r/CookIslands • u/Flimsy_Position_4576 • Aug 01 '26
Cook Islands Trip Report
We went to the Cook Islands this February and I’m just now getting around to writing up our experience. We booked this trip fairly last minute, so our itinerary wasn't perfect (would have loved one or two more in Rarotonga at a higher-end resort, but overall it was one of the most beautiful, remote, and relaxing trips we've done. Will definitely return. Only caveat - we went in summer/February, and I would not do that again, because I don’t love the extreme heat.
We spent 6 nights at Aitutaki Lagoon Resort, 5 nights at Pacific Resort Aitutaki, 3 nights at The Sanctuary Rarotonga.
Aitutaki vs. Rarotonga
I'd been to the Cook Islands once before back in 1998, and spent most of that trip in Rarotonga with just a few days in Aitutaki. I remember being bummed we didn't spend more time in Aitutaki — and this trip confirmed it's still my favorite of the two. Rarotonga is nice, and most visitors never make it beyond it, but if you're looking for that "alone on a deserted island in paradise" feeling, Aitutaki is where you find it.
Aitutaki Lagoon Resort
This place is magical. We stayed in an overwater bungalow (room 8505) — highly recommend the overwater bungalows. Next time we'd request 8507 instead, since it's the last one on the row and you can see both sunrise and sunset right from your deck.
Included with the room: a kayak, a paddle board, two floaties, and two bicycles. There's also snorkel gear, life jackets, and games available to borrow. The room itself felt like island-style luxury — great bed and linens, lots of nice touches.
The food was good, though the menu got a little repetitive after 5 nights. Breakfast buffet was excellent. Staff were consistently warm and helpful.
The real magic of this resort is the location — it's on its own tiny island, surrounded by other uninhabited islands you can kayak out to. It genuinely feels like being lost in the middle of nowhere, in the best possible way. If total beauty and serenity is what you're after, this delivers it in full. We'd go back in a heartbeat.
A few notes for anyone booking here:
The water directly around this resort is noticeably warm (like 90°F+) — lovely for floating, less refreshing for a real swim
There were more flies here than at Pacific Resort — it's a bit wilder and closer to nature, which is part of the charm but worth knowing
Café Koru, just down the road, is great for a lunch visit. Their hours are not standard, so check them.
We rented bikes and rode the whole island one very hot afternoon — recommend doing this earlier or later in the day. It's a great way to see how locals actually live here (foreigners can't own land in the Cook Islands, so it feels refreshingly untouched compared to a lot of other tropical destinations)
Pacific Resort Aitutaki
We had to switch resorts because Aitutaki Lagoon didn't have availability for our full date range, and honestly we were sad to leave — but Pacific Resort turned out to be wonderful in its own right - noticeably more upscale. The finishes, furnishings, and common areas are all a step up in polish.
We stayed in room 200 — not directly on the beach, but up on a hill with a gorgeous veranda overlooking the lagoon and private stairs down to the beach. It was also the biggest room on the property, so despite not being beachfront, we'd happily book it (or room 100) again.
The food here was some of the best we've had, period — and we live in San Francisco, so that's saying something. No contest against the food at Aitutaki Lagoon. The bed might be the most comfortable we've ever slept in (the kind where your partner can jump onto the other side and you don't feel a thing). Decks were private with gorgeous sunset views.
A few notes:
No paddle boards here, only kayaks — a bummer if you're a paddle boarder like me
Bikes are available but limited, and sometimes all checked out
The lagoon here is beautiful with good snorkeling, though it doesn't have the little escape-islands that Aitutaki Lagoon has nearby
It's much more manicured and landscaped than Aitutaki Lagoon — gorgeous, just a different vibe
Free bug spray is available around the property, which we appreciated (Aitutaki Lagoon didn't have this)
Water here felt cooler and more refreshing than at Aitutaki Lagoon
It's more centrally located — about 20 minutes closer to restaurants and the main dock than Aitutaki Lagoon
Aitutaki Lagoon vs. Pacific Resort, in short: both are five-star, but Aitutaki Lagoon is more rustic/down-to-earth, Pacific Resort is more polished/manicured. We'd happily stay at both again for the different experiences they offer.
If you’re a scuba diver, there’s only one dive shop on Aitutaki and the owners apparently are on vacation much of the time. So don’t count on diving.
Day Trips
We booked a private boat for fishing plus stops at Honeymoon Island and One Foot Island. Honeymoon Island in particular blew us away — we loved it so much we booked a water taxi back a few days later just to spend a few more hours there. Total desert-island-in-paradise energy. Water taxis run roughly 140–200 NZD round-trip depending on where you're going.
Rarotonga / Sanctuary
We only had 3 nights here and, since we booked late, ended up somewhere more mid-range than we'd have liked. If we go back, we'd plan further ahead and book something nicer for a longer stay in Rarotonga.
Practical Tips
Bring reef shoes. There's a lot of walking in shallow water and coral that will absolutely cut up your feet without them.
Bring reef-safe sunscreen, plus a wide-brim hat and a long-sleeve UPF shirt — the sun here is intense.
Bring bug spray, especially if staying at Aitutaki Lagoon Resort.
Bring cash. You'll need local currency for taxis, water taxis, some smaller restaurants, and the fruit stands on the side of the road.
Cell service is unreliable. Verizon doesn't work at all. We bought a Vodafone eSIM and we couldn’t figure out how to make it work. So we only used Wi-Fi.
Drones aren't allowed — we saw one flying in Aitutaki Resort and staff (and the rest of the guests) were noticeably concerned trying to track down whoever was flying it. Don’t be that guy.
Best time to visit: we went in February and it was hot and intensely sunny, even when overcast. If you're heat-sensitive like I am, consider another season. Whale season runs July–October if you want a shot at seeing them.
2
u/FromAlpsToAlps Aug 03 '26
What did that trip cost you? Like the flights resorts and the activities?
1
1
u/ohmanwhathappened Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
I was curious about the drones. Seems like every YouTube video etc seems to use drones. Interesting to hear they aren't actually allowed.
YouTubers/Influencers being terrible. Who would've guessed lol
I'm wanting to do a fishing trip as well. Sounds like y'all did one on Aitutaki? Who'd you use, what'd ya catch, how was it?
1
u/Flimsy_Position_4576 Aug 04 '26
I don’t remember who we used. We didn’t catch much because we went out a bit late. One thing I would say is from Aitutaki Lagoon resort everything‘s a bit further, so to do early morning fishing one has to get up pretty early.
1
u/LahmeEnteInternet Aug 03 '26
Budget tip: When you just go for a couple of days, save money and rent a small bungalow. If you want you can cook your meal, otherwise you can still have dinner at a restaurant. Instead spend your money on trips: lagoon snorkeling, whale watching, kite lessons.
We spend 4 nights in Aitutaki, Bungalow in July was around 120€ per night, Lagoon Resort was about 1000€….so chose wisely!
1
1
1
u/Just-Narwhal7272 Sep 11 '26
Could you recommend a reef-safe sunscreen? Apparently it is an unregulated term in Australia so I’m wondering what ingredients to avoid and brands to look out for?
1
u/Flimsy_Position_4576 Sep 11 '26
Oh gosh, there are so many sunscreens in Australia. I didn’t realize those were unregulated terms. So I just went with what said it was “reef safe”
2
u/Hot_Cicada_9318 Aug 01 '26
Nice report. I'm heading back in Spetember for some more Cook Islands goodness. Was a little confused though with your comment around voda esim barely working. I've done a bunch of trips now and always get a local sim either physical or esim and never had any issues with connectivity.