AUSTRALASIA COOK ISLANDS DESTINATIONS
T
he Cook Islands might be the stuff of fantasy, but
not necessarily pipe dreams. With 15 islands spread across a vast distance in the South Pacific, and a population of less than 20,000, perhaps the most surprising thing about the Cooks is their relative accessibility. Yet even if they do benefit
from one of the world’s weirdest flight routes, the two main islands – Rarotonga and Aitutaki – manage to hit that sweet spot of being gorgeous Pacific paradises while having good quality infrastructure.
w SELL: ADD TO THE ANTIPODES Air New Zealand flies direct to main island Rarotonga from
Los Angeles, before heading on to Auckland. This makes it wonderfully easy to work into a round-the-world ticket, and a tantalising add-on for a trip to New Zealand. The only problem with the
latter is that the seasons don’t match – the best time to visit the Cooks is the relatively drier, cooler season between May and November, while New Zealand is a better bet in the other half of the year. Hit the shoulder seasons, and it works – otherwise, prepare for a few rainy days in the Cooks or the Kiwi winter. Rarotonga feels like a near-
perfect island escape. Everything is low rise – by law, nothing is allowed to be built higher than a coconut tree – and it takes about
an hour to drive around the island. But there are also plenty of high-quality resorts, appealing restaurants and activity providers. That tightrope between
relaxed and interesting is expertly walked. It’s the sort of place you feel quite happy ambling around, with nothing particularly stressful to worry about, and the tropical mirage factor turned up high. The island is also surrounded
by an absolutely fabulous lagoon – ideal for snorkelling and boat tours, while the ferocious Pacific surf crashes into the other side of the reef. In recent years, Muri on the
eastern side has turned from pseudo-settlement with a couple of hotels into an attractive
tourist village with several restaurants and cafes within easy walking distance of the white-sand beach. It’s also on the prettiest part of the lagoon, with four little islets a swim or kayak paddle away. But if Rarotonga pulls off
all-round loveliness, Aitutaki – a 45-minute internal flight north – is a serious escalation into top of the bucket-list territory. Rarotonga’s surrounding lagoon may be worth flying to the other side of the world for, but Aitutaki’s is worth flying to another galaxy for. The population is lower and the pace even slower. But frankly, all cares of being near the rat race will be long gone once floating along on the clear turquoise and teal waters.
5 April 2018
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