How to spend a perfect day in Aitutaki

There was one diner in town, just pulling its blinds down as we pulled up on our bikes.

They were friendly but closed, recommending a place down the road. They said a name that sounded like Aquila. ‘It’s candy-coloured. You can’t miss it, it’s the only candy-coloured shop you’ll see.’

It wasn’t. The first candy-coloured shop was tiny; it was either freakishly overpriced cereal or instant noodles. Ravenously hungry, we were pretty happy with the noodles.

Racing back to our hotel, precious noodles in Phill’s backpack, it started pouring with rain and we had to scramble to shelter at the next shop we passed. This one was bigger, more colourfully painted, flanked by stripey columns… oh. Realisation dawned as we spotted the fast food hatch and crowd of elderly tourists, flamboyantly drying off after a two-metre walk from their rental car.

The Cook Islands mama was full of apology for a shortage of burger bread, offering sliced white instead and knocking $2 off our bill, but honestly the burgers were better that way – perfectly grilled, dripping in cheese and topped with a beetroot salad that has forever changed how we like our burgers.

It was the only ‘free’ day in our itinerary (crazy how scheduled activities can eat into your lying around time. More on those in my Aitutaki guide if you like that sort of thing). We’d had a slow breakfast beside the pool and a few hours lying on the beach, reading. We were staying at Etu Moana, which we loved. It’s on a quiet stretch of beach and somehow both rustic and luxurious.

Aitutaki is beautiful – peaceful, palm-fringed and turquoise lagoon-ringed – and I couldn’t get enough of it. We borrowed bikes from Etu Moana and made our way down the coast (there are a few places to rent bicycles if needed – try Rino’s Rentals or ask at your accommodation). I’m the most awkward, insecure cyclist ever, but even I loved cycling in Aitutaki.

Downpour over, we parked the bikes and walked up to Maunga Pu – only 124m (407ft) but the highest peak on Aitutaki, it took about 20 minutes to reach the top. There’s a track immediately opposite Paradise Cove on the northwest side of the island, heading inland from the main road. This leads up to a cluster of telephone or electrical posts, and further along there’s a water tank and a picnic table.

From here you can follow the track south, effectively walking along Aitutaki’s spine to the Piraki lookout for more great views. Take the next road leading down to your right to rejoin the main road.

You can drive to both lookout points, but the hike was fun. Not difficult, just strenuous enough to break a sweat and absolve any laziness guilt. And it’s interesting to see Aitutaki’s interior, which is part farmland, part tropical jungle and part residential garden.

If you’re still feeling active, cycle or scooter over to Ootu. I strongly recommend the latter – the day we biked it, there was a strong westward wind that made it painfully hard work. The road is flat but exposed. You’ll follow the road alongside the runway, then down to the end of Aitutaki’s eastern peninsula.

Past the popular Koru Cafe, you’ll arrive at Ootu beach. It’s not big, but the view is breathtaking – looking out at that lagoon, it’s more postcard-perfect than the beaches on the west side of Aitutaki. Grab a couple of hipster beers at the Blue Lagoon Restaurant & Bar, and just sit. Wade out across the sandbanks and marvel at the sense that you’re walking on water.

Blue Lagoon is part of Aitutaki Village, a mid-range resort. It used to be called Samade on the Beach, which confused the heck out of us when people recommended it but we couldn’t find it anywhere. It ended up becoming our favourite spot for drinks and a light lunch.

(Pics below are from a lagoon tour, but the view from Ootu is similar!)

Another long bike ride back to Etu Moana (wind at our backs this time! phew), and our final mistake of the day.

Now don’t get me wrong, island nights are an essential experience in the Cook Islands. It’s usually a feast of traditional food followed by a dance show, maybe fire dancing, and the obligatory ‘get the tourists up to embarass themselves!’ moment. We went to one in Rarotonga and loved it. And we’d been told Tamanu Beach has the best one in Aitutaki.

It didn’t help that they forgot to call our table up to the buffet. Finally sick of waiting, we had the pick of scraps and weird things no one else wanted, including something gelatinous and brown that looked like raw marinated beef but tasted like banana. Seriously, there’s no relief like biting into something and discovering it’s not raw meat.

No matter, we were looking forward to seeing Polynesian dancing for the first time. Our expectations plummeted when a row of schoolchildren in inappropriately skimpy outfits filed out. They all looked so serious while swinging their hips it was awkward. We dubbed one of the boys Left Shark. I mean I’m sure they’re very talented 10-year-olds, but we’d basically just paid $150 to watch a school play.

It was probably an off night. Tamanu’s posters advertise fire dancing, so maybe they usually have it (probably a health and safety thing because of the 10-year-olds). We had fun anyway, and all the locals in the audience seemed to be enjoying it, so I guess we can call it an authentic experience.

My advice though? Go to Puffy’s for fish and chips, or get a takeaway from Koru Cafe and have dinner on your deck, watching the sunset and listening to the distant roar of the reef.

Or alternatively… there’s the Aitutaki day tour

Personally I think a perfect Aitutaki day is aimless and spontaneous, but if you’re short on time, you can fly there from Rarotonga, take a day tour and fly back in the same day. You’ll miss out on soaking up the feel of the place, but the lagoon and its islands are easily the most visually impressive thing about Aitutaki, so it’s better than nothing.

Find out more in the Ultimate Guide to Aitutaki.