Run To Paradise Plot your escape to the unspoilt Cook Islands.
Unspoilt and utterly peaceful, the Cook Islands are the ideal place to escape the everyday, writes
The pace can be relentless when you’re walking the work/life tightrope. Rushing from pillar to post, juggling full-time jobs with family time, housework with homework... At some point, something has to give. Without the time for a full-on adventure but determined to properly get away from it all, my partner Aaron and I found the escape we needed within easy reach: the Cook Islands.
Flying into Rarotonga, the largest of the 15 islands in the archipelago, I audibly exhale. The lush green jungle and turquoise waters below are definitely a balm for the drudgery blues.
We’re staying at Pacific Resort Rarotonga at Muri Beach. Muri is widely regarded as the best beach on the island and it’s easy to see why: white sand and crystal clear, perfectly calm water. We couldn’t have asked for a better place to base ourselves for the next few days.
After settling in, we go for a wander to get our bearings. Apart from a few access roads (long driveways really), the 32km circuit around the perimeter of the island is its sole thoroughfare. We opt to hire a car and head clockwise for the grand tour. The scenery is stunning. On our left, coconut palms fringe the coastline, giving way to the azure lagoon and waves breaking on the reef beyond. On our right, jungle-covered mountains rise to meet the impossibly blue sky. It’s picture-postcard tropical paradise.
After a refreshing night’s sleep, we ease into island time with a leisurely morning at the Punanga Nui market. Our holidays are usually of the more active variety so it’s time to up the intensity (slightly). Exploring the island by motorised buggy is just the ticket. The group pootles in convoy towards an abandoned resort–a local landmark with a fascinating history – where we enjoy a bit of off-roading before visiting a nearby waterfall. It’s a fun, albeit muddy, way to spend the afternoon.
Koka Lagoon Cruises offers tours of Muri Lagoon in glass-bottomed boats. Sounds like a pleasant day out to us. As we sail to Koromiri motu (islet), we catch sight of giant clams and corals, fluorescent angelfish and devilfish, eels and more. We arrive in time for lunch, after which we are treated to a show by the hilarious Captain Awesome, the coconutpalm climbing champion of the South Pacific. Famed for its crystal-clear, always-calm waters and abundant marine life, Aitutaki Lagoon is spectacular for snorkelling.
The lush green jungle and turquoise waters are a balm for the drudgery blues.
Next morning starts early – we have an activity-packed day ahead. First up is a bike ride with Storytellers Eco Cycle Tours. Led by our guides, Nat a via and Uncle Jimmy, we cycle along back roads and pathways into the hills around Arorangi, on the western side of the island. Along the way, Natavia and Jimmy share their knowledge and answer our myriad questions. We learn that many Islanders grow their own produce, and about the widely used traditional methods of doing so; that wild basil is a good natural insect repellent; and noni fruit is a super food that tastes… interesting. A secluded waterhole fed by a waterfall is the ideal place to cool off before making our way to the finishing point, Titikaveka.
A power nap is in order before our next activity, a traditional feast and cultural show at Highland Paradise. The MC, Uncle Daniel, is a captivating storyteller and the crowd hangs on every word as he recounts the history of the Cooks. The accompanying musicians and dancers are spellbinding: it’s an evening we won’t forget in a hurry.
Aitutaki beckons, so Aaron and I bid a fond farewell to Raro and, 45 minutes later, arrive in the archipelago’s second most-visited island. Raro is beautiful and super laidback, but Aitutaki is on another level – so chilled it’s like time is standing still.
Our accommodation, Pacific Resort Aitutaki, is incredible. Each of the resort’s 27 luxe villas has an uninterrupted lagoon view, a deck from which to enjoy it, and a beachside ‘yard’ complete with hammock and sunloungers. We leap at the chance to take the complimentary kayaks for a spin, marvelling at the abundance and variety of marine life. Afterwards, it’s a swim in the beautifully landscaped infinity pool, followed by cocktails as the sun goes down. I could get used to this…
The sight of a humpback whale breaching right outside our villa is an auspicious beginning to our last full day in paradise. On the agenda is a six-hour cruise around Aitutaki Lagoon on a Polynesian-style catamaran with The Vaka Cruise. We sail between uninhabited motus, stopping off to explore, swim or snorkel (the dolphin-sized and very friendly giant trevally have to be seen to be believed!). At our final stop, One Foot Island, Aaron and I plant a nu to( young coconut palm) and make a pact to revisit the Cooks and check on its progress in the years to come.
Real life is calling so, reluctantly, we pack our bags and head to the airport for our flight home. We’ve been away for a week but feel completely rejuvenated, so relaxed it feels like we’ve been away for a month. That said, we’ve really only scratched the surface of the Cook Islands’ charms. Might have to schedule that return trip sooner rather than later.