Aitutaki Cook Islands – Natural Beauty Just a Hop Away

Aitutaki, Cook Islands, is one of the beautiful atolls in the middle of the Pacific. The first people likely to see and settle this atoll were Polynesians around 900 AD. The name is a derivative of a longer name that roughly translates to “leading of a group of people by Ru over the ocean.” Ru was one of the legendary explorers of the Polynesian islands. Polynesians still make up ninety percent of the population today. The native language is a version of Maori, but almost everyone speaks English. The Cook Island natives honor their past and keep their history and culture alive through dance, song, and telling of their legends. Today, the islands are under the jurisdiction of New Zealand and the people are citizens of that nation.

Aitutaki, Cook Islands, sits north of the larger populated island of Rarotonga. Almost all international flights come into Rarotonga. To get to Aitutaki, visitors hop on a commuter flight. Before leaving the main island, make sure to get cash or traveler’s checks in hand. There are no ATM’s or banks on Aitutaki. When you get to the island atoll, you will and on the main island of Tautu. The largest hotel on the island has forty rooms while the smallest has only one. Many are right on the ocean. Some come with meals included. Others do not. Some come with air conditioning. Some come with fans.

One of the most distinctive features of Aitutaki, Cook Islands, is the exquisite turquoise lagoon in the midst of the atoll. Around its edges, sit small-uninhabited islands and beaches thick with palm trees. This gives the idyllic picture of South Pacific islands. Its largest attraction however is the sense that it remains relatively untouched. Rarotonga receives many more visitors each year and shows this. Aitutaki, on the other hand, is only just at the start of the tourism build. That is the main economic driver. Accommodations range from budget up to luxury, and developers are building more.

This island recently gained fame since it was the location for Survivor: Cook Islands. Crews have also filmed Shipwrecked: Battle of the Islands and an episode of Survivorman on this island. The natural beauty of this atoll attracts more and more visitors each year. Many visit Tapuaetai, also known as One Foot Island. Located on the southeast of the atoll, visitors flock to this location to get the best view of the lagoon. At lower tides, it is possible to walk out into the lagoon quite a ways.