Southern Cook Islands

Polynesia’s volcanic Cook Islands are a group of 15 South Pacific islands scattered across a massive area between Hawaii and New Zealand.

There are two groups of islands - Northern and Southern, as seen on a Cook Island map. Most people live in the Southern group of the Cook Islands, which includes the capital Rarotonga, Aitutaki (the celebrated location of Cook Island Survivor), Mangaia, and Atiu.

The Cook Islands attract travellers from around the world with its relatively untouched South Sea culture and extraordinary natural beauty.

Featuring only two seasons, Cook Island weather is set to ‘tropical’. Relaxed and friendly, the people of Cook Islands will help you relax, laugh and explore the diversity of their very different island communities. Scooters are a popular way to get around but other vehicles are available.

The food is fresh and delicious with an abundance of tropical fruits and seafood. Cook Islands accommodation indulges in the bounty of mountainous rainforests, white sandy beaches, and crystal clear waters. Little wonder this is the setting for so many honeymoons and weddings.

A Cook Island vacation avails many wonders. Famed black pearls, Aitutaki’s fish-filled lagoon, Mangaia’s deep limestone caves, the raised coral limestone reefs or ‘Makatea’ (seen best on the islands of Atiu and Mangaia) and exotic birds in Atiu’s Makatea Forest are just some of the natural highlights. Activity-wise, Rarotonga’s bustling island hub and popular yachting port, lively fishing action, world class scuba diving and snorkelling, rich arts and crafts, and the Cook Islands passion for song, dance, and music will keep even the most reluctant visitor entertained for days.