Cook Islands

Places in Cook Islands

• Aitutaki

  Aitutaki is a breathtakingly beautiful island in the Southern Cook Islands, known for its turquoise lagoon, coral reefs, and small palm-fringed motus. Just a 50-minute flight from Rarotonga, it offers well-developed yet low-key tourism facilities, making it a perfect escape for nature lovers and beach seekers.

  Atlas entry

• Atiu

  Atiu is the third largest, third most populous, and third most visited island in the Cook Islands, covering 27 km². When the population dropped many shops closed, so there are now few facilities.

  Atlas entry

• Mangaia

  Mangaia is the oldest island in the Pacific, at least 18 million years old, rising 4750 m above the ocean floor from a volcanic plateau surrounded by a dramatic 60-m makatea cliff ring. With only 500 residents, the island offers authentic Cook Islands village life far removed from tourist traffic—friendly locals, abundant fishing, secluded beaches, and walking trails across ancient terrain.

  Atlas entry

• Mitiaro

  Mitiaro is the fourth island in the Cook Islands, a small volcanic outcrop standing in water 4500 m deep. At just 6.4 km across, it offers genuine remoteness and slow travel—the antithesis of crowded resort islands.

  Atlas entry

• Palmerston Island

  Palmerston Island is one of the most remote inhabited places in the Pacific, a coral atoll in the Southern Cook Islands with no airstrip and limited access by sea. It is famed for extraordinary hospitality to visiting yachts, with islanders competing to be the first to greet arrivals offshore.

  Atlas entry

• Rarotonga

  Rarotonga is the largest and most populated of the Cook Islands, serving as the main gateway with direct international flights from Auckland, Sydney, and Honolulu. The island combines volcanic mountain interiors with protected lagoons perfect for snorkeling and kayaking, offering a slower Pacific pace compared to larger destinations.

  Atlas entry