6 Best Things To Do in Aitutaki

Aitutaki is awesome.

The crystal blue sea; fine sand beaches; super friendly locals; and overall feeling of peace ... Aitutaki is basically the perfect holiday destination.

My girlfriend and I spent 3 nights on the wonderful little island, and I wish we could've stayed just a bit a lot longer.  

Here are the best 6 things to do in Aitutaki (i.e. things that I actually did):

• Lagoon Cruise / One Foot Island Tour
• Motorbike around the island
• Picnic on Mt. Maungapu
• Eat some local foods
• Snorkelling off the beach
• Chill 😎

Read on for more details of each.  I also list some things I did not do (but you could try), and other useful Aitutaki FAQ.  

Let's get started!

1. Aitutaki Lagoon Cruise & One Foot Island

The Lagoon Cruise / One Foot Island tour is easily the most recommended thing to do in Aitutaki.

I typically avoid these kind of group tours when travelling, so was super skeptical when joining.  It was also a bit expensive.

But, I'm glad I did it, because ... it was f*cking awesome.

Our guide was not even charismatic or funny, but he didn't need to be.  The raw nature and beauty of the lagoon was more than enough.

There are quite a few companies that do lagoon tours, the biggest are probably Bishop's and Vaka.   We originally signed up for Bishop's, but got talked out of it by the owner of our accommodation (Matriki Beach Huts) , and joined his smaller private tour instead.

Here are some photos, and the basic itinerary of our half-day tour:

• Outer lagoon snorkel:  We saw some rays! (although they were quite far away).
• Honeymoon Island:  Beautiful, photogenic white sand beaches; people kiteboarding; and nesting red tailed tropicbirds;
• Giant Trevally snorkel spot:  Up close and personal with a bunch of giant trevally.  Awesome, and freaky at the same time. They're absolutely massive, and look like they could bite your head off, but it's safe. 😅
• Lunch break: We docked on a small island with nesting booby birds.
• One Foot Island: We docked there awhile, took some photos, and just chilled.  Beautiful beaches, and the clearest sea water I have ever seen.
• Saw some turtles on the boat ride back!
• Giant Clam snorkel spot:  One last snorkel spot on the way back with plenty of Giant Clams.
• Finished!

I think most tours will follow a similar plan, except for the outer lagoon part.  We got lucky, and had beautiful weather the whole time.  We managed to see rays, turtles, giant clams, all sorts of fish, and some rare birds.

Just being on the boat, seeing the insanely turqoise blue water, and enjoying the island scenery was worth the trip.

It was simply awesome!

2. Scooter Around the Island

The second best thing to do is simply rent a scooter / motorcycle, and explore the island.  Aitutaki is small, but is still big enough that it's not really walkable.

You don't need a driver's license, or even a helmet to rent a scooter in Aitutaki.

Don't worry though...there's not really any traffic, and people drive slowly. So just take your time and be safe.  It's nothing like driving around Bali, or other crazy places.

There are a couple shops that rent scooters.  We got one from our accommodation, which cost about $25 per day (NZD).  

We literally drove around the entire island.  Stopped at some beaches and shops along the way.  Bought some snacks and drinks to enjoy.

My favorite part of the island to drive was up the east coast.  There's almost no people, and one section is lined with trees / forests, so it feels like you're going through Jurassic Park.

My next favorite section to drive was the road next to the airport.  It's a long, flat, straight road, where you can get some speed.  I felt like Tom Cruise in Top Gun. 😂

3.  Mount Maungapu / Piraki Lookout

If you want a view of everything, the best place to go is up Mt. Maungapu and to the Piraki Lookout.

You can drive a scooter or car up most of the way up, then it's a short walk to the peak.

If you want to break a sweat, you could also hike all the way up.  Apparently, it takes about 1 hour.  Make sure you bring some water.

There's not much to see on the way up though, and you also have to walk all the way back down.  So, unless you're really craving some sweaty exercise, I definitely recommend driving.  

Once at the top, you have a 360 degree view of the island and surrounding lagoon.  It's quite cool to see the difference in water color between the inner and outer lagoon.

I recommend buying some food / drinks, and having a nice picnic at the Piraki Lookout area.  There's a nice flat, grassy area to sit.  It can get hot though, and there's just one tree for shade.

4. Try Some Local Foods & Restaurants

One of the best things about travelling is trying different local foods and restaurants.

In Aitutaki, you can find the typical Western fare like burgers, fries, fish & chips, etc.  

You can also find some more local foods like ika mata (marinated raw fish), chicken rice, fish curries, and ota (steamed arrowroot cake; not sure about the spelling).  Cook Islands also has its own soda brand called Vaiora.

For a tourist friendly restaurant that serves some local fusion food, I recommend Avatea Cafe (Google Map ).   It's an upscale / instagrammy type shop that caters mainly to tourists.  The food is a bit pricey, but tastes good:

For a cheaper option, I recommend going to local favourite Odee'z.  They have standard fast food like burgers, fish & chips, etc, as well some local foods like ika mata.  Some of the burgers are absolutely HUGE.  We went there a few times, and I was always extremely full afterwards.  Their service can be very slow though, so be prepared to wait.  Great sunset too.

To save more money, you should go check out some of the local supermarkets / convenience stores.  In the morning, many of them sell home cooked lunch boxes like chicken rice, curry, etc.  You can get a very satisfying meal for around $10.  You can also buy some local baked goods like coconut buns, and banana bread.

A couple recommended supermarket/convenience stores are Tina's on the west coast, and Nei Baa's on the east coast.

5. Snorkelling from the Beach

One of the best things about Aitutaki is that there is great snorkelling right from the beach.

Just get some snorkelling gear (our accommodation provided), walk to the beach, and dive in.

Some areas are probably more suitable than others, so make sure you ask your accommodation or some locals for recommendations.

The beach right in front of our place (Matriki Beach Huts) was fantastic.  There was plenty of small fish, and coral life.  About 100m out was a giant clam!

The only downside of the beachside is that there are a ton of sea cucumbers everywhere.  If they gross you out (like they did to my girlfriend), then you might want to avoid some areas.

6.  Chill

Just chill man.  

Take a long walk on the beach.  Snap some photos.  Check out the hermit crabs. Watch the sunset.  Grab a drink, find a shady spot, sit back and chill~~~

😎

Other things to do

Here are some things that seemed interesting, but I didn't get to do.  Maybe next time:

Kiteboarding at Honeymoon Island

Apparently, Honeymoon Island is one of the best kiteboarding spots in the world.  It looks like fun.  Check out these two companies: South Pacific, Wet & Wild

Aitutaki Cultural Show

Every Thursday, there's a cultural show at Tamanu Beach Hotel.  There's singing, dancing, and fire-dancing to go along with a buffet dinner and drinks.  

It's not really my thing, although some people said it was quite good.  Check out details here.

Check out the Local Market

On the weekend, there's a local market in town.  I can't remember if it was on Saturday or Sunday, but it would have been interesting to check out.

Golf

There's a tiny golf course on Aitutaki, right next to the airport (Google map link).  

It doesn't look amazing or anything, but it would be cool to say you golfed in Aitutaki. 😛

Scuba Diving

The sea life in and around Aitutaki is amazing, so there's definitely some fantastic diving spots.  You can see turtles, rays, all sorts of tropical fish, and if you're lucky...whales!

A dive trip was a bit out of budget this time, but I would definitely love to go if I have the chance next time.

There seems to be only one specialty dive shop on the island. It's called Bubbles Below

Other Aitutaki FAQ

How long to stay in Aitutaki?

You should definitely stay at least 3 nights.  

One full day can be spent doing the Lagoon Cruise in the morning and relaxing in the evening.  Another full day can be spent exploring the island on motorcycle (maybe go up Mount Maungapu).  You will still have plenty of time to just chill, or do some beach snorkelling.

At bare minimum, I would say 2 nights, though it may feel a bit rushed.  Who wants to feel rushed on holiday?

Is it better to stay in Rarotonga or Aitutaki?

Aitutaki is far superior to Rarotonga (in my opinion).  The people are friendlier, the environment is cleaner, and the overall vibe is just more relaxed.

Rarotonga feels a bit too commercial and rushed after staying in Aitutaki.

Can you catch a boat from Rarotonga to Aitutaki?

No, you can not catch a boat from Rarotonga to Aitutaki, unless you perhaps work on the freight ship.

Tourists need to fly from Raro to Aitutaki.

Which month is best for Aitutaki?

The best months to visit Aitutaki are in the winter months of June to August (Southern hemisphere).

The summer months (December, January, February, March) are hot, humid, and rainy.  Most people avoid this time though, so prices would be much cheaper.

Check out this Lonely Planet guide for more info.

We went in July, and it was awesome.  

Which side of Aitutaki is best?

Depends on what you're looking for.  If you want all-inclusive, luxury resort life, then you can stay in the tourist area at the northeast corner of the island (i.e. the Aitutaki Lagoon Private Island Resort and others).

If you want comfort with a bit more local feel, then you should stay somewhere on the west coast.  There's also some really nice hotels there if you can afford it.

Do I need a car on Aitutaki? Can you drive around Aitutaki?

It is definitely recommended to rent a motorbike or car to get around Aitutaki.

A motorbike/scooter is much more fun (and cheaper), but if you think it's too dangerous, then just rent a car.

Aitutaki is not really walkable, and there's no public transportation.

Summary

It's been over one year since I was in Aitutaki.  Time flies.

The beautiful water, beaches, and peaceful island vibe is still burned clearly in my mind.  I may never get a chance to go back, so I'm super glad I managed to go when I could.  Thanks to my girlfriend for bringing me.

If you are in NZ or Australia, I definitely recommend making the trip over to the Aitutaki.

It's worth it.