The Cook Islands is a country of many hidden treasures, so I\u2019m sharing my absolute favourites to inspire you for your own tropical honeymoon adventure.<\/p>\n
Attend Church on Sunday<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s not often I recommend going to church on a holiday. But church in the Cook Islands is something special. The Ngatangiia Cook Islands Christian Church, open to the public on Sundays, welcomed us with open arms on our first Sunday in Rarotonga. We took our place at the back of the church and watched as the congregation began filling the pews. They were dressed in beautiful floral printed dresses and straw woven hats awaiting the service to commence in Cook Islands Maori.<\/p>\n
Our limited knowledge of the local language meant that we had to guess what was happening as the service got underway \u2013 we didn\u2019t need to know the words to be floored by what happened next. The front rows burst into song, the back rows joined in and soon the different \u201cparts\u201d sung joyously and with heart – the harmony was perfect and I couldn\u2019t help but get a lump in my throat.<\/p>\n
As is the Cook Islands spirit, the pastor invited visitors to stand – we, along with a handful of others, were invited to sing a carol in English. I must admit I shook in my boots. But as we finished the first verse, the entire congregation stood and joined with us for the chorus. It was one of those moments that perfectly summed up the welcoming joy we hadn\u2019t stopped feeling since our feet touched the ground.<\/p>\n
Our church visit ended with a delicious morning tea held next door. Two ladies sought us out and pulled us in to a buffet filled with local tropical fruits, home baked cakes and encouraged us pull up a chair with plenty of smiling faces eager to meet us and hear our story.
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Get your passport stamped at One Foot Island<\/h2>\n
My friend has been all around the world and has stamps from everywhere, even Antarctica. That\u2019s amazing I say, but do you have a One Foot Island stamp?<\/p>\n
One Foot Island sits in Aitutaki lagoon. One of the first stops for the coral route boats, this uninhabited island (and wedding ceremony hotspot!) is unequivocally the ultimate tropical dreamland.<\/p>\n
It also houses a teeny tiny post office, which can legally stamp your passport with a giant foot stamp.<\/p>\n
Our time in Aitutaki had been cloudy and grey, but the first rays of sunshine came out when we reached this little piece of paradise. The water shone, the sand sparkled and the palm trees swayed in the breeze as we pulled ashore. Passport stamps complete, we spent a good hour snorkeling, exploring the sand bars and taking desktop wallpaper worthy photographs.<\/p>\n
Te Vaka Cruise welcomed us with a fresh coconut as we boarded. A BBQ lunch on board followed, snorkeling amongst the giant trevally, a stop over on two islands on the Aitutaki lagoon and plenty of stories and Island hospitality.<\/p>\n
Pick up local coconut produce at Rito<\/h2>\n
I\u2019m a lover of finding the best in local produce in a new country and right on the island of Rarotonga is a local coconut oil manufacturer \u2013 Rito Cook Islands.<\/p>\n
Started by husband and wife team Robert & Susan Wylie, the duo source coconuts from around the island, pressing them in their backyard factory to create coconut oil and their own range of products – from the straight cold pressed oil to dressings, wedding favors and even skincare.<\/p>\n
Purchasing their products (we cook with our Rito Coconut oil and I use the Rito mask and body lotion) is a fantastic way of taking a piece of Cook Islands home with you.
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Dine by the lagoon at Samade On The Beach<\/h2>\n
It was on our final night in the honeymoon hot spot of Aitutaki that we experienced the magic of Samade On The Beach.<\/p>\n
Located on Ootu beach, this restaurant has the prime position for a romantic sunset dinner.<\/p>\n
Cocktails complement an Island-style menu, showcasing local delicacies such as Ika Mata (raw fish marinated in coconut cream and lime juice) and Island Fries (made of taro, arrowroot and kumara). We gobbled up the famous local curry and ocean fresh scallops served with local raku (a tropical spinach) while the waves lapped gently on the shore.<\/p>\n
Well and truly full, we thought we might escape without dessert, but dessert board is definitely worth waiting for.<\/p>\n
Take a Cultural Tour<\/h2>\n
Hands down our favourite experience in Aitutaki was the Punarei Cultural Village Tour. Ngaa Kitai Taria, a trained archaeologist, leads a group who have joined together to create a village that replicates the way the people of Aitutaki used to live, and seeks to educate visitors about the original, lost Aitutaki culture.<\/p>\n
The culture tour is a fascinating insight into the history of the island. We began by nominating a \u2018leader\u2019 for our \u2018tribe\u2019 and were welcomed by a mock initiation ceremony. We visited re-created traditional huts and heard stories of how life once was. The garden\u2019s papayas, mangoes and pineapple trees are cultivated amongst tropical plants, replicating traditional landscapes.<\/p>\n
Food \u2013 my favourite part \u2013 is a huge focus of this tour. The entire group is involved in putting together a traditional \u201cUmukai\u201d (under ground) feast. We wove leaf covers for the umukai before helping to place our lunch (chicken, pork, fish and pumpkin) on the hot black stones, which we covered with layers of banana leaves, palm fronds, our own umukai covers and finally heavy wool blankets.<\/p>\n
Some time later, after more exploring of historic sites, we ate the carefully prepared feast, which had been cooking as we explored. The Umukai feast was accompanied by papaya salad, breadfruit salad, and tropical fruits. We ate off palm frond plates we\u2019d woven ourselves.<\/p>\n
This is not an off the shelf experience, but rather something that leaves its attendees with a sense of spirit and learning that can\u2019t be found anywhere else in the Cook Islands.
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Take a Lagoon Cruise<\/h2>\n
The most renowned feature of the Cook Islands is the aqua lagoon and there is no better way to experience it than being on it!<\/p>\n
From the isle of Rarotonga, we travelled onto the lagoon with Captain Tamu\u2019s Lagoon Cruises. Our glass-bottomed boat ferried a bunch of eager tourists and the team (our fearless leader was named \u201cChocolate\u201d) to a secret snorkeling spot. In its pristine blue waters I\u2019m not sure what impressed me more \u2013 the water colour or the tropical fish!<\/p>\n
A BBQ Lunch on an uninhabited island \u2013 mahi mahi fish, banana and plenty of papaya and potato salad was a welcome treat after a morning spent in the water and the amusing \u201cisland style\u201d entertainment show put on by the crew had our group departing the island in very high spirits.<\/p>\n