Manihiki – A Black Pearl in the South Pacific

Manihiki produces some of the world’s finest cultured black pearls. This atoll is part of the Northern Cook Islands. The atoll consists of a series of forty small islands surrounding a large lagoon. The beautiful water of the deep lagoon is home to many farms that produce the prized black pearls. The production of these pearls constitutes much of the local economy with most of the population involved somewhere in the industry. Tours are available showing the full cycle of pearl production. Visitors can see workers out in the farms beginning at dawn.

Polynesians likely first populated Manihiki around 1000 AD. The first European record was likely by Pedro Fernandes De Queiros around 1606. The captain of the US ship Good Hope was the next to record the island in 1822. Various European explorers tried to name the island various things, but the native name appears to have stuck. Local population levels have gradually diminished over the past century due to lack of opportunities on the island. Many go to Australia and New Zealand for better economic opportunities. The cost of goods locally continues to rise.

The major island on the Manihiki atoll is Tauhunu on the western side. It is home to the larger village of the same name. Tauhunu is famous for the people who carve pearls. The other major settlement is Tukao on the island of Ngake. That is on the northern tip of the atoll. The deep water of the lagoon makes it one of the most beautiful in the world. It sits up top of a large mountain that rises from the ocean floor thousands of feet below. Coral deposits, for the most part, make up the islets on the atoll rim.

To get to Manihiki, visitors need to catch a flight from Rarotonga. However, book your plans well in advance. The flight only happens once a week and can be booked ahead. The flight time is four hours. When visitors arrive at the island, they will find decent clean accommodations available. Food is expensive on the island so many advise visitors to bring their own provisions if possible. Take cash with you. ATM’s do not exist on the island and credit cards will get you nowhere. The trip is a long one. However, visitors often come back many times after their first visit. It is a tropical paradise off the beaten path well worth the effort to make.