Activities in Cook Islands

DIVING

Rarotonga and Aitutaki are excellent for diving, snorkling, and fishing.If you have never been diving before there are qualified instructors who can expert tuition. You can even sit your certified dive course here in Rarotonga.

The outer reef area offers a diverse range of diving locations with superb visibilit, usually ranging from 100 to 200 feet, depending on wind and weather. Canyons, caves and varities of coral, make it a most unusual terrain. There are also wrecks to explore and fish to hand feed. Rarotonga boasts crystal clear waters and warm inviting temperatures between 23 and 30 degress celsius.

All diving is shore based with the diving boats in the 5 to 7 meter size range. Trips usually depart in both the morning and afternoon. Full time dive charter operators are listed in the business directory.

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SNORKLING

Superb is the only word for diving in our waters. The outer reef areas are diverse range locations with visibility from 100 to 200 feet, depending on wind and weather. Canyons, caves and a wide variety of coral make for unusual terrain. There are wrecks to explore and a wide variety of fish to handfeed.

For the novice or expert snorkeling in the Cook Islands offers year round warm water, and visibility seldom less than 100 feet and up to 200 feet on some days. With Rarotonga being circular in shape, every day is a great diving day as there is always a sheltered side of the island. A place where you can never be more than 15 minutes away from any dive site, Rarotonga and Aitutaki can provide the array of diversity that diving always seems to offer. With 73 types of live coral both hard and soft, and the abundance of colorful marine life you can't go wrong.

The Cook Islands have been the place for many, many people to learn to snorkel. Those who will be venturing into water for the first time may want to take on the experienced services of snorkeling masters. Don't be timid, ask for assistance and you will find the attentive, personalized service will have you snorkeling with the best of them. Snorkelling equipment is available from most accommodation properties.

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FISHING

The Cook Islands offer exceptional opportunities for deepsea game fishing as well as saltwater fly and light tackle sports fishing. Both Rarotonga and Aitutaki remain virtually undiscovered by the world's sea angling fraternity, much to the delight of aficionadoes who have been keeping the secret safe for the past 30 or so years. A bonus for visitors from July to October is the strong possibility of seeing humpback whales which often come very close to Rarotonga's shoreline on their migration route north from the Antarctic. Sometimes these whales will breach and those lucky enough to witness this will have another permanent memory of their trip to the Cook Islands.

Deepsea game fishing is a speciality in Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Both enjoy the advantage of immediate access. There is no tedious journey to the fishing grounds, once out of the harbor the fishing begins. Big fish of many species are abundant. The currents, reefs and submarine topography supply ideal conditions for wahoo, barracuda. dolphin fish, yellowfin and skipjack tuna, sailfish and marlin. The Cook Island record for marlin is 616 lb (280 kg). Aitutaki's magnificent 12,500-acre lagoon is particularly suitable for fly, lures or bait for world class bonefish, trevally, cod, snapper and other reef fish. It holds the world all-tackle record for Hump Head Maori Wrasse, set in October 1989.

Both Rarotonga and Aitutaki have game fishing clubs at which visitors are made very welcome - phone the Cook Islands Game Fishing Club on 682 21419. The clubs are affiliated to the International Game Fishing Association. Fishing trip operators cater both for novices and experienced anglers.The Aitutaki Lagoon Hotel offers fishing trips led by a resident professional. Air Rarotonga flies daily between Rarotonga and Aitutaki.

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