Aitutaki, Cook Islands

By Glen Bruels
This is part of a series called Oceania 2025
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Today we visited Aitutaki, the second most populated island (around 1700 people) in the Cook Islands, only behind the more well known Rarotonga. It’s known as an “almost atoll,” consisting of a lagoon within an encircling atoll with a significant area of high land on one side. The reef itself is more or less an equilateral triangle with 7.5 mile leg lengths. On the eastern side of the reef are a series of 14 small islands (or motus) that are lush tropical paradises in their own right. Aitutaki’s lagoon is always seen as one of the top 3 most beautiful in the world and we came to check out that claim. I can safely say they aren’t lying; it was nothing short of spectacular! We ended up doing a lagoon cruise and spent several hours examining different areas of the lagoon and reef. We also stopped at three of the islands (One Foot, Mangere, and Honeymoon). The first two islands were relatively small and could be walked around in less than an hour. They were both covered in trees and plants and were very lush, filled with lots of nesting birds and some pesky frigate birds. Honeymoon was longer with large stretches of white sandy beaches. It was very popular for kite surfing. I should note that we had 15-20 knot winds throughout the day, so plowing through the otherwise gentle lagoon got pretty sporty sometimes. It was easy to see the various depths of the lagoon because of the incredible color changes — nearly clear, to greenish aqua, to deep blue. We saw lots of turtles in the area. After lunch on Honeymoon Island, we took a little time to go snorkeling. Because of the wind and waves, it wasn’t quite as relaxing as some snorkeling stops we’ve made, but it was still amazing. After the lagoon cruise, we walked into the little village of Arutanga. The people were very welcoming and we had a pleasant walk around town including visiting the oldest church in the country. Leaving the island was as exciting as getting in — there is a small break in the reef to allow boats access, but the winds and waves are waiting for you on the outside of the reef. It reminded me of the Columbia River Bar! 

To get into town, we had to cross through a narrow break in the reef and across the lagoon. The seas were pretty exciting outside the reef and still a bit bumpy inside.
We were welcomed to the island, but we left right away to go investigate the lagoon.
Using metal boats is a must here because the lagoon is filled with coral heads that seem to pop up out of nowhere.
I just love the colors in the water here!
Approaching One Foot Island. While not permanently inhabited, there are structures where people stay or party.
… like the One Foot Hilton here (chortle!). This is actually one of the nicer ones.
A walk around the island took about 40 minutes. How’s this for beautiful?
Coral strewn beaches everywhere. The rains threatened but we only had a few sprinkles.
There were a number of long reef outcroppings that went perpendicular from the beach.
I’m a sucker for reefs like this.
This was a big nesting area for white terns. They nest in the tree branches with no real nests. I literally bumped into this bird and it never moved!
We then stopped at Honeymoon Island for some lunch and a bit of chill time.
There was a lot of wind here, so there were lots of wind- and kite-surfers.
After lunch, we spent a little time snorkeling. While the reefs weren’t extensive, the water was clear and there was lots of sea life…
… including a number of colorful giant clams.
There were even some caves and arches where a number of fish hid.
At the end of the day, we took a short walk through the quiet little town.
It had a charming little church that has been operating since 1821 when the missionaries arrived.
I was also pleased to see this there.
This entry was posted in Cook Islands, Cruising, Travel
Glen Bruels

I am a traveler and sometimes clay sculptor, following a long career working in consulting. My work allowed me to travel the world extensively and I was hooked. Today, I travel with my wife/best friend to explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things.

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