Pacific Best kept secret .
The Cook Islands is a stunning collection of 15 islands in the heart of the South Pacific; it takes up an area roughly the size of India, but has a population no bigger than a tiny New Zealand country town.The Cook Islands lies in the Tropic of Capricorn, is bordered on the west by Tokelau, the Samoas and Nuie and to the east is Tahiti and the islands of French Polynesia.
The islands north to south, are Penhryn, Rakahanga, Manihiki, Pukapuka, Nassau, Suwarrow, Palmerston, Aitutaki, Manuae, Mitiaro, Takutea, Atiu, Mauke, Rarotonga and Mangaia. With a land area of just 240 square kilometres, the islands range have everything from low coral atolls to the mountainous majesty of Rarotonga, the largest island of the group and home to the capital of the Cook Islands, Avarua.
With just on 14 000 people populating these little islands, the Polynesian people have their own language and government, with the cultures and traditions of each island being diverse and different.
This is a holiday destination for those that want a “different†kind of holiday… there are no high rise hotels or designer shopping precincts, however each year over 100 000 visitors pass through the main island Rarotonga.
Today the Cook Islands can be an easy destination to travel to from anywhere in the southern hemisphere. With flights leaving from most Australian capital cities daily and flight times taking only 2 hours from Sydney or 3.5 hours from Auckland.
There are so many things to see and do from bike rides, fishing tours, snorkelling, 4WD Safari tours, whale watching, cave tours, lagoon explorations and even local cultural dancing and cooking classes.
The Cook Islands offers amazing weather all year round the best months to go are from November till May, as local fruit and flowers are in full bloom and plentiful, the days are longer and hot.
July to September is their winter but temperatures on differ a couple of degrees with the climate being warm and inviting most of the year round.
