Cook Islands

With no crowds, few telephones and little commercialisation, a visit to the tropical Cook Islands is like escaping from the rest of the world.

Spread across two million sq km of the Pacific Ocean, the Cook Islands are a collection of 15 islands, varying from volcanic islands with high interiors and close-in reefs, to atolls with large turquoise lagoons and long white sandy beaches bordered by a string of motus (small islets).

Here you can laze in the sun, explore the unspoilt landscape and simply enjoy the remoteness of it all.

Scott Dunn’s highlights for the Cook Islands:

• Take a private boat trip from the island of Aitutaki and hand feed tropical fish and spot rare underwater wildlife.
• Explore Aitutaki by taking a kayak trip around its vast lagoon. Home to many uninhabited islands, the lagoon is a perfect setting to spend the day discovering the stunning shores.
• Have a personal tour guide take you around the capital Rarotonga, and gain a locals perspective on the history and culture of the Cook Islands.