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Before visiting the Cook Islands, I only heard glowing reviews. Many travellers return again and again, and some even describe it as their favourite destination in the Pacific. And after spending 9 days in Rarotonga, I can understand why. We had a lovely holiday, enjoyed the beautiful scenery, experienced the local culture, ate great food and never regretted choosing the Cook Islands for our short getaway. But we didn’t leave completely in love with the destination in the way many visitors seem to.
That’s not because there’s anything wrong with the Cook Islands. It’s simply a destination that suits some travellers more than others. So, are the Cook Islands worth visiting? Yes – but they’re not the best destination for everyone, and your experience will depend a lot on what you look for when you travel. While it seems almost impossible not to enjoy visiting the Cook Islands, it’s important to go with the right expectations.
In this article, I’ll share our experience, including what we loved and what didn’t quite live up to our expectations, so you can decide whether the Cook Islands is the right destination for your own travel style.
Why the Cook Islands are so popular and what we loved
It’s an easy tropical getaway from Australia and New Zealand
One of the biggest reasons we chose the Cook Islands was convenience. With direct flights from Brisbane, it was an easy destination for a short holiday.
It also has a nice balance of feeling easy and comfortable to travel around, without being overly commercialised or dominated by large resort chains.
The Cook Islands have a strong culture
One of my favourite things about the Cook Islands was how present the local culture feels. Traditional music is everywhere, cultural performances are popular, and local identity is clearly celebrated. The Cook Islands never felt like a generic beach destination, unlike some destinations that can feel disconnected from their local culture. It felt distinct and proudly Polynesian; you always know you’re in the Cook Islands from the moment you step into the airport.
Some of our favourite experiences were the local market and the Sunday church service. Rather than being organised specifically for visitors, they offered a glimpse into everyday life and felt like a natural way to experience the local culture.
The food is delicious and easy to enjoy
We were pleasantly surprised by the food. Local dishes were widely available, meals were consistently good, and we never had to worry about food safety. Unlike some destinations where travellers are cautious about street food or fresh produce, eating in the Cook Islands felt straightforward and stress-free.
While the Cook Islands isn’t a cheap destination overall, we didn’t find restaurant prices significantly higher than Australia. A good meal often cost around the same as what we’d pay at home – or even less. We were pleasantly surprised by the variety of dining options, with something to suit most budgets, from supermarket meals, market food and food trucks to fine-dining waterfront restaurants.
Travel is easy and comfortable
The roads on Rarotonga are well maintained, services are reliable and getting around is simple. The island is small enough that nothing feels far away, so you spend more time enjoying your holiday than sitting in transport. If you don’t hire a car, the bus is an easy and affordable way to get around.
You can pay by card almost everywhere, including many market stalls. We used our Wise card throughout the trip without any issues. A few businesses charged card fees, but it was relatively uncommon. We only needed a small amount of cash during our stay, which made everything so much easier. The use of the New Zealand dollar is another small detail that makes travel straightforward – we’re used to this currency.
Overall, it’s a destination that feels very easy and low-stress to travel in, especially compared to more rugged island destinations.
The lagoons are beautiful
The lagoon is one of the Cook Islands’ biggest attractions for a reason. The reef helps protect much of the coastline from ocean swell, creating calm, clear waters that are ideal for swimming, snorkelling and simply enjoying the scenery with turquoise and transparent water.
While we only visited Rarotonga, it’s worth mentioning that many travellers consider Aitutaki’s lagoon the true highlight of the Cook Islands. It’s often described as one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world and is one of the reasons people fall in love with the country.
We also loved how easy it was to enjoy both sunrise and sunset on the lagoon. Thanks to Rarotonga’s compact size and the road that circles the island, it was simple to watch sunrise from our accommodation over breakfast and head to the other side of the island for sunset before dinner. As we visited in winter, sunrise wasn’t especially early either, which made it a relaxed and enjoyable way to start the morning with a slow breakfast by the water.
The live music and entertainment are fantastic
For such a small country, we were genuinely impressed by the quality of the musicians and entertainment.
Many restaurants feature live performances in the evenings, creating a great atmosphere while you eat. We were surprised by the variety too, from local ukulele players and traditional drumming groups to bands covering well-known international songs. The cultural shows were also entertaining and gave us a deeper appreciation of Cook Islands traditions.
The mountains make Rarotonga really interesting
One thing that surprised us was how much the mountains add to Rarotonga’s scenery. The lush peaks create a dramatic backdrop whether you’re driving around the island, relaxing by the water or heading out on a hike. If you enjoy scrambling and hiking, there are several rewarding trails that offer a completely different perspective of the island.
Scuba diving was one of our favourite activities
Scuba diving ended up being a really enjoyable experience and we found the cost fairly reasonable compared to other tours. We did three dives on the northern side of the island. The coral wasn’t particularly colourful, but the formations were impressive and visibility was excellent. While fish life wasn’t extraordinary during most of our dives, seeing sailfish cruising above us was an unforgettable experience; we felt very lucky.
Compared with other Pacific islands we’ve visited, such as Vanuatu, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands, the diving wasn’t the most impressive we’ve experienced, but it was still very enjoyable.
Things to know before visiting the Cook Islands to have the right expectations
The Cook Islands isn’t a budget destination
This is probably the biggest downside for anyone visiting the Cook Islands – or any Pacific islands, really. Accommodation, car rentals and many organised tours are expensive compared with destinations in Asia. You can certainly find ways to reduce costs, but if your main goal is a cheap tropical holiday, the Cook Islands probably isn’t the best choice.
At the same time, it’s important to remember that the Cook Islands is a remote island nation where many goods need to be imported. Local businesses are dealing with high operating costs, and spending money locally helps support the community and economy.
Although we were ready for this, some activities felt particularly pricey. We found it hard to judge whether some tours would offer enough value to justify their cost. Most people love the tours they joined, but we’ve been lucky enough to already experience many activities in other destinations. That makes it difficult to compare reviews, as travellers naturally have different expectations and past experiences.
Popular tours and restaurants can book out
If you’re travelling as a couple during a quieter period, you can probably keep some flexibility. However, if you’re visiting during peak season, travelling in a group or have specific tours you don’t want to miss, it’s worth booking ahead. Several activities and restaurants were fully booked during our stay, but we were lucky to get a spot from the waiting list.
The weather isn’t always postcard perfect
Some visitors seem surprised by this, but the Cook Islands doesn’t deliver perfect tropical weather every day. It’s often presented as a destination with pleasant weather year-round. But they do have seasons!
Winter can feel cooler than many people expect, especially when it’s windy. Yes, you will need to bring a jacket! Rain showers are common, although they often pass quickly. We experienced rough ocean conditions at the beginning of our trip and heavy rain arrived shortly after we left. Both can affect tours and water-based activities.
The weather wasn’t a problem for us as we came equipped, but it’s something to keep in mind when planning your expectations.
Outer islands are not easily accessible
Some visitors barely spend time on Rarotonga and head to Aitutaki instead. There’s a direct flight and they even organise day trips, but it’s pricey for a short stay. We were aware that Aitutaki is often considered a highlight for its stunning lagoon, but we felt there wouldn’t be quite enough active things for the way we like to travel, so we chose not to include it this time.
Atiu, on the other hand, appealed more to our interest in off-the-beaten-path travel. But we decided to keep things simple and focus on Rarotonga. With the extra costs and logistics, flying to another island wasn’t what we were looking for, at least for this visit. It would have required much more planning and less flexibility with our limited time.
If you love being active, your experience may be different
This was probably the biggest factor shaping our overall impression of the Cook Islands. When we asked people what they loved most about their trip, many simply said they loved relaxing. And of course there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, we’re the type of travellers who like to stay active. We enjoy hiking, diving, wildlife experiences and finding things to do every day. That difference probably explains why our experience was a little different from many of the rave reviews from other travellers.
We did find enough activities to keep ourselves busy for 9 days on Rarotonga. However, many tours seemed designed for travellers looking for a relaxed and accessible experience rather than adventure. That’s completely understandable given the type of visitors the Cook Islands attracts, but it sometimes left us wanting a little more.
If your dream holiday involves slowing down, spending time by the lagoon, enjoying live music, good food and Polynesian culture, you’ll love the Cook Islands. If you’re constantly searching for your next adventure and enjoy getting out of your comfort zone, you may, like us, find experiences (at least on Rarotonga) too structured and less immersive than you’d hoped, as they’re designed to appeal to a wide range of travellers.
What didn’t quite live up to our expectations
We found it difficult to create genuine local connections
One thing we heard repeatedly before our trip was how welcoming Cook Islanders are. And to be clear, we found that to be true. Locals were friendly, positive and incredibly welcoming throughout our stay.
However, many interactions during organised tours felt too structured and a little superficial at times, with similar questions coming up repeatedly and limited opportunities for actual conversation. Our most genuine conversations happened outside organised tours, although naturally those opportunities were much harder to create. This wasn’t an issue, but it simply didn’t quite match what we look for when we travel.
The snorkelling wasn’t a highlight for us
This is probably where our opinion differs most from many other visitors. If you’ve never snorkelled with turtles or seen reef fish before, I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic time exploring Rarotonga lagoon. We still enjoyed our snorkelling experiences and saw plenty of fish. It’s accessible, with good visibility and many different species.
However, we’ve been lucky enough to snorkel in several destinations with beautiful coral and abundant marine life. Compared with those experiences, the snorkelling around Rarotonga felt a little underwhelming for us. And the one spot that we were excited to check out – a pass to see schools of eagle rays – ended up being disappointing as our group was made of beginners, which forced us to almost skip the eagle rays as we were the only ones able to free dive. Again, this wasn’t a bad experience. It simply didn’t become one of the highlights of our trip like for many other travellers.
So, are the Cook Islands worth visiting?
Yes. The Cook Islands offers beautiful lagoons, fascinating Polynesian culture, great food, friendly people and an easy tropical escape from Australia or New Zealand.
However, I think it’s important to choose the Cook Islands for what it does best. If you’re looking for a relaxing island holiday, travelling as a romantic couple or family, or simply want to slow down and enjoy beautiful surroundings with the company of friendly island dogs, you will probably fall in love with this destination. We met travellers of every age, from couples with toddlers or teenagers to people in their nineties, all having an amazing time. That really highlighted how accessible and appealing the Cook Islands is for a wide range of visitors.
But if you’re an active traveller, seeking adventure, local immersion or expecting every activity to be world-class, you may not feel quite the same connection.
For us, the Cook Islands was a destination we enjoyed rather than fell in love with. We’re glad we visited, we had a lovely holiday, and we wouldn’t rule out returning one day to explore islands like Atiu. But unlike many travellers we met, we didn’t leave already planning our next trip back. And that’s okay; not every destination needs to become your favourite place in the world to be worth visiting!
Have you visited the Cook Islands? Share your experience in the comments below!
Where are the Cook Islands?
The Cook Islands are made up of 15 islands spread across a large area of the Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii, not far from French Polynesia.
Most visitors only travel to Rarotonga – the main island and international gateway– and Aitutaki, sometimes Atiu, in the Southern Cook Islands. They sit north-east of New Zealand and around the same latitude as Central Queensland in Australia. It is about a 6-hour direct flight from Brisbane and around 3.5 hours from Auckland.
