Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Situated in the midst of the South Pacific, the Cook Islands represent the quintessential island vacation. The region offers a host of outdoor activities for adventurous travelers, as well as laid-back events for more relaxed tourists.
The Cook Islands, a former New Zealand territory, continues to use New Zealand currency as its legal tender. In addition to the New Zealand currency, some coins are only valid in the Cook Islands. Many Cook Islands commemorative coins have been designed and are in circulation.
The Cook Islands are comprised of 15 islands, divided into a northern group and a southern group, in the South Pacific Ocean. Tourism is the primary industry, and it drives the Cook Islands' economy.
Trying to pin down the location of Cook Island is more difficult than pulling out an atlas and looking through the index. It's not that Cook Island is hard to find--it's just that there is more than one. In fact, there are three places in the world called Cook Island, and one group of islands called the Cook Islands. So the question to ask before asking 'Where is Cook Island?' is 'Which Cook Island?'
Rarotonga is the most populated island in the Cook Islands, a group of 15 islands in the South Pacific that have a free association with New Zealand. Avarua, the biggest town on Rarotonga, is considered the capital of the Cook Islands. Most visitors who come to Rarotonga appreciate that it is not as touristy as many of the other destination islands in the South Pacific, such as Hawaii or Tahiti.
The Cook Islands are one of the most geographically isolated places in the world. About as far to the equator as Hawaii, the Cook Islands offer visitors unparalleled opportunities for relaxation and leisure activities. But the islands are also home to a distinct Polynesian population with regional differences highlighted from one island to the next.
Hawaii has a history unlike any other of the states. Its geographical features are just as unique as its history and make a visit to Hawaii unlike a visit anywhere else. Each one of the main islands was formed by a different volcano and has something different to offer, from surf beaches to river rafting.
