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Cook Islands✨ 10 best things to do in Cook Islands

Things to do in Cook Islands

1. Snorkel Muri LagoonFloat over coral heads and giant clams in the calm, glassy lagoon on Rarotonga's southeast coast.
2. Hike the Cross-Island TrackClimb through jungle to the base of Te Rua Manga, the Needle, for sweeping views of Rarotonga's peaks and reef.
3. Cruise Aitutaki's lagoonSail across one of the Pacific's most beautiful lagoons to the dazzling sandbars of One Foot Island.
4. Shop the Punanga Nui MarketJoin locals on Saturday morning in Avarua for island food, crafts, black pearls and live music.
5. Hear a Sunday church choirAttend a service at a historic coral-lime church to hear soaring Cook Islands Māori hymn singing.
6. Watch an island nightFeast on local dishes and watch thrilling drum dancing at a traditional island night show.
7. Explore Atiu's cavesCrawl through limestone caves where kopeka swiftlets echolocate in the dark.
8. Ride the round-island busCircle Rarotonga on the clockwise and anticlockwise buses, hopping off at whichever beach looks best.
9. Paddle an outrigger canoeTake a vaka or kayak out across the lagoon at sunset for a classic Polynesian experience.
10. Spot whalesWatch humpback whales breaching beyond the reef during their winter migration from roughly July to October.

Cook Islands🗺️ Where to visit in Cook Islands

Where to go in Cook Islands

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  AvaruaRarotonga · main townThe small, friendly capital with its harbour, market, cafés and historic mission buildings.
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  Muri BeachRarotonga · lagoonThe island's most popular stretch, with shallow turquoise water and small motu islands to swim or paddle to.
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  Te Rua Manga (The Needle)Rarotonga · hikingA dramatic volcanic spire at the heart of the island's best-known jungle trail.
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  AitutakiSouthern group · lagoonA triangle-shaped lagoon of extraordinary colours, ringed by uninhabited islets and white sandbars.
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  One Foot Island (Tapuaetai)Aitutaki · sandbarA postcard-perfect motu where you can wade across sandbanks in impossibly clear water.
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  AtiuSouthern group · caves & birdsA raised coral island with forests, caves, coffee growing and a strong traditional culture.
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  MangaiaSouthern group · geologyOne of the Pacific's oldest islands, ringed by fossilised coral cliffs and quiet taro valleys.
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  MaukeSouthern group · off the beaten pathA tiny, gentle island of swimming caves, a unique divided church and almost no tourists.

Cook Islands🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Cook Islands

Best time to visit Cook Islands

The Cook Islands are warm year-round, with a cooler dry season from May to October and a hot, wet season from November to April. The northern atolls lie closer to the equator and are hotter than the southern group.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Avarua (Rarotonga) (approximate averages).

Cook Islands🎉 Festivals & events in Cook Islands

• Late July–early August
  Te Maeva NuiThe biggest celebration of the year, marking self-government with dance and drumming competitions, parades and feasts.
• November
  Vaka EivaA week-long outrigger canoe festival with races around Rarotonga's lagoon and coast.
• October
  Gospel DayIslands commemorate the arrival of Christianity with re-enactments, singing and church events.

Cook Islands🧭 Cook Islands itinerary ideas

How many days in Cook Islands?

Cook Islands🎒 Backpacking Cook Islands – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $70–100 a day

• Rarotonga has a handful of backpacker hostels and budget lodges – book ahead in the dry season as beds are limited.
• Use the round-island bus instead of taxis; it runs in both directions and is the cheapest way to get around.
• Snorkelling from the shore is free – bring your own mask and fins to skip rental costs.
• Eat at the market and local takeaways for ika mata (raw fish in coconut milk) and other affordable island food.
• Groceries are imported and pricey, so stock up in Avarua's supermarkets and cook in hostel kitchens.

Cook Islands🛡️ Safety & money in Cook Islands

Emergency: 999 police · 998 ambulance · 996 fire

Cook Islands🛬 Getting to Cook Islands

Rarotonga International Airport is the only international gateway, with flights mainly from Auckland and some connections from Australia and Tahiti. Domestic flights link Rarotonga to Aitutaki and the other outer islands.

✈️ Cheap flights to Cook Islands: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Cook Islands💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Cook Islands

• Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens, and more of them live in New Zealand than in the Cook Islands themselves.
• A local custom holds that no building on Rarotonga should be taller than a coconut palm.
• The Marae Moana marine park covers the country's entire ocean area, making it one of the largest protected marine areas in the world.
• Some of the country's coins have been triangular, prized by collectors and visitors alike.
• You can drive right around Rarotonga on the coastal road in under an hour.

Cook Islands❓ Cook Islands travel FAQ

Cook Islands travel questions