When I first saw Aitutaki, Cook Islands on the US reality TV show “Survivor,” I knew I have to add it to my bucket list to visit someday. Aitutaki, the world’s most beautiful lagoon, is known for its luminous turquoise waters, the blue cloudless sky and the palm trees that bend gracefully towards the soft white sand. One day, as soon as I saw a post on Secret Flying for non-stop fare from LAX to Rarotonga (Cook Islands) for around $550 with New Zealand Air, I booked it immediately. The error fare was too good to pass up.
The Cook Islands is a nation in the South Pacific, which is about 4 hours flight from Auckland, New Zealand and about 9 hours flight from Los Angeles, California. Rarotonga, the largest island, is the national capital and home to rugged mountains and Avarua. Aitutaki Island has a vast lagoon encircled by coral reefs and small, sandy islets. The Cook Islands is like Hawaii 50+ years ago. There are no high-rises (no building can be taller than a coconut tree), no fast food chains, not even traffic lights.
Aitutaki
My friends and I stayed in Rarotonga for a week and we booked a one-day tour to Aitutaki. The bus picked us up at 7 a.m. from our hotel and took us to the airport. From there, we took a 50-minute domestic flight to Aitutaki. After we landed in Aitutaki, the bus took us on a short ride to explore the beautiful island before arriving to the Ootu Beach to board the 21 feet double hull Polynesian style catamaran known as Titi-ai-tonga. The catamaran can accommodate about 40 people.
We made three island stops at some of the motus (Polynesianword for “islet”) in the Aitutaki lagoon. The first stop was at Akaiami, which was used as a resting stop for the Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) passengers. TEAL’s purpose was to transport mail, passengers and cargo across the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand during World War II. The second stop was at Moturakau, which was the location of the UK reality TV show “Shipwrecked” and US reality TV show “Survivor.”
At each stop, we had a chance to explore the motu and snorkel for 15-20 minutes. There were so many colorful tropical fish and giant trevally. Giant trevally, also known as giant king fish, can grow to a maximum weight of 176 lbs. I thought I would be scared swimming next to the trevally, but I was not. The giant trevally appeared to be friendly, despite being giant. Before we reached the One Foot Island, the crew prepared a delicious lunch on-board consisting of freshly caught fish grilled on the BBQ,served with salads made from local organic fruit and vegetables.
We were told that the landowners shared in $95,000 USD approximately as payment for using their property while filming “Survivor.” In addition, schools, the local hospital and the Island Council were all showered with gifts as the production team prepared to the leave Aitutaki.
My favorite motu is the One Foot Island known as “Tapuaetai,” which was the last stop for the tour. The small motu contains its own post office. We brought our passports with us for thef amous souvenir stamp of One Foot Island. Since the tide was low, we were able to walk to the Heaven Sandbar. It was a perfect and magical 15 minutes walk that everyone needs to experience it.
On the way back to the shore, the tour guide shared the story of One Foot Island and showed us how to tie sarong (pareu tie) in different ways. In case if you are curious about how the island got its name, according to the legend, a man and his son went fishing on a canoe. A tribe once attacked the main island and a man and his son escaped by canoe to an unnamed motu. The father carried the boy across the beach and hid him in a tall coconut tree. Then he paddled all the way to Rarotonga for help. When the attackers reached the motu, they saw only one set of foot prints on and off the island and they left. The boy remained safely hidden until his father returned with help. From that day on, the motu was known as One Foot Island.
Tour Includes
- Pick up and drop off from your hotel or accommodation on Rarotonga
- Domestic flights from Rarotonga to Aitutaki and back to Rarotonga
- BBQ lunch provided.
- Minibar is available to purchase beers, wine, champagne, soft drinks, juice or bottled water.
- Snorkeling gears, towels, tea, coffee and water are included.
- Tour operates on Monday to Saturday only.
Price
- NZ$ 493 per person (50% discount for children)
Aitutaki Day Tour
https://airraro.com/en/tours/aitutaki-day-tour
If you have been to Aitutaki, what was your favorite motu?