Why the Cook Islands should be on every bucket list

03/03/25 • 14 min

The Cook Islands are a very long way from anywhere unless you happen to live in New Zealand...and even then they’re a three and a half hour plane journey away. So how do you persuade people from the UK, Europe and the USA to discover this remote South Pacific Paradise? That’s the challenge facing Robert Skews every day as he promotes the Islands through his Cook Islands’ businesses ‘Island Hopper Vacations’ and the ‘Turama Pacific Travel Group’.

His focus is very much on the Northern hemisphere market and in this episode he explains why the Islands should be on everyone’s bucket list wherever they live... and even if the Islands are “around the corner from nowhere” (the title of my book about the Cooks, by the way). He explains what makes them so special and how they’re offering a unique experience.

Robert was part of a small team promoting the islands to key tour operators in the UK, Europe and the US when I caught up with him, and he was joined on his mission by colleague Stephen Doherty. In a answers to some quick fire questions, the pair also provide a very personal view on the place they call home and why they want to share it with the world.

ABOUT ME
I'm a retired BBC radio and TV journalist and presenter who's been having a long distance love affair with the Cook Islands for nearly 40 years and I've featured in media worldwide as an acknowledged expert on this remote islands nation. CONTACT ME if you'd like to sponsor this podcast or just want to ask questions about the Cook Islands. Email kiaoranawebsiteauthor(at)cookislands.org.uk (Replace “at” with @)

MY BOOK ABOUT THE ISLANDS
Whether you're planning a visit or just armchair travelling, you'll discover stories of buried treasure, ghostly fire, real-life Robinson Crusoes and the mafia, and a wealth of useful information. 'Around the Corner from Nowhere: The Cook Islands Rediscovered' is available as an ebook (https://getbook.at/Cook_Islands-ebook) or paperback (https://getbook.at/cookislandsbook) through Amazon. All profits are donated to dementia charities

EXPLORE ALL 15 OF THE COOK ISLANDS
My website is the most detailed guide on the net at Cook Islands complete guide. It's also THE ONLY TOTALLY INDEPENDENT GUIDE ON THE INTERNET with information about each and every one of the 15 islands

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AITUTAKI - Jewel in the Cook Islands crown

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Aitutaki is the second most visited of the Cook Islands and a picture-perfect paradise with a lagoon so blue you’d think someone had painted it that colour! Swimming or snorkelling among its colourful coral and abundant sea life is like being in a gigantic tropical fish tank. Tourism is well-developed but Aitutaki still remains unspoiled and life moves at the sort of pace the rest of the world has forgotten. It’s also easy to get to from the capital island of Rarotonga and even if you haven’t the time to stay, a day trip will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.

In this edition of Kukicast, Aitutaki’s Mayor Nick Henry shares his unique insight into the island. He talks about memorable attractions like whale watching, swimming among giant clams and an abundance of turtles and how best to explore that beautiful lagoon. And he also shares his thoughts on ethical tourism, work to protect the island from the worst effects of climate change and about the controversial plans to mine the seabed around the Cooks for rare minerals. This is a fascinating look at a true wonder of the travel world – a place a good few books say everyone should visit before they die.

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Hold the front page!

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Meet the man who knows more about the Cook Islands than nearly anyone else...because it’s his job to know. Rashneel Kumar is the editor of ‘Cook Islands News’, the six days a week national newspaper. It’s a must read for thousands of islanders and many more overseas who keep up with what’s happening through its on-line edition. Rashneel talks about what’s involved in his day job and the challenges of reporting a nation of 15 islands spread across nearly 2 million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean where more than 1,400 kms separates the island furthest north from the one furthest south.

With stories like a controversial partnership agreement with China, deep sea mining plans and strained relations with New Zealand now making the front pages of his paper, he shares his thoughts on whether the Cook Islands has reached a turning point in its history. And although the Islands are one of the remotest places in the world, he provides an insight into how the Ukraine war and the Trump presidency are affecting the nation.

The paper also has a journalism charter which is a set of principles that include a commitment be being humble. Rashneel explains how that works and why it's important.

There’s a bit fun too with some quick fire questions where he tells us, among other things, about his favourite food and his top tip for visitors