The Cook Islands have big plans to make the destination a hot spot in 2015, with additional accommodation, products, activities and a new Aussie website.
Tipped as one of this year’s ‘hottest picks’ on the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Traveller 2015 Hot List and with Rarotonga voted as one of the 10 great getaways for 2015 in TimeOut Sydney, The Cooks are a must-add destination to add to your travel agenda this year.
To top this off, Fairfax’s Sunday Life voted Aitutaki’s One Foot Island, a mere dot in the South Pacific located 220 nautical miles north of Rarotonga with its vast triangular lagoon and clear turquoise waters, as the number 1 beach on the planet. Very recently, The UK Telegraph’s Nigel Tisdall qualified Aitutaki as “the most beautiful lagoon in the world”.
Air New Zealand’s recent Safety in Paradise video, part of the airline’s innovative safety video series, featuring Sports Illustrated swim suit models and filmed in Aitutaki, made it to the top 10 list of most viewed YouTube ads in Australia for 2014.
Travel critics in the know agree: paradise can be found in the Cooks, made up of 15 islands, including the main island of Rarotonga, measuring only 32km in circumference.
To attract new visitors, the destination has some new things up its sleeves.
This is what you can expect to see Cooking up in the Cooks in 2015.
Accommodation
The Nautilus Resort now open. It is the first new upscale property in Rarotonga in years opened its doors in October 2014.
Nautilus Resort features 18 premium villas, a massive infinity pool, Polynesian spa and beachfront restaurant in a prime location on beautiful Muri Lagoon.
Each luxuriously appointed Are (villa) has its own saltwater plunge pool, outdoor shower and private patio, and lavish bathrooms with freestanding stone baths. Single, two and three bedroom Ares are available from NZ$650 a night.
There’s also the Crystal Blue Lagoon Villas, which reopened after undergoing upgrades to its luxury villas. With sweeping lagoon and ocean views, this gated duplex sanctuary consists of four spacious two-storey, two-bedroom apartments built around an impressively large infinity pool that flows endlessly towards the tranquil clear waters of Muri Lagoon.
The villas are enviably located right on Muri Beach, next door to Koka Lagoon Cruises, where Vara’s Backpackers used to be.
And there’s the Ocean Spray Villas – two recently built three bedroom holiday homes located absolute oceanfront on the outskirts of Avarua town.
Elevated to offer exceptional ocean views, these stylishly designed villas have all the trimmings, from heated towel rails to day beds and outdoor showers, plus 50 inch TV, Media Player, BBQ and sunloungers.
Open plan, they are the perfect for family or friends and excellent value for money, from $295 per night for 1-2 persons, $345 for 3-4 persons, $395 for 5-6 persons.
Activities
New operator Rongohiva Watersports is now offering speedboat tours of the deep blue Pacific aboard its 8.5m rigid inflatable Eturere, which means shooting star in Cook Islands Maori. The one hour rides (NZ$75) offer breathtaking views of Rarotonga’s mountains and they offer whale watching during the season (May to November $55). Rongohiva also offers the thrills and spills of a Banana Boat Ride $45!
The Storytellers experience offers a variety of mountain bike riding tours to suit most levels of riding fitness and experience. Local Cook Island staff are passionate and knowledgeable about the local culture, history and environment and enjoy sharing a love of their heritage with visitors. Explore pathways running between the coast, the Ancient Coral Road and hidden valleys over a half day, including lunch and a swim. The pace is leisurely on the Discover and Explore options, more technical on the Excite tour for fit and experienced bike riders. Tours are priced from NZ$69-109.
Joining an expanding list of boutique producers of beer and coffee on Rarotonga, is Koteka’s Winery. You’ll find Koteka and his rustic tasting room inland from Muri Beach – look for the blackboard sign advertising banana wine on the main road. He makes banana and coconut vodkas too! No website but check out the glowing reviews on TripAdvisor.
Take your workout to paradise with Wodventures CrossFit Retreat. Spend isx-nights at the Pacific Resort Rarotonga where you will have daily workouts at Tumuora CrossFit and access to kayaks, snorkelling gear, SUP, SUP yoga, beach yoga and more.
New Australian website
Check out the trade section at www.sale.cookislands.travel/trade for trade only deals and source all the destination info you need. For help from an expert there’s a live chat function and plenty of expert tips in the blog.
Make sure you also join the KukiRooz page to keep updated on all the latest special offers, famil pics and news from Cook Islands Tourism.