Cook Islands

Looking for a dose of South Pacific magic? The 15 little Cook Islands, tossed across nearly 700,000 square miles of ocean between Tonga and French Polynesia, fit the bill and then some. Originally settled by the Polynesians, the Cook Islands are named for the far-ranging British sea captain James Cook, who spotted them in 1733. In the 1880s they became a British protectorate; but within a few decades they fell under New Zealand’s control, where they remain in free association.

The political and tourism hub of the archipelago, which is comprised of the Northern and Southern Cook Islands, is Rarotonga. Here you’ll find a full assortment of Cook Island attractions, from historical and cultural sites to pristine tropical wilds. Surrender yourself to one of the drop-dead gorgeous beaches (such as Muri Lagoon), swing by a service at the coral-hewn CICC church in the capital Avarua for some trademark Cook Island choral singing, visit the sacred marae of Arai-Te-Tonga, or trek into the rugged, rain-forested interior on the Cross Island Track, a footpath affording views of natural landmarks such as the Needle outcrop and Papua Waterfall. Another prime showcase for the archipelago is the atoll of Aitutaki. Its shallow, reef-bound lagoon—which includes a nursery for giant clams—makes for one epic playground for snorkelers and scuba divers. Among its islets is One Foot Island, which may look mighty familiar after all those daydreams of the perfect tropical idyll. Cook Island Maori culture, which has strong links to other corners of Polynesia such as Tahiti and New Zealand, is on display throughout the archipelago. And the less-visited islands such as Mitiaro, Atiu, and Mangaia reveal its most traditional expressions. Survey a map of the Cook Islands, and they appear like dust motes in the vastness of the Polynesian South Pacific. Get on the ground, though, and you’ll find there’s an awful lot of spirit and scenery to investigate within these tiny coral hamlets.