Plan your stay ↗ Contact Search

KIA ORANA. ASK AWAY.

Your Cook Islands
travel questions,
answered.

Where should you stay? Do you need a rental car? What’s worth doing? Find practical answers, local guides and business listings to help plan your Rarotonga and Aitutaki holiday.

Find your answers ↗

RAROTONGA / AITUTAKI / BEYOND

YOUR NEXT CHAPTER

Make room for
lagoon time.

Start with the essentials. Let the island set the pace.

Find your answers →

LESS GUESSWORK. MORE ISLAND TIME.

Your island escape,
with a local
perspective.

From the first question to the next adventure, explore practical travel guides, discover local businesses, and find stories from across the Cook Islands.

Get to know the islands →

Lagoon
adventures

Local
discoveries

Practical
answers

TWO ISLANDS. TWO WAYS TO UNWIND.

Pick your island

Follow your kind of island time. Start with Rarotonga’s green peaks or Aitutaki’s lagoon blues.

GOOD PLACES. GREAT PEOPLE.

Find your kind
of island day.

Explore local listings ↗

GO A LITTLE FURTHER

Out on the lagoon.
Right where you belong.

Discover local experiences →

THE LOCAL DIRECTORY

A good place
to start.

Explore the businesses and experiences that help bring your visit together.

STAY · EAT · EXPLORE · GET AROUND

Browse the directory →

Answers for every island adventure.

Browse our latest stories, then explore practical guides by topic — from where to stay and eat to wildlife, transport and local life.

Accommodation   ·   Food & Drink   ·   Transport   ·   Things to Do   ·   Wildlife & Nature   ·   Travel Tips   ·   Family Travel   ·   Local Life & Culture

Fresh from the islands

Watercolour illustration of cash, a bank card, phone payment and a drinking coconut at an island market, with Rarotonga’s green mountains and turquoise lagoon behind.

Do You Need Cash in Rarotonga? Cards, ATMs & Bank Locations

Do you need cash in Rarotonga? Find practical market advice, BCI TakuPOS details, ATM and bank

Read story ↗
Watercolour adaptation of a real photograph of Te Rua Manga, The Needle, preserving its craggy summit and forest setting

Rarotonga Cross Island Walk: Route, Guides & Wildlife

Walk across Rarotonga’s lush interior to The Needle and Papua Waterfall, with route advice, Maunga Tours

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of duty-free shopping bags and spirit bottles with Rarotonga’s mountains and turquoise lagoon behind

Rarotonga Duty Free: Prices, SAVA Pre-orders & Tavake Spirits

Plan Rarotonga duty-free shopping with dated NZ price comparisons, SAVA pre-order information, Tavake local spirits and

Read story ↗
AI watercolour illustration of seven Rarotonga native birds: kākerōri, Rarotonga starling, kūkupa, rupe, reef heron, white tern and white-tailed tropicbird, with Rarotonga behind.

Cook Islands Birds: 7 Native Species to See on Rarotonga

Discover seven native birds of Rarotonga, from the rare kākerōri to coastal white terns. Compare where

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a cheeseburger with Rarotonga’s green mountains, turquoise lagoon and palm trees behind

Top Burger Joints in Rarotonga: Hours, Google & Tripadvisor Ratings

Four Rarotonga burger stops compared: opening hours, Google and Tripadvisor ratings, food photos, contacts and independent

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a beachfront villa and private pool overlooking Aitutaki’s turquoise lagoon and palm-covered motu

Top 5 Places to Stay in Aitutaki: Resorts, Ratings & Prices

Compare five standout places to stay in Aitutaki, with Aitutaki Escape first, guest ratings, package price

Read story ↗

Accommodation

View all accommodation stories ↗

Watercolour illustration of a beachfront villa and private pool overlooking Aitutaki’s turquoise lagoon and palm-covered motu

Top 5 Places to Stay in Aitutaki: Resorts, Ratings & Prices

Compare five standout places to stay in Aitutaki, with Aitutaki Escape first, guest ratings, package price

Read story ↗

Food & Drink

View all food & drink stories ↗

Watercolour illustration of duty-free shopping bags and spirit bottles with Rarotonga’s mountains and turquoise lagoon behind

Rarotonga Duty Free: Prices, SAVA Pre-orders & Tavake Spirits

Plan Rarotonga duty-free shopping with dated NZ price comparisons, SAVA pre-order information, Tavake local spirits and

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a cheeseburger with Rarotonga’s green mountains, turquoise lagoon and palm trees behind

Top Burger Joints in Rarotonga: Hours, Google & Tripadvisor Ratings

Four Rarotonga burger stops compared: opening hours, Google and Tripadvisor ratings, food photos, contacts and independent

Read story ↗

Bringing KFC to the Cook Islands: Tips for Travelers from New Zealand

Craving KFC in the Cook Islands? While there’s no KFC outlet on the islands, you can

Read story ↗

Transport

View all transport stories ↗

Watercolour illustration of a turquoise rental car beside a palm-lined island road and lagoon

Do You Need a Rental Car in Rarotonga?

Do You Need a Rental Car in Rarotonga? A rental car can make exploring easy, but

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a turquoise rental car in front of Aitutaki lagoon and palm-covered islands, with a Google reviews badge

Car Rental Companies in Aitutaki: Contacts and Booking Guide

Aitutaki’s lagoon may be the main attraction, but a car can help you reach meals, shops

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a turquoise rental car in front of Rarotonga island, with a Google reviews badge

Car Rental Companies in Rarotonga: Contacts and Booking Guide

A car can make beach stops, shopping and dinner plans easier in Rarotonga. The useful question

Read story ↗

Things to Do

View all things to do stories ↗

Watercolour adaptation of a real photograph of Te Rua Manga, The Needle, preserving its craggy summit and forest setting

Rarotonga Cross Island Walk: Route, Guides & Wildlife

Walk across Rarotonga’s lush interior to The Needle and Papua Waterfall, with route advice, Maunga Tours

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a turquoise-and-white fishing charter boat on the ocean with Rarotonga’s green mountains behind

Fishing Charters in Rarotonga: Prices, Contacts and Booking Guide

A fishing charter is a chance to see Rarotonga from beyond the reef and spend a

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a sea turtle swimming above a turquoise reef with an island in the distance

Turtle Tours in Rarotonga: What to Ask Before You Book

Turtle Tours in Rarotonga: What to Ask Before You Book A turtle encounter can be a

Read story ↗

Wildlife & Nature

View all wildlife & nature stories ↗

Watercolour adaptation of a real photograph of Te Rua Manga, The Needle, preserving its craggy summit and forest setting

Rarotonga Cross Island Walk: Route, Guides & Wildlife

Walk across Rarotonga’s lush interior to The Needle and Papua Waterfall, with route advice, Maunga Tours

Read story ↗
AI watercolour illustration of seven Rarotonga native birds: kākerōri, Rarotonga starling, kūkupa, rupe, reef heron, white tern and white-tailed tropicbird, with Rarotonga behind.

Cook Islands Birds: 7 Native Species to See on Rarotonga

Discover seven native birds of Rarotonga, from the rare kākerōri to coastal white terns. Compare where

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a sea turtle swimming above a turquoise reef with an island in the distance

Turtle Tours in Rarotonga: What to Ask Before You Book

Turtle Tours in Rarotonga: What to Ask Before You Book A turtle encounter can be a

Read story ↗

Travel Tips

View all travel tips stories ↗

Watercolour illustration of cash, a bank card, phone payment and a drinking coconut at an island market, with Rarotonga’s green mountains and turquoise lagoon behind.

Do You Need Cash in Rarotonga? Cards, ATMs & Bank Locations

Do you need cash in Rarotonga? Find practical market advice, BCI TakuPOS details, ATM and bank

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of duty-free shopping bags and spirit bottles with Rarotonga’s mountains and turquoise lagoon behind

Rarotonga Duty Free: Prices, SAVA Pre-orders & Tavake Spirits

Plan Rarotonga duty-free shopping with dated NZ price comparisons, SAVA pre-order information, Tavake local spirits and

Read story ↗
Watercolour illustration of a passing rain shower over an island lagoon viewed from a sheltered veranda

Rain in Rarotonga: How to Plan a Flexible Island Holiday

Rain in Rarotonga: How to Plan a Flexible Island Holiday Rain symbols before an island holiday

Read story ↗

Family Travel

View all family travel stories ↗

Taking a car seat and Pram on plane to the Cook Islands

Travelling with young children can be both exciting and daunting, especially when it comes to navigating

Read story ↗

Where can i hire baby prams,cots and car seats in the Cook Islands?

In the Cook Islands, you can hire baby prams and cots from the following services: Both

Read story ↗

Local Life & Culture

View all local life & culture stories ↗

Planning a Romantic Gesture: Ordering Flowers Online in the Cook Islands for Your Upcoming Trip

The Cook Islands, with their pristine beaches, turquoise lagoons, and vibrant Polynesian culture, are a dream

Read story ↗

Ant Vavia – The Humblest Man in the Cook Islands

Antony “Ant” Vavia, widely regarded as the humblest man in the Cook Islands, embodies a life

Read story ↗

A LITTLE HELP BEFORE YOU GO

Your questions.
Answered.

Start with the FAQs and spend more of your time looking forward to the islands.

Explore the FAQs ↗