Travel Agent Runaway Bay

Cook Islands

My second visit to the Cook Islands was with a group of other travel agents on a “famil” [familiarisation trip] to inspect different hotels and see what the islands had to offer for visitors. The first time I had visited Raratonga was on my return from USA to Australia back in 1993. It is a great stopover point for this route especially if you have had a hectic time in USA and coming back to work. Apart from more beachside resorts most hadn’t changed that much in this laid back paradise.

Coming from Australia you have to go via New Zealand so it adds up to seven hours of flying plus your transit time. For this reason it’s more popular with New Zealanders and Fijians. Once there however you could calm down and begin the island pace.

The main Island of Rarotonga is very mountainous with the narrow coastal strip skirting right around the island supporting the agricultural terraces, the road and the resorts and villages. There is a lookout point where we took a 4WD drive up to and it was a very steep track but a fantastic view from the top. A refreshing waterfall is used to cool off on the return. You can drive around the whole island in an hour or so but can take much longer when you stop to see the sights.

Diving and the beaches are the main attractions and almost every resort has a wedding package where you can get married on the beach in a traditional ceremony. The licenses are even valid in Australia!! On Saturdays the markets come alive in the main town Avarua. Here you can buy colourful sarongs or the fabulous black pearl which are cultivated in the northern islands.

We went to a church service just to experience the locals voices as they heartily join in the hymn singing – most heavenly!! And the Friday nightclub “crawl” was an activity that was very popular by many but had us exhausted by the end of the night. On other nights we saw cultural shows in the hotels where traditional songs and dance combined with a local feast. Always good fun until you have to get up and join in.

We were fortunate enough to go to Aitutaki, an outer island atoll, for several days. This is the most well known outer island and the pace slowed even further than that of Rarotonga. It consists of several volcanic islands and a dozen coral islets and coming in on the comfortable SAAB aircraft the view was breath taking. Super white dazzling beaches and the most glorious colour of azure blue water.

We did a great Five Island tour with a very competent host. It was excellent as we got to see a marine research station, go snorkelling at clam and pearl farms, go swimming in the warm waters and had lunch at stunning Maina Island. A fresh feast of BBQ fish and salads were served to us at tables and chairs placed in the shallows of the waters edge. With a glass of champagne what a perfect way to enjoy a meal in this tropical climate.

Back at the stunning hotel a cocktail of Baileys and Kahlua watching the sun set finished off a perfect day.

Like the voices in the church – heavenly!