Captain James Cook, the great British sailor and explorer, visited many islands during his journeys around the world. In addition to Alaska, stops included Australia, New Zealand and even Hawaii, where he died in a scuffle with the locals.
Due south from Hawaii, between Tahiti and American Samoa, are the Cook Islands. Captain Cook visited the islands in 1773 and 1777, but didn't stick around. In fact, he didn't even visit the largest volcanic island in the 15-island group, Rarotonga.
The indigenous islanders may have settled there as early as the year 900. There is a well-recorded migration that took place in 1355, when seven canoes set out from Rarotonga to settle elsewhere, including New Zealand. There still are strong ties in language and culture between indigenous people in Tahiti, New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
For today's traveler to reach this island paradise, it's simply a matter of catching the weekly 10-hour nonstop flight, which leaves at 11:50 p.m. each Sunday from Los Angeles on Air New Zealand. The Cook Islands are an independent nation, but enjoy free association with New Zealand. That means all islanders are citizens of New Zealand and carry New Zealand passports. The New Zealand dollar is their official currency.
John Petersen represents the Cook Islands Tourism office in LA. Before that, he was Air New Zealand's sales manager in North America, so he's familiar with the South Pacific. "The bad news is there's just one flight per week," he said. "The good news, though, is there's just one flight per week!"
Petersen wants to re-introduce the islands to Alaskans as a longer getaway destination. Some Alaskans visited the islands when Hawaiian Airlines flew from Honolulu years ago. Now, though, the best way to fly there is on Air New Zealand. If you want to travel on any other day, there are flights available from Sydney, Auckland or Brisbane.
The island of Rarotonga, where the jet lands, is not that big. The original ring road around the island was constructed in the 11th century using large stone slabs. It's 18 miles long. The modern road is closer to the beach and is just a little longer, about 20 miles.
There's a barrier reef around the island with just a few natural openings, and one dredged path for the port. That means the beaches open to the lagoons, which are calm and shallow. Many resorts have an assortment of stand-up paddleboards or kayaks to use.
There are a few preparations best made in advance of your arrival:
1. Money: Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. When I visited, American Express was not accepted, due to a bank-related error. There are ATMs available even at the airport where you can use your debit card to get some New Zealand dollars. Be sure to call your bank in advance to tell them you're traveling.
2. Internet: There is no free Wi-Fi on the island. I tried. Given the remote location, the fastest speed is 3G and it's all satellite-based. Because of that, the local telecom provider, Blue Sky, charges by the gigabyte. I took my unlocked iPhone to the kiosk, where they swapped out the SIM card. That cost $25 in New Zealand dollars. Then, I purchased 1 GB of data for $50 NZD and added $10 NZD for local calls. The SIM card expires after seven days. I was able to use my phone as a hot spot for my laptop.
3. Travel insurance: Petersen strongly suggested purchasing travel insurance prior to departure. This was affirmed by one of our local guides, Freddie Webb. "Those without insurance get to pay $750 NZD for an ambulance ride, $850 for our paramedics and a large sum for each night at the hospital," he said. I purchased a "classic" plan from Allianz for $129. I checked with both Allianz and BHTP. Both companies suggested I visit insuremytrip.com, where you can do side-by-side comparisons of competing plans. Coverage includes lost luggage, change/cancellation penalties, medical care, physician referral and more.
Normally, I shy away from motor scooter rentals. But Rarotonga is so small, and the traffic is relatively slow. I rented a scooter from Avis for $13 per day (three-day minimum). If you do not have a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license, you must get one at the local police station for $20.
The flight on Air New Zealand arrives at 7 a.m. Mondays and most hotels aren't available for check-in until the afternoon. That left time for a quick trip around the island — just to check out the beaches, the coffee shops and the munchies. The ring road follows the coast all around the island. There are several public beaches available and plenty of space to park the scooters. Remember, though, you'll be driving on the left side of the road. Helmets are not required for scooter riders, but I got one. That, of course, is how you tell who the tourists are while driving: the ones with helmets!
Diane Munson of ABC Travel Time in Wasilla spent two days checking out many of the hotels and resorts on the island. Some of them are offering 12-day packages, which line up nicely with the Air New Zealand flights. The 12-night stay also serves Petersen's goal of getting visitors to stay more than a week.
"I liked the Edgewater Resort on the west side of the island," said Munson. It was the most affordable of the hotels, offering a basic double room for $615 USD per person, double occupancy for 12 nights. "This is especially nice for families, since children up to 12 can stay in the rooms for free," she said. "There's a kids club with plenty of activities. There's also a refrigerator in the room for snacks."
The Pacific Resort is on the east side of the island on the Muri Lagoon. There are less than 40 rooms, including four villas for larger families or groups. The grounds are well-manicured, and the pool is set off away from the rooms. The beach club, the bar and the restaurant sit right next to the water. Hotel guests enjoy a free "tropical continental breakfast" each day, which includes everything but bacon, eggs and pancakes. Those items are available but cost extra. The staff is particularly helpful with items like power adapters, local tours and island culture and history. The 12-night package prices start at $1,241 USD per person, double.
The food on the island is delicious, and much of the produce is raised locally. Much of the fish also is caught locally, including mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna. The bananas are particularly tasty, as are the passion fruit and mangoes. Enterprising locals roast their own coffee and brew their own beer at Matutu Brewing Co.
Munson also liked Royal Takitumu Villas on the south side of the island, which offers extended stays. "It has a beautiful layout," said Munson. "It's right on the beach and feels very soothing," she added. The Garden Studio rooms start at about $235 USD per night, and there are package deals available at Costco Travel.
Take one part beachfront accommodations. Add the favorable exchange rate ($1 USD = $0.68 NZD) and the nonstop flight from Los Angeles. That's a good recipe for an exotic getaway. The bonus is that local residents (there are just 10,000 people on the island) are friendly and welcoming. Everyone speaks English. Tourism is the predominant industry, so folks are eager to please.
It's time to plan for a long getaway. So, get out your map and find the Cook Islands. You have better tools than Captain Cook — and there are some nice beaches and friendly people waiting to show you around.
Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. You can follow him on Twitter (@alaskatravelGRM) and alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.