🌴 Small Island, Big Vibes: Our Favorite Place So Far

People often ask us what our favorite destination has been—and while it's hard to choose, one place always floats to the top: the Cook Islands.

As part of our big summer adventure in 2024, we flew to the Cook Islands from New Zealand. Just a few hours away by plane, we landed in Rarotonga, the largest of the 15 islands that make up this dreamy South Pacific nation—and we were instantly in love.

Flying Over Aitutaki

We spent most of our time on Rarotonga, soaking in its charm and rhythm. But one of the biggest highlights? A breathtaking day trip to Aitutaki, often called the most beautiful lagoon in the world. We’ll be sharing more about that soon—but just know it was every bit as magical as it sounds.

So… Where Are the Cook Islands?

Located between New Zealand and Hawaii, the Cook Islands are a collection of small islands surrounded by turquoise lagoons and coral reefs. Rarotonga is the main hub and a perfect place to start. With only a handful of flights in and out each week, the island feels like a peaceful secret worth discovering.

What Makes the Cook Islands So Special?

Well, where do we begin? Imagine this:

• 🌺 A single main road circles the entire island—no highways, no traffic lights, just ocean views and waving neighbors. If you're often stuck in city traffic like us, this was such a welcome relief.

• 🌊 You can snorkel right off the beach, with warm water and coral gardens filled with colorful fish (and a few shy sea cucumbers!). Ciela was not a fan of the sea cucumbers—but we’ll share more about that later!

• 🏝️ No chain hotels or high-rises here. There’s actually a rule that no building can be taller than the tallest palm tree, which helps preserve the island’s natural beauty.

• 🛏️ Many accommodations are situated right along the water, offering direct beach access and stunning ocean views. We were lucky enough to stay at Moana Sands Beachfront Villas, where our back porch opened up to a view that looked just like a postcard. The hotel even had kayaks and snorkeling gear ready for guests—making it easy to spend our days in and on the water. The staff were incredibly kind, even helping us carry the kayaks down to the beach and haul them back in when we were done.

• 🌙 Night markets and local vendors offer fresh island food, live music, crafts, and a relaxed way to spend your evening.

• 📵 There’s very little cell service or Wi-Fi signal, which makes this the perfect place to unplug, slow down, and truly be present. Trust us—it feels really good to disconnect.

• ✈️ Because flights in and out are limited, you often see the same friendly faces throughout your trip. Ciela even adopted a group of lovely women from New Zealand as her Kiwi aunties, greeting them with hugs and smiles whenever we ran into them around the island.

We’ll be sharing more soon about some of our favorite island moments—from trying local fruits and traditional meals during a progressive dinner with Cook Islands families, to learning their stories, culture, and deep sense of community.

But for now, we just wanted to introduce you to the Cook Islands—our favorite destination yet—and give you a little glimpse of what’s to come.

🌺May your jottings be jolly.

-Consuelo