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Cook Islands holidays

4.8/5

Average Customer Score
Based On 1280 Reviews

Best time to visit All year-round
Capital Avarua
Population 17,072
Area 237km²
4.8/5

Average Customer Score
Based On 1280 Reviews

Overview

Fifteen specks of land scattered across two million square kilometres of wide, blue Pacific, the Cook Islands barely register on a world map but will make a big impact on your holiday. Drop in for a stopover to or from New Zealand, or plan a more in-depth South Seas island experience.

Steeped in Polynesian culture, yet with a contemporary buzz, the main island of Rarotonga has plenty to keep you occupied for three days or more, from food, music and crafts in the capital of Avarua to snorkelling on the fringing reef and exploring the forested interior. A short flight north, Aitutaki is one of the gems of the South Pacific. Take a boat trip across its stunning lagoon, snorkelling on pristine coral reefs and stepping ashore on uninhabited, palm-covered motu (islets). Atiu is different again. A rocky ‘raised reef’ island, it is covered with forest and honeycombed with limestone caves – a paradise for naturalists and bird lovers.

Wherever you travel in the South Pacific, take in a local dance show - the drum beats echoing through the tropical night is spine-tingling and the fire-dancing has to be seen to be believed. Stand well back and prepare to be amazed!
Plan Your Trip

  • Highlights

    Things to do in Rarotonga

    • Admire the stunning lagoon ideal for snorkelling, kayaking or diving
    • Take a 4WD safari into the highlands or explore the ring road by scooter
    • Visit the bustling local market to purchase traditional arts and crafts
    • Learn about local history and culture on an Island Discovery Tour

  • Highlights

    Things to do in Aitutaki

    • Snorkel in the pristinely clear waters of the lagoon
    • Watch incredible sunsets from the beach with a glass of wine
    • Take a lagoon cruise and get your passport stamped on One Foot Island
    • Try kayaking, scuba diving, kite surfing or even game fishing

  • Highlights

    Things to do in Atiu

    • Join Birdman George on a nature tour showcasing the fascinating variety flora and fauna
    • Visit organic coffee plantations coaxed by locals from the rugged terrain
    • Explore a myriad caves and white sandy beaches tucked into the coastline
    • Relax in a private villa at Atiu Resort surrounded by tropical gardens

Cook Islands holiday ideas

With a choice of idyllic resorts, we recommend a minimum 3 night stay in order to fully immerse yourself in island life and explore your surrounds, however longer itineraries are encouraged, particularly when combining multiple islands.

View Our Trips

  • Little Polynesian Resort, Rarotonga

    Cook Islands Superior Unique And Boutique

    Experience true Polynesian luxury at the Cook Islands' most intimate boutique resort, Little Polynesian.

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    little polynesian beach hut

  • Manuia Beach Resort, Rarotonga

    Cook Islands Superior Hotel

    Manuia Beach Resort is a boutique hotel situated on its own private beach on the sheltered sunset coast of Rarotonga.

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    manuia beach resort day bed

  • Aitutaki Lagoon Private Island Resort

    Cook Islands Superior Hotel

    Resting on its own private island and encircled by pristine beaches this resort offers breathtaking lagoon views.

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    aitutaki lagoon resort and spa overwater bungalows

  • Pacific Resort Aitutaki

    Cook Islands Deluxe Hotel

    The world renowned Pacific Resort Aitutaki is surrounded by the turquoise beautiful clear waters of Aitutaki lagoon.

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    pacific resort aitutaki pool and bar
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Cook Islands regions

Rarotonga

You’ll touch down on the main island of Rarotonga, about 3,400km north of New Zealand. An extinct two million-year-old oceanic volcano, its mountainous interior of forest-clad peaks and ridges looms 650m above a narrow, reef-fringed coastal plain. Home to around 5,500 people, the main town of Avarua has a thriving artisan food scene and is well worth a visit, while the 32km road encircles the island makes exploring easy.

cook islands outrigger canoe on beach astk

Aitutaki

When volcanic islands in the South Pacific age, their once mountainous interiors are worn down and eventually vanish beneath the surface leaving a ring-shaped coral reef. A 45-minute flight from Rarotonga, Aitutaki beautifully demonstrates this transition from ‘high island’ to coral atoll. A 74-square-kilometre triangle of bright turquoise, its lagoon is dotted with little sandy slithers, flouncy coconut palms and clear, warm water.

cook islands locals celebrating in shallows cit

Atiu

A raised reef island, Atiu’s original fringing reef was forced out of the sea to form a kilometre-wide coastal plateau known as makatea. Sheer cliffs of ancient coral, up to 18m in height, are gnawed by Pacific breakers, while the island’s cave-riddled interior is covered with a dense tangle of trees and ferns. Home to beautiful birds and plants, Atiu is an ecologist’s dream, indeed its traditional name “Enuamanu” means ‘land of the birds’.

cook-islands-aitutaki-coconut-on-beach-istk

Best time to visit the Cook Islands

Enjoying a tropical climate, there’s not much variation in temperature in the Cook Islands making it a year round destination. It’s slightly cooler from June to August, but even the 30-degree-plus highs of the hottest months (January to March) are tempered by ocean breezes.

Like most South Pacific islands, it can rain any month, usually in short-lived downpours, bringing relief to high humidity. The highest rainfall occurs in summer between November and March.

What is the sea temperature in the Cook Islands?

Put simply: idyllic. Sea temperatures fluctuate from a low of around 25°C to a high of around 28-29°C – perfect if you’re contemplating a spot of snorkelling or diving.

Pair the Cook Islands with New Zealand