Travel in Cook Islands – Hotels, Cook Islands Vacations, Lodging, Trips, Attractions and Travel Guide

Cook Islands: Island Hopping At Its Best

The Cook Islands are fifteen islands located in the South Pacific Ocean. The islands were formed from volcanic activity. The climate on the Cook islands is tropical to moderate. The islands were first inhabited in the 6th century by Polynesian people who originally came from Tahiti.

The island of Aitutaki is famous for its beautiful light blue lagoon. Visitors will not find many tourists here and can enjoy the beach without the crowd. Tapuaetai is a small sand islet on the south-east of the lagoon. The islet provides the most amazing view of the lagoon. Visitors can walk out quite a distance on the islet to get a better view when the tides is low. This is a photographers dream site to take pictures. Most of the hotels on the island can arrange a trip to Tapuaetai for its guests.

The Takitumu Conservation Area is located on the island of Rarotonga. The conservation are is a must for all bird watchers that visit the island. The island is home to the Rarotonga Flycatcher. This yellow sparrow type bird is native to the island. The species was saved from the brink of extinction and is considered the rarest land bird in the world. Other birds can be spotted here such as the Rarotonga starling, myna, karavia, and the fruit dove. The flowers here are also something to behold. Wild orchids and hibiscus grow all over the rain forest and enraptures the landscape with there frangrances. The Takitumu Conservation Area provides guided walking tours through the enchanted landscape on Tuesday and Thursday.

The scuba diving is wonderful in the Cook Islands. The waters of the islands are near perfect for scuba diving. The clear blue waters give great visibility when diving. There are many species of brightly colored fish and coral to discover. The islands also have many caves, tunnels, and ship wrecks to explore. With coral reefs surrounding all the islands, visitors will surely find a favorite dive spot on the Cook Islands.

Deep sea fishing on the islands is a favorite past time for many visitors. The fishing here is definitely world class. Some of the best fishing can be found right off the reefs. That means less time traveling and more time fishing for the visitor. Some of the game fish caught off the islands are marlin, yellow fin tuna, sailfish, and mahi mahi just to name a few. There are many sea fishing operations to choose from on the islands. Visitors are sure to find one to fit there needs.

The island of Suwarrow became a national park in 1978. The island is the only one of its kind of the Cook islands. Suwarrow is considered to be a true treasure island, that is because in the mid 19th century sailors are said to have found $15,000 in gold coins buried in the sand. The island is also a true treasure for bird watchers. The park is a breeding ground for many seabirds. This makes for great viewing opportunities on the island. Since Suwarrow is a protected habitat, visitors need to get permission from the park service before going to the island. The island is a worthwhile trip for bird watchers.

The Little Polynesian on the island of Rarotonga is luxury at its finest. The Polynesian style bungalows are surrounded by 2-1/2 acres of lush tropical gardens on white sand beaches. The Little Polynesian offers a true Polynesian experience. The Pacific Resort Aitutaki is located on the beautiful island of Aitutaki. The resort is located on the beach and offers four star accommodations. The Pacific Resort has two restaurants and is close to all the attractions on Aituaki.

With 15 islands to discover, visitors should take there time exploring each and everyone of them. Each island is unique in the Cook Islands. This makes the Cook Islands a great place to island hop and just relax. Every trip to these exquisite islands offers visitors something different every time.