| Divided into two
distinct clusters, north and south, the islands cover a
landmass of only 240 square kilometres, but are spread
out over 2 million square kilometres of Pacific Ocean,
so are truly set apart from the hustle and bustle of the
urban world. The friendly, laid back attitude of the locals
is infectious and time loses all meaning, perhaps not greatly
surprising in a country where warmth and sunshine are enjoyed
year round and temperatures average 26-28 degrees centigrade.
Most Cook Islanders live outside of the islands in New
Zealand or Australia, however, the 18,000-strong population
are proud of their Polynesian identity, which descends
from Maori culture. The northern islands are still mostly
untouched by tourism and the local economy relies heavily
on black pearl farming and other marine resources. The
southern islands are larger and blend tradition and culture
with modern living and possess much Polynesian charm.
We feature accommodation on the two most populous islands
in the group, Rarotonga and Aitutaki.
There is a variety of handicraft, jewellery and art
available on the islands, and authentic goods often come
from islands that specialise in a particular item. |
Northland