Trip to the Cook Islands, the black pearls of the Pacific
"Kia Orana" is the word with which the Cook Islanders welcome you upon your arrival in these remote islands. This word means "may you have a long and full life" and represents both a blessing and a wish for good luck.
This remote archipelago of 15 islands is located in the South Pacific, between Hawaii and New Zealand, and most of the population is concentrated in Rarotonga, an island characterized by emerald green mountains and enjoys a tropical climate throughout the year. To travel to the Cook Islands is to travel to one of the most sustainable and unspoiled paradises on the planet.
A sarong is all you need to enjoy the nature, scenery, and beaches of these idyllic islands that invite you to relax and discover them by sea and land through numerous activities and experiences.
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Touring the coast and visiting the neighboring islands aboard a catamaran, discovering the coral seabed, or watching the whales that, between August and September, migrate from Antarctica to mate and reproduce in the warm waters of these islands, are some of the marine activities that we can enjoy on this remote trip.
The green interior of the island can be explored by trekking, biking, quad biking, or 4x4 SUVs, through the mountain trails that cross the island from end to end. Visiting the local market on Saturday mornings is another activity that allows you to discover the rhythm and local life of this remote Pacific island.
Gastronomy is another of the strong points of these islands, characterized by the so-called "Nesian Fusion" cuisine, based on an extraordinary combination of Polynesian and European cuisine. One of the unmissable experiences of this trip is what is called a "Progressive Dinner", which consists of discovering the gastronomy in the houses of the locals and tasting a different typical dish in each house. The citizens of these islands are characterized by their friendliness, and hospitality, and the language, unlike Polynesia, is English.
- The seabed of the Cook Islands is a paradise for any scuba diving enthusiast —
- Spacious spaces and always facing the sea for an immersive experience in the life and nature of the island. Photos: Little Polynesian Resort —
- A trip to the Cook Islands offers multiple sea experiences such as kayaking, snorkeling and scuba diving. Photo: Pacific Resort —
- Fish, fruits such as coconut and banana and fresh vegetables characterize the gastronomy of the Cook Islands. Photo: Cook Island Tourism
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Since 1500 BC, the Polynesian islands were populated by Maori ancestors who disembarked in their Vakas, giant double-hulled canoes, guided by the stars.
The most famous Vaka today is the traditional Marumaru Atua (meaning "under God's protection"), which has become a symbol of the Cook Islands. Since 2012, it sails thanks to ancient star maps around the world, without instruments, representing the Cook Islanders and promoting tourism in this small paradise.
On your trip to the Cook Islands, you must dedicate a few days to discover Aitutaki. Legend has it that some sailor's Polynesian descendants of Ru, a famous warrior, arrived in Aitutaki around 900 AD. The vestiges of these legends can be seen in the "Marae", sacred sites with volcanic stone formations that were built by these early inhabitants of the island.
It was centuries later when Captain Bligh and his crew of the famous HMS Bounty were the first Europeans to reach Aitutaki in 1789, before the famous mutiny that would be immortalized in the film starring Marlon Brando.
We continue our tour of other islands, each with its own personality and charm. The island of Mauke, whose name means "there where my heart rests", is the perfect name for this garden island reminiscent of Eden. There, its inhabitants take such good care of their small gardens that the whole island is full of trees and flowers, which also grow wild and recreate a real green and colorful paradise.
On this garden-like island of only 300 inhabitants, surrounded by a reef, flowers are collected to create beautiful garlands of Maire that serve to ornament women and men.
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Atiu, an island more than 8 million years old, is known as Enuamanu which means "the land of birds". It grows some of the best organic coffee in the entire Pacific.
The coastal area of Atiu is formed by fossilized coral that, in some parts, reaches six meters high. On this island, a trek to visit the many caves and grottos that characterize it is recommended, while we observe numerous species of colorful birds and finish with an exclusive picnic on the white sand of the beach.
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The formation of the famous black pearls of the island of Manihiki occurs within the Pinctada Margaririfera or black-lipped oyster that creates the highly prized mother-of-pearl inside. For its collection, it is necessary to go down to high depths.
Travelers visiting this island can enjoy a seabed formed by thousands of clams in shades of blue, purple, and green known as "flowers of the sea", as well as taste gastronomic delights such as Karori (oysters cooked in coconut cream, crayfish, and pancakes made with marshmallow).
In 2017, the"Marae Moana" project was born in the Cook Islands, which is the largest marine reserve in the world with 1.9 million square kilometers where commercial fishing and mining are prohibited. This project aims to preserve the ocean for future generations by protecting the biodiversity of the different species that inhabit these seas and promoting the conservation of ancient coral reefs.
Sustainability is already a reality in this archipelago thanks to the "Fossil Free" project, whose goal was to bring 50% renewable energy to the islands by 2015 and 100% by 2020. Today, a total of 13 islands are already completely free of diesel generators and renewable solar energy is increasingly being used throughout the country.
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