The Cook Islands

This week I was going to do a follow-up piece on the islands of New Caledonia, but I’ve decided to hold that over for later. The reason being that I want to write about some different islands – the Cook Islands – where quite a lot is happening right now, with borders reopening and a prestigious award under their belt.

All of the Pacific islands are special to me. I became closely involved with many of them as a medical aid worker but few doubled as holiday destinations. The Cook Islands was one of the few.

Comprising 15 white-sand islands scattered across a vast expanse of clear-blue Pacific Ocean, the Cook Islands is located between New Zealand and Hawaii and is jokingly called the tropical part of New Zealand as both countries use the same currency – the New Zealand dollar.

The Cook Islands is opening its borders progressively, first to visitors from New Zealand, then probably Australia and finally other countries. Meanwhile the Cooks has won the highly acclaimed Best in Travel award for 2022 from leading travel brand Lonely Planet, which began publishing the popular Lonely Planet travel guide books nearly a half-century ago. The Cook Islands was voted number one in the Top 10 Countries category.

Lonely Planet’s founder, Tony Wheeler, once described the lagoon of Aitutaki (below) as “the world’s most beautiful lagoon”. Now, the prestigious international award his brand built is recognising the broader Cook Islands as the number-one country to visit in 2022, a decision that is likely to lift the island nation’s profile dramatically.

Aitutaki Lagoon photos courtesy of Cook Islands Tourism

In case anyone is feeling a little jaded about travel awards, it should be pointed out that Best in Travel is not one where a couple of people sit down and come up with a list of their favourite destinations. Lonely Planet representatives from around the world submit their nominations and these are checked against a strict set of criteria for the year. In a contest solely about natural beauty the Cook Islands could win any award, but there was far more to it than that.

Recipients of this year’s award were selected based on their commitment to sustainability, preparedness for welcoming visitors in 2022 and general appeal. The selection panel considered such initiatives as Marae Moana, which became the world’s largest marine-protected area when it was signed into law in 2017, and the Mana Tiaki Eco Certification Program, which accredits tourism operators based on the environmental sustainability of their practices.

A criterion for 2022 selection was a demonstrated commitment to developing tourism in a manner that considers sustainable practices which conserve natural and cultural resources. In this regard the Cook Islands was competing with better known destinations including Norway, which was recognised for having the world’s first energy producing hotel, and the German city of Freiburg, where there are twice as many bicycles as cars.

Best in Travel is now in its 17^th year so the award is a big deal for the Cook Islands, whichever way you look at it.  

Cook Islanders are true Polynesians connecting directly back to the finest seafarers of the Pacific. The very centre of Polynesia, the Cook Islands are scattered over 2 million square kilometres of ocean. Polynesians arrived in Rarotonga around 800 AD, sailing from Tupua’i, now French Polynesia.

After landings by various Spanish explorers, our old friend in this region Captain James Cook sighted the islands in 1773, followed by the formidable but careless Captain William Bligh who first sighted Aitutaki in April 1789, only days before succumbing to the infamous mutiny on the Bounty orchestrated by his lieutenant, Fletcher Christian.

Originally named the Hervey Isles after a British lord, the Russians named them the Cook Islands in honour of the famous explorer in 1823. In 1888 they became a part of the British Dominion, owing to fears that France would seize the islands first. From 1901 to 1965 they were a protectorate of New Zealand.

A treaty was signed in June 1980 with the United States in which all claim to the islands of Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Manihiki and Rakahanga were relinquished by the Americans. A treaty with France delimited the boundary between the Cooks and French Polynesia in 1990.

The main population centres of the Cook Islands allow travellers easy access to adventure and authentic connections with local people. Hospitality is ancient practice in the islands and visitors often remark that the people and their sense of community were highlights of the travel experience.

For decades visitors arriving at Rarotonga Airport witnessed the legendary Jake Numanga (above) welcoming them with his ukulele and a medley of Polynesian love songs. He provided his unique form of entertainment for every single arriving and departing flight (well, maybe he missed one or two) for more than 30 years, but I think he may have retired now. He was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Honours list for his services to tourism.

Rarotonga is the largest of the Cook Islands and the capital, Avarua (above) is the main commercial and administrative centre.  It’s also the most commercialised of the 15 islands, but it still retains a Polynesian charm. The main street looks out across the Pacific Ocean and from July to October you can stand on the sea wall and watch humpback whales as they migrate to warmer waters to breed.

You won’t find any fast-food outlets like McDonald’s or any of the ubiquitous supermarket chains here, but there are plenty of local shops and stores including those operated by the Cook Islands Trading Corporation. They own a supermarket, pharmacy, liquor store and fuel station to name a few.

There are also cafes and restaurants and the Punanga Nui cultural market near the harbour. It’s a must-visit attraction for tourists and islanders alike. The main market day is Saturday from 6am to 2pm, but some stalls open other weekdays from 8 till 4 and there is a night market on Wednesdays.

Since 1965 the Cook Islands has been a self-governing island state in free association with New Zealand, which means it has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action.

A modest Parliament House.

While tourism was steadily increasing to the Cook Islands before the coronavirus became a global pandemic, the South Pacific paradise remained largely unknown in much of the world.

To address this deficiency, the Cook Islands people shifted their focus to initiatives and programs that ensured their primary industry would be ready to welcome visitors back after an extended hiatus, but this time with the advantage of a little more foresight.

The Cook Islands recorded 3712 visitors last month following the border reopening on 13 January. The arrival numbers are only about 37 per cent of pre-pandemic levels but Cook Islands Tourism says it’s a good start. Maybe the Best in Travel award will speed things up a bit.