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The best place in the world to visit in 2022"
Lonely Planet
Captain Bligh called AITUTAKI a "charming little spot" when he discovered it just days before the mutiny on the Bounty. And it's still one of the most beautiful places on the planet, with a lagoon so blue you'd think it had been painted that colour and a hotel resort which has been voted best in the world. Even if you're only staying on Rarotonga, a day trip is a must
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On third largest of the Islands, Atiu you can walk in the footsteps of Captain Cook's crew, find beaches where the only footprints will be yours and discover some of the world's rarest birds. Coffee also grows on trees, a myriad of caves hide some chilling secrets, and you can drop in at a bush beer school to learn the secrets of an ancient and near lethal concoction!
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Only a handful of tourists visit MITIARO each year, even though it's a short flight from Rarotonga. But visitors will discover a neat and beautiful place with crystal clear pools in limestone caves. The only freshwater lakes in the Cooks also cover two thirds of the island and they're teeming with prawns and a type of eel that islanders compare to caviar
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MAUKE is the garden of the Islands....and although it's only a 45 minute flight from Rarotonga, it's a world away in lifestyle. It also boasts the world's largest banyan tree and a church which was literally divided down the centre because of an argument over interior decoration. Visitors are few, but can expect great warmth and hospitality - 'ui tupuna' as islanders call it
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At around 18 million years old, MANGAIA is the most ancient island in the Pacific. It's not a beautiful island in the usual sense, but it is an island of great beauty. Sandy beaches are few, but the only footprints are likely to be yours, as tourism is still in its infancy. And UK visitors can expect a particularly warm welcome from residents who, although fiercely proud of their home, still call themselves British!
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Many say MANIHIKI is the most beautiful of the Cook Islands. Its huge lagoon is dotted with 43 tiny islets. And the warm blue waters not only teem with marine life, but also provide perfect conditions for black pearl farming. As recently as 1997 though, it was almost wiped off the map by a cyclone which left 29 people dead and hundreds more homeless. And at just 4 metres above sea level, climate change is an ever present threat to its future
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In the Cook Islands, whales come to you! The whale watching season runs from July to October, and you don't need a boat or even have to get your feet wet to see them. Find out the best places to watch and get some expert advice on dos and don'ts in our...
Mark Brown reappointed PM after narrow general election victory.
Flights between Rarotonga and Tahiti launched
Government set to remove Covid vaccination requirements for visitors
