A 45-minute flight from Rarotonga lands on Aitutaki, then a two-minute boat crossing reaches the resort’s own private island in the middle of the lagoon often rated the most beautiful in the Pacific. It holds the only overwater bungalows in the Cook Islands, adults-only, with direct lagoon access from the verandah and complimentary kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling gear.
A boat crosses Aitutaki’s lagoon to a scatter of motu (islets), stopping at One Foot Island, home to the world’s smallest post office, where passports get an unofficial stamp. Snorkelling stops along the way take in coral and turtles in some of the clearest water in the South Pacific.
Cycle or scooter around the main island, or simply stay put: a beachfront massage, a hammock under the palms, or a turn at the kite boarders’ favourite stretch of sandy shallows on the south-east trade winds.
