COOK ISLANDS LINKS
Personal Recommendations
Personal Recommendations
Type the words "Cook Islands" into the Google search engine and you'll discover there are about 60 million listings. It feels sometimes like I've visited all of them! The purpose of this page is to suggest some of the most interesting and useful sites. They're not all Cook Islands specific, but they're included here because they have very useful information about the Islands within them. If you've got a site which you think belongs in this list, send me an email.
NOTE: ALL LINKS OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW OR TAB
Oyster Internet Portal - The internet service provider in the islands
University of the South Pacific - the islands are one of 12 member countries
Tipani Tours - Cook Islands based travel company with 30 years experience
Estate (realty) agents in Rarotonga - if you're thinking of buying a business or property
Jetsave Travel in Rarotonga can organise wedding, honeymoon, sightseeing and outer island packages. Their site also includes a guide to the islands and details of Rarotonga accommodation, Aitutaki accommodation and Atiu accommodation. While this site does not endorse or recommend any commercial operators, Jetsave get a special mention as local experts.
University of the South Pacific - the islands are one of 12 member countries
Tipani Tours - Cook Islands based travel company with 30 years experience
Estate (realty) agents in Rarotonga - if you're thinking of buying a business or property
Jetsave Travel in Rarotonga can organise wedding, honeymoon, sightseeing and outer island packages. Their site also includes a guide to the islands and details of Rarotonga accommodation, Aitutaki accommodation and Atiu accommodation. While this site does not endorse or recommend any commercial operators, Jetsave get a special mention as local experts.
ISLAND SEARCH is a similarly remarkable resource because it only features islands. You can find out more about the Cook Islands by clicking here to go directly to the site's section about them. Or if you click here, you'll go to the home page and discover more islands than you ever knew existed. A fantastic site with loads of useful information.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EXPLORE NEXT?
WEB LINKS SOURCES OF INFORMATION ESSENTIALS FOR THE TRAVELLER
OR TAILOR MAKE YOUR OWN TOUR USING THE MENU ON THE LEFT
WEB LINKS SOURCES OF INFORMATION ESSENTIALS FOR THE TRAVELLER
OR TAILOR MAKE YOUR OWN TOUR USING THE MENU ON THE LEFT
...is a fantastic on line resource from the National Library of New Zealand. Its official purpose is "to provide a subject gateway to selected New Zealand and Pacific Island Internet information resources that help libraries, their users, and all New Zealanders meet their professional, educational, cultural and personal information needs". Clicking here will take you to the Cook Islands section.
The Cook Islands are a photographer's paradise, and if you need inspiration on what to capture on film, take a look at Pacific Pictures.com. It features a collection of superb shots taken all over the Pacific by travel writer, David Stanley while researching his Moon Handbooks (also a highly recommended read even if you're only an armchair traveller). Find our more about David's guides to the Cook Islands.
Summerfield Systems is a business solutions IT company in Rarotonga whose credits include the web sites of Air Rarotonga, and the Islands' Government, Ports Authority and Tourism Corporation. It's very impressive work, as is a photo gallery which features the work of two of their staff. There are stunning photos of the Islands, some of which you'll also find on this website as they've kindly allowed me to use them. Highly recommended.
GLOBAL ISLANDS NETWORK is one of the most interesting and useful web sites I've found in a long time. It's a non-profit organisation which aims to advance the interests of islanders and islands. And it's full of links, resources and news about islands everywhere in the world, including the Cooks. The international links are a particularly valuable source of information about organisations involved in helping islands and islanders. Strongly recommended.
For a wider view of life in the region, have a look at the online edition of PACIFIC MAGAZINE. There are frequent features about the Cook Islands and daily news reports from around the Pacific.
The Kwai Project is a fascinating venture to develop a sailing ship which will not only trade between Hawaii and the Cook Islands, but also offer the chance to sail to some of the least accessible parts of the group. Penrhyn, Manihiki and the previously all but impossible to reach Pukapuka are on its itinerary. Crew and passengers work the ship according to their abilities and take part in the adventurous schooner trading lifestyle.
REFERENCE SITES
The Islands are teeming with wild and marine life and plants, and the Biodiversity website has meticulously documented about 4,200 species. But their work isn't over yet...they think another 3,000 still need to be recorded. In my view, this is one of the most amazing pieces of work on the internet and fascinating to browse, even if you just look at the wonderful pictures.
The Cook Islands Government have a number of sites which provide a wide range of information about the islands, its people and parliament. The main site is mostly about the politicians and departments of state, but there are links to specific specialist sites such as the Ministry of Cultural Development and the Statistics Office who publish information about tourist numbers and the census returns. The pages don't seem to be updated much, but still look on it as a defnitive source of information.
INFORMATION ABOUT ISLANDS
SAILING
The definitive source of practical information for crusing sailors is Noonsite. Click here for their specialist expertise about the Cook Islands.
The other essential source of information for anyone planning to sail around the Islands is the Cook Islands Ports Authority. Their site includes a downloadable cruising yacht guide.
PHOTOGRAPHS
READ ALL ABOUT IT
It's the "must read" in Rarotonga. This is the online edition of the 6 days a week newspaper, Cook Islands News. And you can also read a specially created summary of the main stories each week on this website by clicking here.
The Islands' other newspaper, the Herald also has an on line edition and included in the pages are its weekly sister paper, the Cook Islands Times.
BEST OF THE REST
As a non-commercial site, I don't normally provide links to commercial ventures...but in this case I want to make an exception.
The production of noni juice is vital source of income for islanders and I've found a supplier in the UK who, through his company, is helping to increase that income and at the same time keeping true to the product quality that is so important to the Islanders themselves...100% undiluted and organic. Rob Hadley's Nature's Products not only supply genuine Cook Islands juice but also a host of other products based around it.
One of the questions I'm most often asked is "can you tell me how I get a job in the Islands?" The answer is "no" I can't, but I can suggest a web site which may be able to help. South Pacific Employment specialises in job opportunities in the region. Click here to go to their Cook Islands section.
