: . From the tiny uninhabited atoll of Manuae to Mangaia, the second largest island in the Cooks, you can visit the black pearl farm or the vanilla plantations, or even the migratory bird sanctuary on Suwarrow. To visit multiple islands, check into the current rates for a 30 day Paradise Island Pass.Whenever I think of flying over the Cooks for the first time, I always remember David Crosby's "Lee Shore", a haunting melody for all island lovers from his Crosby Still & Nash days: "All along the lee shore shells lie scattered in the sand winking up like shining eyes at me...From here to Venezuela there's nothing more to see than a hundred thousand islands flung like jewels upon the sea For you and me..."

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Day Trippers

by catalysta

The flight to Aitutaki is approximately 45 minutes. If you don't wish to stay overnight, you can go for a day tour Monday through Saturday, which includes flights & airport transfers, lunch,a snorkeling excursion, tour of the island, and snorkeling gear (price as of 2004 is $399NZ per person).

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Getting To Aitutaki

by catalysta

No, you don't have to paddle an outrigger to get there! Air Rarotonga flies from the Rarotonga airport to all of the outer islands, & on weekdays there are 3 flights daily to Aitutaki. Booking online is available (see website below), or you can book through an agent in town in Avarua.Cost varies depending on the flights you select.

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You gotta Scoot!

by RogerW1nz

This has to be the most fun you can have - driving around Raratonga in a Scootcar. We rented one for a day, and had a ball. They've easy to drive, but don't forget you need a Cook Islands Driver Licence - obtainable from the Police Station in Avarua for $10. No test necessary!

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Air Rarotonga

by bijo69

Inter-Island flights in the Cooks are executed by Air Rarotonga. I recommand to book the flights by e-mail, you get better fares than via their homepage. Great thing: you just have to pay the ticket 2 days prior to departure! If you want to visit more than one island, ask for a pass.

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Cook's Passenger Transport

by bijo69

A good way to get around Rarotonga is the bus! It circles the island in ca. 50 minutes and you can flag it down from anywhere on the route. The one-way ticket costs 2,50NZ$, the return ticket 4NZ$ and a 10-rides pass 17NZ$.

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AIR RAROTONGA

by mtncorg

Transport within the different islands of the Cooks is provided by the little planes of Air Rarotonga. They will fly you to and between Rarotonga, Mauke, Mitiaro, Atiu and Aitutake. They will also provide service to three of the islands in the northern group, but you should probably look very closely at this webpage: http://www.airraro.com/Presentation/Presentation1.aspx?ID=17&IDType=4 before proceeding with ideas in those directions.Also look at the excellent webpage covering the cook Islands, in general: http://www.ck/

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Don't rent a car

by mocca

Renting a bike is the best way to get around, it only takes 2 hours to cycle around the island. You will see a lot of the scenery. You can also rent cars, but please DON'T do it. It is a beautifull island, why destroy it with fumes if you can do it eco-friendly and just ride a bike, or even walk. They also offer jeep tours to peaks, and yes I know it brings money to the islanders, but I am sure that there are many other ways to leave your money there. SO please for once, don't be a lazy bum and let your legs do the work ( and yes, if you are not able to ride a bike for reasons, rent a car, this message is more for the extremely lazy people)

Beware

by Tieggan

Many tourists rent scooters. The island locals also driver scooters, however I recommend renting a car, especially if you are going to do any touring and driving at night. There have been many locals and tourists hurt badly on scooters. At night all of the locals go out to the bars and drink quite heavily. They don't have very strict drinking and driving laws and there has been many a case that a local has hit or run-over a scooter. We were in our car on a Saturday night and low & behold we had to stop because a local young girl had been struck by a drunk driver and was lying in the middle of the road face down. We called the ambulance which took 20 minutes to arrive, the island is very small and you can drive all the way around the island in less than 40 minutes, so this was quite pathetic. She had a broken arm and a broken leg. It was a very scary situation.

Getting Around Cook Islands

Top 3 Hotels in Cook Islands

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Etu Moana  Aitutaki

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34 Hotels in Cook Islands
 
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Reviews and photos of Cook Islands attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Cook Islands sightseeing.

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Transportation: Cities in Cook Islands
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Questions and Answers

llauraa profile photo

Q:  Thinking of visiting Cook Islands for a 10 day break a friend and wondering if there are any better locations than others we... 

Kakapo2 profile photo

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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