Mauke - the most easterly of the Cook Islands is about 45 minutes flying time from the capital island, Rarotonga - but a world away in terms of lifestyle. There are few tourists...I was the only one on the island when I visited. Everyone has time to stop and chat or at the very least give you a friendly wave, and the islanders are justly proud of a beautiful home. Some call it the garden of the Cook Islands. I would say simply...Mauke is magical.
The welcome is the warmest I've ever received at an airport. Expect to be mobbed by children, keen to try their hand with your digital camera!
Pigs, chickens and goats are everywhere. And in the half light before dawn, even the persistent pounding of the ocean is drowned by a cacophony of cockerels telling you it's time to get up and discover more of Mauke.
Give way to what? I counted four signs like this. With only 17 motor vehicles and the occasional moped, walking's a pleasure. The roads are made of crushed coral, and with no street lights that also makes them easier to see at night.
Churches are many and various. The Seventh Day Adventist Church (left) was built with funding help from a UK couple. But by far the most unusual is the "Divided Church" (centre). Find out why and explore it further
The coastline is rugged...razor sharp fossilised coral called makatea forms a ring around the island. The interior, meanwhile, has a beauty and secrets all of its own. Explore more of Mauke and meet some of the islanders.
Personal Impressions
POINTERS TO PARADISE:
MAUKE ACCOMMODATION MAUKE VIDEO SITE MAP HOME SURPRISE ME!
OR FIND YOUR OWN PIECE OF PARADISE USING THE MENU ON THE LEFT
MAUKE ACCOMMODATION MAUKE VIDEO SITE MAP HOME SURPRISE ME!
OR FIND YOUR OWN PIECE OF PARADISE USING THE MENU ON THE LEFT
