Includes details on:
What to see & do - Recreation & Sports - Entertainment
&Nightlife; - Where to stay - Where to eat - History & Culture -
Practical Tips - Plus 22 maps - 40 full color plates - dozens of B&W;
photos & drawings
Some feedback:
"Of all the guidebooks available, by far the best is
Cook Islands
Companion. It's all you'll need."
Zeke Wigglesworth, San
Jose Mercury
"Elliot Smith's Cook Island Companion is
recommended for those who want more detailed information." David
Stanley, South Pacific Handbook
"We couldn't get along without it! It's really the "Bible"
for anyone going to the Cook Islands." , Tammy Courtney,
Uniglobe Travel, Eugene, Oregon
"Anyone planning to visit should include this one. It's
honest, informative and so much fun to read!" Bud Bendix, Pacific
Magazine
"We planned out wedding in the Cooks, so we read the
Companion and Lonely Planet's guide. Then we bought 27 more
copies of the Companion for our wedding party!" Tad Ripley,
Seattle, Washington
"What's on in the Cook Islands 2000 (soon
2001)" $5 (US)
When you arrive in the Cooks, your guide to your vacation will be
this small tourist guide. Here's your chance to get it before you
travel.
CONTENTS
Visitor Information
Cultural & Natural Heritage
What to see
Festival & special events
Sports, treks & sailing
Diving & fishing
Getting around
Eating out & nightlife
Shopping
Island fashions, arts & crafts
Pearls
Food & liquor supplies
Services, clubs & communications
Where to stay in Rarotonga
Aitutaki
The Outer Islands
For information on festivals and special events,
click here.
Cook Island Connection Info FREE
This is a copy of the rates we can offer and some of our current
recommendations for your holiday.
To place an order:
(U.S. & Canada) Send a check to Jim Bruce, P.O. Box
10656, Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761 USA
Combination of all three is $18 (US)
General
Information
WHY YOU WILL ENJOY THE COOK ISLANDS
Rarotonga today is like Maui of 40 years ago. Tourism is young.
Rarotonga and the other Cook Islands are unspoiled and non
commercialized. Lush tropical growth, flowers, ferns, white sandy
beaches, blue lagoons, waves breaking over the reef, fish, sunsets
and starry nights will fill your memories.
There are no elaborate hotels, no ridiculously expensive restaurants
and not one traffic light. Instead, you will find a true South
Pacific paradise, with beautiful, friendly people who are happy to
welcome you. Their greeting is Kia Orana (key-o-rah-na),
meaning "Here's Life". In the Islands you will come
to know what this means.
HISTORY AND A LITTLE ABOUT THE PEOPLE
The Cook Islands include both volcanic islands and coral atolls. The
Cook Island Maori (native) is Polynesian as are the natives of New
Zealand, Tahiti and Hawaii. They migrated through the South Pacific
during the 7th and 8th centuries.
The country is named after Captain James Cook who was the first
European explorer to sight the island of Atiu. The Cook Islands have
been an independent nation for 26 years with a parliamentary
government. They are a protectorate of New Zealand. The people speak
Cook Island Maori and English.
The Islanders have preserved much of their culture. Religion is an
important part of life in the Cooks and the churches have had a vital
role in keeping the culture alive and thriving. As a visitor you will
find the Cook Island culture fascinating.
FOOD - What
and where to eat
Prepare to enjoy the foods of Polynesia. A wide variety of fresh
seafood, tropical fruits, chicken, coconut, pork, fresh vegetables
and New Zealand lamb.
Trader Jacks
(perfectly located on the water in Avarua), Portofino, P.J.'s,
Ronnies and the Cook Corner Cafe are just a few of the fun
restaurants. The prices, you will be delighted to find, are
very reasonable. Some restaurants are open on Sunday;
otherwise, most are closed on Sunday except for the hotels.You may
cook your own meals if your unit has a kitchen. It's fun to shop for
your supplies in the island stores. You'll be surprised to find
different groceries available.
Rarotonga brews its own beer, Cooks Lager, which you will enjoy. A
large variety of beer, wine and liquor are also available (including
Jack Daniels).
WHO'S WHO - Yesterday & Today
The Present is the past!
Who knows these two young guys??
Probably just a couple of Yatchies!!!
Great
Reading by Don Silk - "From Kauri Trees to Sunlit
Seas"
MONEY - CURRENCY - BANKING
Avarua, the capital, has full service banking, e.g.
WestPac
Bank. You can change money at the airport and at most hotels. The
Cook Islands have their own very interesting currencies and coins
(only exchangeable in the Cooks) which are interchangeable with the
New Zealand dollar. The dollar coin, two dollar coin, and three
dollar bill are popular souvenirs. The Cooks also have offshore
banking facilities. Most credit cards are accepted throughout the
Islands.
EXCHANGE RATES
SITE
TRANSPORTATION
Bus
Schedule
WEATHER AND CLIMATE
The Cooks are a group of 15 islands below the Equator, 2,600 miles
south of Hawaii. They lie midway between Tahiti on the east and Samoa
and Tonga on the west. The southern Cooks are 7 islands between
17° and 22° south of the Equator. Rarotonga, the largest
island and the capital, is 21° south of the Equator, just as
Maui is 21° north of the Equator. The climates are similar.
Weather in Rarotonga and the Southern Islands
"Today
Forecast"
|
|
Temperature (F)
|
Hours of
|
Rain
|
|
|
High
|
Low
|
Sunshine
|
in inches
|
|
January
|
84
|
73
|
179
|
10.0
|
|
February
|
84
|
73
|
171
|
8.8
|
|
March
|
84
|
73
|
181
|
10.0
|
|
April
|
83
|
72
|
174
|
7.0
|
|
May
|
80
|
69
|
162
|
6.8
|
|
June
|
75
|
67
|
160
|
4.2
|
|
July
|
77
|
65
|
177
|
3.7
|
|
August
|
75
|
65
|
182
|
4.9
|
|
September
|
77
|
66
|
177
|
3.9
|
|
October
|
79
|
68
|
185
|
5.1
|
|
November
|
81
|
70
|
178
|
5.6
|
|
December
|
82
|
71
|
181
|
9.1
|
6.7 inches of rain average per month - 80 inches per year
Jim Bruce, P.O. Box 10656, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, USA
96761
Phone (808)661-0571 - Fax (808)667-7639
E-mail
Jim with your questions, suggestions or comments
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