My Intro to the Cook Island

December 1, 2013

After a very comfortable 9 hour flight from LAX we landed in Rarotonga this morning.

Welcome to the Cooks! Kia Orana. What a fantastic welcome by the Cook Islands Tourism today.

A busy day for sure as we have 9 hotels to inspect including Muri Beach Club Hotel where we are staying.

The Cooks Islands are extremely unique. Unlike some of the other island nations I have visited, Cook Islands have a certain pride of their country and culture.

Today we traveled around the entire island visiting various styles of resorts. The main mode of transportation for islanders and visitors is scooters. (No helmets!) hmm. This afternoon we were treated to a beach party at Pacific Resort Rarotonga (a 4.5* resort on Muri Beach). I really liked the team of people who work for Pacific Resorts.

I tried paddle boarding for the first time against some pretty windy conditions . It was a fun experience which I can’t wait to try again on Muri Beach. Muri Beach seems to be the tourist beach of choice due to the shallow blue waters and ability to swim without much concern hitting  the coral reef.

Here is a quick review of the resorts visited today. I don’t have star ratings for all as it can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint a rating on places that are self catering with kitchens etc.

Crown Beach 4.5* - wonderful resort. Steep beach, ideal Pool Suites for honeymoon. Sharp coral at times.

Manui 3.5*- small resort, local feel, steps to the beach. Very personalized service. Good walking distance to places to eat and drink. Drop your shoes when you check in, you probably won’t need them!

Sunset 3-3.5* – nice property with well appointment rooms. Sharp coral at times. Great location and ideal for those looking for a secluded beach and excellent sunsets.

Lagoon Breeze Villas - ideal for families or two couples traveling together. Across the street from a beautiful beach.

Rarotongan - large property, nice hotel style rooms, kids clubs. Ideal for travelers looking for a large property. Beautiful spa facility.

Sea Change Villas – lovely property for older families (with kids 12 and up) well appointment Villas across the street from the beach.

Muri Beach Comber – great option for guests looking for a self catering type of resort with kitchen close to beach.

Muri Beach Club Hotel – this is my home away from home for the entire stay. The resort is small and the rooms are hotel type, so not really a local feel. Nice pool, great beach. I have a soft spot for this property as they were our partner on the Living Social deal we did some time ago when we sold over 200 people to come to the Cooks. Staff are great.

Cook Island Resort Hotels & Rates - http://bookings.otadventures.com/Product/Category/Cook-Islands-Resorts