READY AND WAITING The Cook Islands are open... The Cook Islands, on the 14th of January, opened to New Zealand for quarantine free travel! No MIQ, just a negative test and you are on your way to warm seas and sun filled beaches. But there is a lot more to the Cook Islands than proximity, stunning beaches, and swaying palms, it is also a mecca for adventure; from its deep-sea fishing to its shallow lagoons for snorkeling and kiting. The Cook Islands will keep you busy every day for as long as you want. Obviously, there are all the standard tourist ‘’to-do’’ options; the cultural village, the coconut tree climbing demonstration, the glass bottom boats and trips out to smaller more remote islands. But here we will outline a few adventures that you may not be aware of... Group Paddle image thanks to KiteSUP Chasing big ones! Image by Marlin Queen Image thanks to <strong>Adventure</strong> Cook Islands Kiteboarders have known for years what an amazing destination the Cook Islands are for any wind-based sport. But it is also an amazing place to Learn to kiteboard because of the Cook Islands shallow lagoon and warm steady trade winds it is the perfect place to learn to kiteboard. There are companies such as Ariki <strong>Adventure</strong>s and KiteSup just to mention a couple, who can give you an introduction to kiteboarding, where quickly you will have the opportunity to experience the feeling of flying with an inflatable kite and get you well on the road to becoming proficient, in warm safe water? The local tutors know the best times, the best wind, and the tides to make the learning experience fun. As you would expect, with the protection of the reef, the lagoon is ideal for paddleboarding; with very little swell, crystal-clear water that is full of marine life. On your paddleboard, which you can rent or take a tour, you can access a range of secluded islands and sandy parts of the reef. There are several companies that rent out paddleboards as do many of the hotels and resorts. However, if you are not a ‘’go it alone’’ kind of guy or you just really want a add bit of local knowledge there are those running paddleboard tours like Lagoon Explorer. As with all South Pacific islands fishing can be as much fun for the really experienced down to the complete novice. The Cook Islands offer a lot of options like game fishing with Marlin Queen fishing charter. Tuna, marlin, Mahi mahi, they openly brag they are out to get the big ones and by the look of their website and images they do just that. But there are smaller operators like Reef and Beach fishing tours which is a unique concept. Mata George (aka Sunshine) gives a half hour talk first about the tide, water, and wind in Rarotonga. He also tells of what not to touch or walk on to protect the coral and visitors' own safety. Then an explanation of the different types of bait for different types of fishing, what times to go out and where to find the fish, pure local knowledge. Warm clear water and an abundance of sea life leads to one major activity - diving. In the Cook Islands some–– resorts, such as The Rarotongan Beach Resort and Lagoonarium, offer in house dive lessons, dive experience and certification in their hotel pool. There are also a range of dive operators who can not only take out qualified divers to experience the pristine underwater world, but you can also get PADI certified both in the lagoon and for the open water. There are also a range of great options for trekking. There are bush walks you can do by yourself, but it is not like New Zealand and if you wanted to do a guided trek, like to the top of Mt Rameau, which takes about 3-4 hours then it is suggested you go with a local guide company like <strong>Adventure</strong> Cook Islands. Wandering off on your own might seem like fun, but there is a lot of private land, and it is easy to get lost. Rarotonga is not a very big place, and you can easily rent a scooter to get around, (make sure you get a licence from in town they are only $29.50) but a nicer, quiet option is to bike. There are again a range of rental options plus some of the resorts have them for hire. But you can do tours, it’s not mountain biking as we know it with downhill single track but it’s a way to see the island and interact with the locals. Like anywhere biking is a nice way to meet the people, smell the air and take in the view. Basically, the Cook Islands have been looking after tourist for a lot of years, they are well established and well prepared to make sure you can basically do whatever it is you want to do, easily, professional, and safely. The hard part is choosing from so much on offer! 88//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#230
Anyone can learn to kiteboard- image thanks to KiteSUP - Image thanks to <strong>Adventure</strong> Cook Islands- ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ//89
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