I spent 48 hours in Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, and found paradise
A two-day adventure in an idyllic corner of the Cook Islands leaves this traveller entranced with its beauty and lifestyle.
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In less than six hours, you can fly direct from Sydney to the Cook Islands, a South Pacific holiday spot with all that you’d hope for in unspoiled tropical paradise: palms and hibiscus, stunning blue lagoons and white, white sand.
Aitutaki, home of the world’s most beautiful lagoon, is another 50-minute flight north from the main island, Rarotonga. Many holiday-makers take daytrips, but I’ve opted for two days and nights with my daughter during the school holidays.
My expectations are stratospheric. Will it be as out-of-this-world as social media has me believe?
DAY 1: Morning
After descending over the vibrant turquoise waters of Aitutaki’s lagoon, we touch down at the roof-only “island-thentic” airport and are greeted with fragrant flower garlands called “eis”. Tamanu Beach Resort, touted as “casual luxury”, is only minutes away and we’re soon checked in to our beachfront bungalow. The spacious accommodation features a front deck with a palm-fringed view of the lagoon, a living area, king-size bedroom, ensuite bathroom and outdoor shower. Dark timber and thatched roofing with tropical garden surrounds, including a hammock swaying from a palm tree, complete the island charm.
Afternoon
The crystal-clear water just steps from the bungalow beckons for snorkelling. As soon as we set foot on the sand, some young swimmers call out, “Starfish, starfish – over here.”
We packed our masks and snorkels hoping for this very experience – two bright-blue starfish clinging to a coral bombie in knee-deep water. As we explore further, weaving our way over docile sea cucumbers, we spy more striking sea creatures and rainbow-hued fish darting through the water.
Not yet had enough of the seafaring, I launch a kayak (free for guests to use) into the water and paddle around paradise. It’s so relaxing and we meander for a good hour.
Evening
The resort has an adults-only area and a family-friendly zone, but all guests are welcome at Tava’e restaurant where the menu features local ingredients showcasing the island’s culinary heritage. We dine on fresh seafood, taro in coconut milk, pawpaw salad and coconut ice-cream with caramelised bananas as the sun paints the sky pink, purple and orange. After we leave, my daughter takes a swing in the hammock while waves lap the shore in the background. The night arrives early and we head to bed.
DAY 2: Morning
After a basic breakfast at the resort, we pack a day bag with essentials for an excursion with The Vaka Cruise. The Polynesian-inspired boat, Vaka Teariki Moana, departs at 10am when the conch shell blows, for a six-hour journey throughout the lagoon.
From the moment we step on board, the entertainment begins with tour guide Paul’s witty commentary and a four-piece band playing the tunes. The boat has plenty of tables, a licensed bar, accessible toilets with showers, and a deck with sunlounges. The cruise also includes a full barbecue lunch, and towels and snorkel gear to use.
Our first stop is a snorkel in the lagoon’s shimmering aqua waters before a wander along creamy sands of the first “motu” (islet) we visit. Fifteen are sprinkled across the lagoon. The swim and sun fuel our appetite and soon enough, the conch shell signals the buffet lunch. Fresh and flavourful, it includes seafood, chicken, salads and fruits as well as vegetarian options.
Paul engages us with geographical and cultural insights throughout the day and there are bursts of impromptu singing and dancing in between stops. I’ve never enjoyed a boat tour (or the food on board) more.
Afternoon
After lunch we head to Motu Rakau, where Paul guides us through lush vegetation to spot the local love birds. The white terns are known for their monogamous nature and fly and perch together in hibiscus trees.
On our way to One Foot Island (Motu Tapuaetai), we stop for a snorkel where giant trevally and huge clams can be sighted. Snorkelling in this spot is surreal – the vibrant coral gardens and colourful fish are mesmerising, but it’s a clam the size of a small car that overawes me. But while I am captivated, my eight-year-old remains on the boat as she’s not too keen on the large, but friendly, trevally I come face-to-face with.
The last stop in the Aitutaki atoll is One Foot Island. Although it’s just 570m long and 210m wide, it features a single cabin for rent and a post office where guests delight in having their passport stamped. It’s here under a canopy of palm trees that Paul educates us on the life of a coconut and the purposes this tree fruit continues to serve the locals – from weaving plates with the coconut palm leaf to making bowls from the shell and drinking the milk.
Evening
We jump in our small, pink rental car and head to the family-owned Avatea café. The outdoor café is lit up with twinkling lights and is busy and atmospheric for a Tuesday evening. The menu is a combination of fresh local dishes and Western favourites with a colourful assortment of juices and cocktails as well as house-brewed beer. I order the ika mata (a Cook Islands national dish), fish tacos and a Daiquiri to cement the holiday vibe. My daughter sticks with the standard chicken and chips.
The ika mata – raw fish and vegetables marinated in lemon and coconut milk – is incredibly fresh and tasty, and the fish tacos are overflowing with flavour. I take a few snaps of the creatively presented and reasonably priced dishes.
DAY 3: Morning
At 9am we are picked up in an open-air safari truck for the Aitutaki Cultural Tour. We motor through lush greenery past homes with headstones in the front yard, which I learn is usual practice here, as it’s customary to bury loved ones on family land.
Soon we arrive at a cultural village where we get hands-on with the ways of traditional island life by preparing an umu – an in-ground oven built with palm leaves. My daughter makes her own damper using just flour and coconut water fresh from the tree.
The chicken, damper and bananas cook in the underground oven while our host enthrals us with stories of his ancestors’ ways of life. We feast on the plates we wove earlier from palm fronds. Damper is dipped in coconut milk and chicken is eaten with our hands down to the bone. It’s delicious.
Afternoon
With full bellies, we head to the airport for a short flight back to Rarotonga. It’s been an unforgettable 48-hour escape filled with adventure, relaxation, and cultural immersion. Paradise found.
The writer was a guest of Jetstar and Cook Islands Tourism.
How to get to Aitutaki
Low-cost carrier Jetstar flies direct from Sydney to Rarotonga with return fares from $329 until July 11. Air Rarotonga connects flyers to Aitutaki several times per day.
Where to stay on Aitutaki
Tamanu Beach is a beachfront casual luxury resort with a restaurant, pool and spa.
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