Discussion
Hi all.
Has anyone here been to the Cook Islands? If so, what's it like?? Share your experiences...
I like the idea of going there but it is such a long way. We've been to Maldives last year, Fiji a few years ago, Bali and Thailand recently. Looking for that Island type holiday. Great snorkelling, empty beaches with a bit of adventure..
Many thanks in advance
Has anyone here been to the Cook Islands? If so, what's it like?? Share your experiences...
I like the idea of going there but it is such a long way. We've been to Maldives last year, Fiji a few years ago, Bali and Thailand recently. Looking for that Island type holiday. Great snorkelling, empty beaches with a bit of adventure..
Many thanks in advance
I went there a long time ago (1995), it was fantastic, really nice place great diving and snorkelling. Laid back and friendly. when we arrived we were given the flower garlands and I thought it was a bit touristy but when we were riding round the island you see these massive polynesian blokes who are doing roadworks with flowers behind their ears.
We arrived via New Zealand and returned to UK via LA.
We arrived via New Zealand and returned to UK via LA.
Fantastic place. V.friendly and relaxed. Stayed on Rarotonga but took a flight to Aitutaki for the day (small turboprop - capacity 8 passengers and 2 goats -type thing). Aitutaki has a bigger and deeper lagoon than Raro so better for snorkelling but is smaller so less to do. I suggest you do both. You can usually break the flight in LA if the long flight bothers you.
Best area on Raro is Muri beach.
Best area on Raro is Muri beach.
We went there in Sept-08. 2 nights on Rarotonga, 3 on Aitutaki. Really enjoyed ourselves. Not been to Maldives/Mauritius to compare, but have done Ao Nang and Koh Samui (Thailand), Sanur (Bali), Hoi An (V'nam) and Kota Kinabalu (Sabah). And Raro bears comparison with any of those, albeit in different ways. While Aitu is far more beautiful than anywhere else we've been... 
Weather on Raro was very mixed - overcast with a few showers (it's got a mountain in the middle, hence more likely to get clouds/rain), and the rain had churned the silt/sand up so in-water visibility was ~2-3m (which was a real shame - snorkelling supposed to be better on Raro than Aitu, esp. SE coastline). Also didn't think the people were as friendly as expected/built-up-to-be, but would guess it was just the "oh no, more tourists" reservedness from some, rather than any actual unfriendliness.
Aitu was a complete contrast - picture-postcard idyllic desert island atoll, with crystal-clear turquoise waters, truly-horizontal and very welcoming locals, and stunning weather. Supposed to have some very good scuba-diving outside the lagoon breakwaters, but we just went snorkelling within the lagoon (where I swam properly out-of-my-depth (4-5m) without a life-vest on for the first time ever!!!). Snorkelling was pretty good but not that much better than Sharm-el-Sheikh, except for the location and the giant clams (and greater variety of coral, but less variety of fish). Did spot a couple of rays from the boat when on the move, and apparently turtles aren't unknown, so maybe we were just unlucky.
Oh...and the airport at Aitu is very amusing - the only place where I've carried my luggage from/to the plane!!!
(Edit: Aitu is very quiet and feels rather private/empty - almost like your own island. Raro is busier but no worse than any of the other places we've been to.)
Neither place was cheap though - Raro struck me as typical for a SE Asia island resort (i.e. more than Krabi, Phuket, Langkawi etc.), while Aitutaki was about 50% more than that. If you want to splash out on somewhere speacial, the Etu Moana resort on Aitu is fantastic - 8 beautiful and well-appointed wood 'bungalows' set in pairs running back from the beach - front 2 are effectively on the beach, next two may as well be. But you'll pay £££ for it.
Photos (of Aitu) here:-
http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m54/martin-w/Ho...
Weather on Raro was very mixed - overcast with a few showers (it's got a mountain in the middle, hence more likely to get clouds/rain), and the rain had churned the silt/sand up so in-water visibility was ~2-3m (which was a real shame - snorkelling supposed to be better on Raro than Aitu, esp. SE coastline). Also didn't think the people were as friendly as expected/built-up-to-be, but would guess it was just the "oh no, more tourists" reservedness from some, rather than any actual unfriendliness.
Aitu was a complete contrast - picture-postcard idyllic desert island atoll, with crystal-clear turquoise waters, truly-horizontal and very welcoming locals, and stunning weather. Supposed to have some very good scuba-diving outside the lagoon breakwaters, but we just went snorkelling within the lagoon (where I swam properly out-of-my-depth (4-5m) without a life-vest on for the first time ever!!!). Snorkelling was pretty good but not that much better than Sharm-el-Sheikh, except for the location and the giant clams (and greater variety of coral, but less variety of fish). Did spot a couple of rays from the boat when on the move, and apparently turtles aren't unknown, so maybe we were just unlucky.
Oh...and the airport at Aitu is very amusing - the only place where I've carried my luggage from/to the plane!!!
(Edit: Aitu is very quiet and feels rather private/empty - almost like your own island. Raro is busier but no worse than any of the other places we've been to.)
Neither place was cheap though - Raro struck me as typical for a SE Asia island resort (i.e. more than Krabi, Phuket, Langkawi etc.), while Aitutaki was about 50% more than that. If you want to splash out on somewhere speacial, the Etu Moana resort on Aitu is fantastic - 8 beautiful and well-appointed wood 'bungalows' set in pairs running back from the beach - front 2 are effectively on the beach, next two may as well be. But you'll pay £££ for it.
Photos (of Aitu) here:-
http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m54/martin-w/Ho...
Edited by havoc on Monday 7th June 13:37
Great stuff, thanks. The photos of it look great, just what we're after. Think We'll only have 2-2.5 weeks and will split it either with East Oz or another destination. Quite like travelling around. We went to NZ when we went to Fiji so would like to see a taste of Oz instead as we'd be round that neck of the woods! Will show Mrs Art later...
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff