Tailor-made Cook Islands vacations shaped around your passions

Flung out into the ocean, the Cook Islands offer all the white sands, turquoise seas, and South Pacific romance you could ask for, but it’s the unhurried lifestyle, rich traditional culture, and lack of large international chain resorts that really set it apart. You could cruise across the Muri Lagoon in a glass-bottomed boat, take a 4x4 trip deep into the volcanic mountains, trek across Rarotonga’s lush interior and learn about ancestral medicine, or visit a lost village for an insight into traditional Polynesian culture. It’s also possible to take a day trip to Aitutaki to snorkel on a pristine coral atoll, go fishing or simply relax in utter serenity.

Places to stay in the Cook Islands are smaller and more intimate than in other South Pacific destinations with boutique resorts and sleek retreats offering all the luxury without the crowds. The choice is most varied in Rarotonga where you’ll find everything from pool-side thatched villas to intimate resorts with smart, modern design. You’ll also find a good range of places to stay on remote Aitutaki from Polynesian-style retreats with multiple pools and a full range of water sports to simple bungalows set in tropical gardens. On more remote islands such as Atiu or Mangaia, the choice of places to stay is often simple and rustic but what you might miss in facilities is more than compensated for by the off-the-beaten-track experience. For some ideas, take a look at our collection of places to stay in the Cook Islands.

Visitors to the Cook Islands arrive on the main island of Rarotonga, and most stay right there to enjoy is powder-soft beaches, lush forests, volcanic peaks and thriving small communities. Rarotonga is easy to get around and you can combine lazy days on the beach with visits to local sights such as the Maire Nui Botanical Gardens, the Cook Islands Library and Museum, or the Matutu Brewery. You can also snorkel in a marine reserve, visit the rock formations at Black Rock Beach, or climb to Te Rua Manga (the Needle), a towering volcanic plug in the heart of the island. Getting away from Rarotonga, you could visit the blissful atoll of Aitutaki for diving, snorkeling and bone fishing, or head off to more remote islands such as Atiu or Mangaia to experience traditional life on the islands.

The Punanga Nui Market in Avarua, Rarotonga’s main town, takes place on Saturday mornings from about 8am until 12 noon. It’s a great place to shop for food, try traditional dishes, or buy flower garlands, pareus (sarongs), pearls or local crafts. The market also has a stage with live music and dance performances from 10am.

The evening market at Muri Beach Village takes place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 5pm and features local food trucks and barbecues serving everything from pan-fried fish to seafood curry, garlic prawns and paw paw salad. It’s popular, so come early and bring cash.

Rarotonga and Aitutaki are some of the best places to dive and snorkel in the Cook Islands. Each island has more than 20 named dive sites and a choice of wreck dives, cave dives, drop offs, swim throughs, sinkholes and even lava tubes to explore. You can expect to see a wide range of tropical fish such as lionfish, parrotfish, and angelfish, as well as turtles, sharks and rays, nudibranchs, and anemones.

Flights from the east coast of the US mainland to the Cook Islands take between 22 and 27 hours usually with two layovers en route. From the west coast, it takes around 18 hours, usually with a layover in Auckland on the way. For this reason, we recommend combining a trip to the Cook Island with a visit to New Zealand.

The time zone in the Cook Islands is UTC-10 hours (EST-5 hours). There is no Daylight Savings Time.

The best way to get around the Cook Islands is to take the local bus service when on Rarotonga. Buses run around the island in both directions, and you can simply flag buses down by waving as they pass. Some restaurants offer a complimentary pick up and drop off service for customers, otherwise there are lots of taxis available. If you wish to travel between islands in the archipelago, you’ll need to fly.

Use our travel tool to find up-to-date visa and passport requirements for the Cook Islands. Enter where you’re traveling to and from (including any stopover destinations en route or flight layovers), along with your intended travel dates and passport details, for a full list of requirements.

• Entry requirements travel tool

Your doctor can provide you with immunization advice for the Cook Islands. You can also check the recommended vaccinations by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. It’s also worth checking that you’re up to date with the recommended vaccinations for your home country.