Best of Cook Islands Diving 9D8N

Arrive at Rarotonga Airport, where a private chauffeur will meet and transfer you to Crown Beach Resort. Here, you’ll be welcomed with a fresh flower lei and a souvenir aluminium refillable water bottle with fresh chilled water.

Spend the rest of the day settling into your accommodation. Laze by the swimming pool or venture down to beach for a refreshing saltwater swim. If you’re feeling peckish, head into one of the resort’s 2 restaurants: Ocean’s and Flambe. Ocean’s is a relaxed private dining haven specialising in Pacific Rim cuisine, while Flambe is a fine dining mecca that uses as much local produce and fish as possible, but also offers international dishes that include ostrich, venison, duck and more.

On Thursdays, Crown Beach Resort hosts a famous island night featuring a Polynesian buffet followed by delectable desserts, topped off with a dynamic cultural performance presented by the Akirata Cultural Dance Troupe. (Reservations are highly recommended as island nights always sell out - $55NZD per adult, $30NZD per child).

Explore Rarotonga from the comfort of a private air-conditioned car or van, with a knowledgeable and experienced guide. This tour is a must do as soon as you arrive on the island – it’s the perfect introduction to the island’s rich culture, legends and history.

Your tour begins the moment you are picked up from your hotel. You’ll be given an overview of the island and the many points of interest you will see along the way. As you travel along the ancient ‘Ara Metua’ or ‘Road of Toi’ – built in 1050AD as an all-weather paved road – you will pass ancient maraes (ceremonial sites) and local plantations.

Highlights of the tour include the Maire Nui Tropical Gardens, the first limestone church built on the island in the 1800s, and Black Rock – a volcanic boulder, traditionally believed to be the departure point of the spirits to the Avaiki (the afterlife). You’ll also visit Muri Lagoon and the Te Ara Museum, home to the fascinating Vaka Migration Map. Souvenir stops include Takerau Jim’s mother-of-pearl shell carving and jewellery store, and the Rito Factory, a boutique cold-pressed coconut processing facility that specialises in beauty and health products made with cold pressed virgin olive oil.

Lunch is included at The Mooring Fish Café, the original fresh fish sandwich shop in Rarotonga. 

Head out onto the water for your first day of diving. Trips operate twice daily and are restricted to certified divers only.

Depending on the weather, your experience level and preferences, your local crew will pick out the perfect dive spots for you. The intertwining corals of pinks, purples, reds and yellows on the seabed is a feature that makes Rarotonga very special. With each submersion, comes a completely new coral geography, enticing a wide and differing medley of fish and pelagic species.

In the evening, return to the water for an exhilarating night dive. At night, the marine world is often even more beautiful, colourful and mysterious – a completely different experience! Journey out to a site such as Edna’s Anchor, where you’ll find an anchor caught between 2 large coral bommies – a relic from when whaling was still legal. You’ll have the opportunity to observe nocturnal creatures such as crabs, lobsters and shrimp. If you’re lucky, you might even see sharks passing by the end of your light!

On your second day of diving, challenge yourself to go further and deeper – you won’t be disappointed!

Today, you might explore shipwrecks such as the Mataroa Wreck, a former Tongan sailing vessel that was purposefully sunk for the benefit of marine life and divers back in 1990. Sitting between 10 – 20-metres (33-66ft), the 45-metre (148ft) ship is now in colossal chunks on the seabed. Rising from the ashes of its once industrialised use, it is now a platform for the growth of corals and algae needing shaded, cooler areas. Keep your eyes peeled for Lion Fish along with Butterfly, Snapper, Unicorn and many more.

For more experienced divers, there is an opportunity to dive in the deepest of blue oceans. In Rarotonga, FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices) have been installed to make the experience even more worthwhile. A piece of concrete attached to a rope is dropped on the ocean floor, visible on the surface via a floating object. Overtime, the rope builds up with algae, inviting a flood chain along with it. At times you’ll see nothing but small fish nibbling on the ropes, but sometimes the secrets of the deep are revealed – schools of Tuna, Barracuda, Mahi Mahi and numerous shark varieties!

Take a scenic 50-minute flight to Aitutaki, home to approximately 1,800 people and the world’s most beautiful lagoon. Secluded and romantic, Aitutaki holds a compelling allure for honeymooners – you can look forward to languid, leisurely days simply revelling in each other’s company and the jaw-dropping surroundings.

You’ll stay the next 3-nights at Tamanu Beach Resort. Located on Aitutaki’s western coast, this family operated resort offers 4 bungalow accommodation options nestled among lush tropical gardens or perched on the water’s edge. The Tamanu Restaurant & Bar offers a wonderful Pacific Island dining experience – delicious cuisine, a beachfront view with amazing sunsets and friendly hospitality.

Dive into the underwater world of Aitutaki. This idyllic island has some of the most bio-diverse reef systems in the world. The outer canyons of the barrier reef hold several hundred species of fish, while the inner lagoon hosts a giant clam reserve, small motu (coral islets), and some of the nicest beaches you have ever set foot on. It truly must be seen to be believed!

Today, you might head out to Arutanga Passage, the main passage that all shipping vessels use to head in and out of the lagoon. Here, you’ll find hard and plated corals slowly creeping along the passage as well as Parrot, Angel and Emperor Fish. Throughout the spikey shadowed caves lying below the reef, white tip sharks will poke their heads. Coming to the end of the pass, Napoleon Wrasse will happily sit in your company on the sandy bottom, unphased by your presence.

Return to the water to discover more hidden delights.

Today, you might head out to Black Rock, where you’ll find a sunken barge that many marine species now call home. The enormous blooming coral plates and walls of soft hued pinks, turquoise and deep purples welcome you to the reef bed. Here, you’ll swim with Emperor, Tangs and Butterfly fish as well as larger species such as Napoleon Wrasse and barracuda. Occasionally, you may even spot turtles! If you’re interested in doing another night dive (own cost), the barge itself is home to plenty of nocturnal species including Squirrel, Grouper and Bass.

Spend today doing as much or as little as you like.

Take a cruise of the Aitutaki Lagoon, laze by the swimming pool, or retreat to the Tiare Spa for a decadent massage or spa treatment. You could also make use of the hotel’s complimentary snorkelling gear, kayaks and paddleboards.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you could rent a bicycle or moto-scooter. Ride along white sandy beaches and tour the lush interior of the island along little used tracks where the scenery is breathtaking. Visit Maunga Pu hill, the highest point on the island, and a WWII bunker built by American GIs, who were once stationed on the island. The colourful wharf area is well worth a visit - the Aitutaki Game Fishing Club next to the wharf is a great place to unwind and watch a splendid sunset.

Cap off your holiday with one last delicious breakfast before transferring to Rarotonga Airport to commence your onward journey.

NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation.