Information about Cook Islands
If you dream of the South Seas and get to experience some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and lagoons, the Cook Islands are for you. Rarotonga and Aitutaki are some of the South Sea’s most delicious islands where you can swim, sunbathe, snorkel among corals and live Robinson life.
On this page you will find practical information and facts about the Cook Islands.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT TRAVELING IN THE COOK ISLANDS
Climate and best travel time
The best time to visit the Cook Islands is between May and October. This time of year is characterized by less rain and milder temperatures.
Our recommendations for the best time to travel are based on the weather in previous years. However, the weather in the Cook Islands can be very changeable and our recommendations should only be seen as an indication of how the weather is usually. Visit thenailmythology.com for Cook Islands as a travel destination.
Money
One uses New Zealand dollars even though there are local coins in unusual and beautiful shapes.
There are ATMs in cities and larger villages where you can also most often use credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard. If you are going to the smaller islands, it is good to plan your purchases and bring enough cash as there are not always ATMs.
Visa
To travel to the Cook Islands, you must have a ticket out of the country, the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. You receive a 31-day tourist visa on arrival free of charge.
NOTE! Visa rules can be changed at short notice so we recommend that you check the rules with the country’s embassy well in advance of departure as the above information may change.
Transport
Travel between the country’s larger islands is made by air. You can explore some of the islands by car, bicycle or on foot. On Rarotonga there is a local bus – one clockwise and one counterclockwise – and it is both cheap and easy to move between villages and beaches.
Tip
The same adapter is used for electrical outlets as in New Zealand and Australia.
Tips
In most countries of the world, tips are part of the salary of employees in the service industry. It is therefore customary to give drinks to e.g. cleaning shoes, waiters, guides and drivers a bit depending on which country you are in. Feel free to read Lonely Planet’s guide books to get an idea of what sums are suitable in the particular country you are traveling in.
FACTS
CAPITAL: AVARUA
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH AND COOK ISLAND MĀORI
CLIMATE: TROPICAL
CURRENCY: NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR
RELIGION: CHRISTIANITY
INFORMATION COOK ISLANDS
The Cook Islands are a small archipelago in the Pacific Ocean consisting of 15 islands of which 12 are inhabited. The main island is Rarotonga where the capital Avarua is also located. Every Saturday there is a market here where you can both shop and taste local specialties such as Ika – coconut marinated fish, smoothies and fruit. About 15,000 people live on the Cook Islands, of which 11,000 live on the main island of Rarotonga. At Rarotonga you can cycle, hike, dive, snorkel and enjoy the beautiful white beaches. You can also fly over to some of the other beaches. We recommend a trip to Aitutaki where you can stay at home with a family, make excursions and explore caves and make a lagoon cruise for a full day in the world’s most beautiful lagoon. Some of the other inhabited islands you can visit are Mauke, Mitiaro, Manihiki and Mangaia.
