Cook Islands travel guide

Getting there

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.

Best time to visit: May–Oct – dry, sunny and less humid.

Flights: see the cheapest month to fly from your nearest airport.

Tougher months: January–March: the hottest, most humid months with heavy downpours and the highest cyclone risk.

Weather by month in Avarua (Rarotonga)

• 29°J●●●
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• 28°A●●
• 26°M●
• 25°J●
• 24°J●
• 24°A●
• 25°S●
• 26°O●
• 27°N●●
• 28°D●●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Pacific/Rarotonga. Compare with your local time.

Background: Visa policy of the Cook Islands (Wikipedia).

Stay

Most trips to Cook Islands are based around Avarua, Muri Beach or Te Rua Manga (The Needle). Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$70–100 for a backpacker and US$160–280 mid-range, per person.

Connect

Plug types: I. Voltage: 240 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +682.

Mobile data: set up a travel eSIM or check your roaming plan before you fly, so data works as soon as you land.

Do

• Avarua (Rarotonga · main town): The small, friendly capital with its harbour, market, cafés and historic mission buildings.
• Muri Beach (Rarotonga · lagoon): The island's most popular stretch, with shallow turquoise water and small motu islands to swim or paddle to.
• Te Rua Manga (The Needle) (Rarotonga · hiking): A dramatic volcanic spire at the heart of the island's best-known jungle trail.
• Aitutaki (Southern group · lagoon): A triangle-shaped lagoon of extraordinary colours, ringed by uninhabited islets and white sandbars.
• One Foot Island (Tapuaetai) (Aitutaki · sandbar): A postcard-perfect motu where you can wade across sandbanks in impossibly clear water.
• Atiu (Southern group · caves & birds): A raised coral island with forests, caves, coffee growing and a strong traditional culture.
• Mangaia (Southern group · geology): One of the Pacific's oldest islands, ringed by fossilised coral cliffs and quiet taro valleys.
• Mauke (Southern group · off the beaten path): A tiny, gentle island of swimming caves, a unique divided church and almost no tourists.

Things to do

• Snorkel Muri Lagoon. Float over coral heads and giant clams in the calm, glassy lagoon on Rarotonga's southeast coast.
• Hike the Cross-Island Track. Climb through jungle to the base of Te Rua Manga, the Needle, for sweeping views of Rarotonga's peaks and reef.
• Cruise Aitutaki's lagoon. Sail across one of the Pacific's most beautiful lagoons to the dazzling sandbars of One Foot Island.
• Shop the Punanga Nui Market. Join locals on Saturday morning in Avarua for island food, crafts, black pearls and live music.
• Hear a Sunday church choir. Attend a service at a historic coral-lime church to hear soaring Cook Islands Māori hymn singing.
• Watch an island night. Feast on local dishes and watch thrilling drum dancing at a traditional island night show.
• Explore Atiu's caves. Crawl through limestone caves where kopeka swiftlets echolocate in the dark.
• Ride the round-island bus. Circle Rarotonga on the clockwise and anticlockwise buses, hopping off at whichever beach looks best.

Eat and drink

• Ika mata – raw fish in lime and coconut cream
• Rukau – taro leaves cooked in coconut cream
• Umu – food cooked in an earth oven
• Poke – banana and arrowroot pudding

Money and safety

Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Not expected.

Emergency numbers: 999 police · 998 ambulance · 996 fire.

• The New Zealand dollar is used, along with local Cook Islands coins and notes that make popular souvenirs.
• ATMs and card payments are common on Rarotonga and available on Aitutaki, but carry cash for the outer islands.
• Crime is low, but don't leave valuables unattended on beaches or in unlocked rooms.
• Swim inside the lagoon and stay away from reef passages, where currents can be dangerous.