Aitutaki - A little piece of paradise in The Pacific
Where is Aitutaki?
There are fifteen islands in The Cook Islands group, all of of which are known for their unspoiled beauty but unless you have a enough time you probably won’t be able to see them all. Most people go to Rarotonga but if you have a day to spare whilst you are there a visit to Aitutaki is a must.
Aitutaki, which means “Little Paradise” is located in the Southern Cook Islands in the same group as Rarotonga, and whilst It may only be seventeen square kilometres, Rarotonga could fit inside it’s huge lagoon.
Trips to Aitutatki run every day except Sundays and cost $473 NZD which includes hotel pickup, flight, island tour, boat trip, snorkeling equipment, beach towels and BBQ lunch. All you need to take is your swimwear, sunblock ( reef friendly of course ) and enough money for a drink on the boat or any snacks or souvenirs at the airport. You may also want to take your passport which can be stamped by the mobile post office on One Foot Island. You don’t need your passport but what a great souvenir so I would highly recommend that you take it with you.
A day trip to remember
On the day of my trip the bus picks us up at around 7am, give or take fifteen minutes as it is Island time after all, and off we head to the airport. The driver is a friendly jolly man who chats to us, tells local stories, answers questions and points out places of interest along the way. Someone asks why the locals don’t wear helmets when riding their motor bikes which gives our driver a chance to jump into another one of his hilarious tales. He tells us that a safety bill was proposed a few years ago which would mandate the use of helmets for everyone. The local people were consulted and most people supported the use of helmets, however, The Cook Islands women were opposed to any legislation which applied to them. Apparently they didn’t want to wear helmets as they would flatten their hair. So the legislation was watered down and now only applies to riders between the ages of sixteen and twenty five. As our driver says “you don’t mess with the women of the Cook Islands - if they say no it means no”. Everyone on the bus bursts out laughing, we’ve all encountered these amazing women and whilst they are usually friendly and smiling I definitely wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of one of them !!
In no time at all we arrive at the airport and are met by Paul, our guide for the day. Paul takes us through a simple check in process where we are handed our boarding cards ready for our short flight to Aitutaki.
Our twin prop plane seats thirty six and is surprisingly roomy. The small cabin provides the opportunity for everyone to take in the breathtaking views on the descent into Aitutaki . We fly low across the lagoon and the turquoise waters are so clear that I almost feel that I could put my hand out and touch the ocean floor. Then after a few more minutes descent we touch down on the small airstrip which was built by the Americans in World War II.
We follow Paul to a waiting open air bus which will take us to our boat. On the way Paul tells us some information about Aitutaki. The Eastern side where we land is the lowland area. There’s not much to see there but it is apparently home to the Lowland crab which burrows into the ground and is a local delicacy. We pass a small boat-builders and Paul points out the hull of a boat under construction. He tells us it is the same traditional design as the boat which will take us to the islands today but this one is bigger as it will transport one hundred passengers whereas our boat can only accommodate sixty five. The boat-builders have promised that it will be ready by Christmas but all we can see it is just a hull so by the looks of things it is nowhere near completion. Everyone laughs, we may only have been in The Cook Islands a little while but it’s long enough to understand “Island Time” so which Christmas the boat will be completed is anyone’s guess!!
There is just one short stop at a service station for people to buy snacks then we head for our boat. As we arrive at the boat departure point Paul points out the Pacific Resort Aitutaki Nui a boutique hotel of just twenty nine rooms which juts out into the coral sea on a pristine private beach. It was apparently voted the best boutique hotel in the world which is quite an accolade. Room prices start from $1250 NZD per night. I could never afford that sort of money but from what I can see it completely deserves the award. If you’re celebrating a very special occasion or you win the lottery you might want to check it out - see link below https://www.pacificresort.com/aitutaki/
The boat trip
Everything on this day trip is timed to perfection and our boat is already waiting when we arrive at the quay. The boat is built to look like one of the original double hulled voyaging canoes, known as Vakas, in which the islanders traveled when they set out for New Zealand guided by the stars and their famous power of navigation. The migrations to New Zealand began from Rarotonga as early as the 5th century AD. Paul tells us that recently a trip was undertaken from New Zealand to Rarotonga using the same design of boat and only the stars for guidance. It took nineteen days to complete the voyage which shows how brave the Cook Islanders were as when they set off they would have had no idea how far it was to the next dry land.
We take our seats on the boat, Paul blows into a large conch shell demonstrating the traditional call to action and after a quick safety briefing we head out towards a group of islands or Motus as they are known here. The highest point in these islands is only one hundred and twenty two metres above sea level. I can’t help but worry about the catastrophic effect that global warming and rising sea levels could have here. If radical action is not taken soon to address climate change, beautiful places like this could be lost forever. It saddens me that the industrialised nations of our world have created a ticking time bomb which could destroys lives and homes of these and many other island or coastal dwellers. I try not to let these thoughts taint the joy of this day but it is a very sobering thought.
Once underway some of the crew members take their spots near the captain and start singing, beating a drum and playing the ukulele. Like all Cook Islanders they are blessed with the most amazing voices which carry throughout our small boat and encourage everyone to sing along. It’s a magical sound which will always remind me of these amazing islands.
The beautiful sandy beaches and crystal clear waters of Aitutaki Lagoon
Our first stop is to a small island called Akamai Paul is determined to get us to speak a little of the language and tells us that Akamai is pronounced R K Yummy which is completely different than it is spelled. He makes us repeat the name over and over again and soon everyone is laughing, joining in and having fun. We disembark and wade through the knee deep water to the shore. We stroll along feeling the pure white sand between our toes which is such a truly magical feeling. We spend a little while just taking in the beauty of the place then it’s back onto the boat and off to our next destination.
The colour of the water is an unbelievable mix of turquoise and deep blue. It’s so difficult to describe how amazingly clear it is. No photos ( even those I saw in the tourist guide ) can truly do it justice.
And very soon it is our chance to experience this beautiful water for ourselves as we moor near some coral bommies to snorkel among the colourful fish for about twenty minutes. It’s such a special feeling being free in this clear warm water. Then it’s time for lunch so we climb back on board the boat and dry ourselves off ready for a delicious BBQ buffet lunch.
After lunch we stop at Muritapua which was the location for the UK reality series Shipwrecked, which originally screened in the late nineteen nineties and returned to UK TV in early 2019. The filming took place over a number of months which meant that the tour boats could not stop here during that time. This was a small disruption to the normal routine but created jobs for around three hundred of the islanders so the cast and crew received a warm welcome.
Paul had shown us some Hermit Crabs when we were on the boat and had explained that as they evolve into Coconut Crabs which are a large nocturnal land crab. They are endemic to the southwest Pacific and Indian oceans and are known for their ability to use their pincers to crack open coconuts. Paul releases the Hermit Crabs from the boat and they crawl around in the sand. We keep a watchful eye on them whilst he is talking as they come close to our feet and no-one wants to have their toes nipped by such massive pincers.
It’s a tiny island and takes only a few minutes to walk from one side to the other through a small jungle area. When we arrive at the other side Paul shows us some of the local plant life and breaks open a coconut. He explains the importance of coconuts to the Cook Islanders. Apart from eating the flesh and drinking the water, they use the husk for plant pots, weave it into rope, use it as a pot scourer and burn it as an insect repellent. They also grate the coconut flesh and squeeze it through the husk to make skin moisturiser, sun block, mosquito repellent also hair conditioner. It’s amazing to think that one simple item can have so many uses.
Tapuatei - The legend of One Foot Island
Our final destination for the day is Tapuatei which is a spectacularly beautiful small island. The name Tapuatei means One Foot Island as Tapia means one foot and Tei means island.
The legend of One Foot Island comes from the tale of a fisherman and his young son who were out in a canoe when enemy warriors attack their village. They were returning to shore when they witnessed the attack and headed to this island to hide.. Unfortunately, their canoe was spotted by the warriors who gave chase. The fisherman knows that the fierce warriors will kill both him and his son if they catch them. His fate is sealed but there is a chance that he can at least save his young son. So he pulls the canoe onto the beach and carries the boy on his shoulders across the sand leaving only one set of footprints. When they reach the forest he lifts his son into a Pandanas tree and tells him to climb up high and hide quietly in the thick branches.
When the warriors reached the island they were confused to see only one set of foot prints as some thought they had seen a second person in the canoe. They found the fisherman and killed him but they did not find the boy who remained hidden from sight in the thick branches as his father had told him to do. As the warriors could only find one set of footprints they decided to name the island Tapuatei or One Foot Island.
The tale of the fisherman and his son is part of Cook Islands folklore and every day trip to Aitutaki includes a visit here. As I wander along the pure soft sand it’s easy to believe that the events actually happened and to imagine that brave father walking on this same beach. It really is a very special place.
Tapuatei has a mobile post office and when we are back on board the boat a crew member stamps our passports showing that we have followed in the fisherman’s footprints. Such a lovely memento.
It has been a very special day and I would highly recommend a trip to Aitutaki if you are lucky enough to visit the beautiful Cook Islands.
