Adventure Cook Islands
Aroa Beach, 0000 Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Explore Cook Islands
The Cook Islands offer a varied and intimate diving experience framed by turquoise lagoons, dramatic reef fringes and steep outer drop-offs. Divers encounter healthy coral gardens teeming with reef fish, turtles, eagle rays and occasional reef sharks; manta and large pelagic sightings happen regionally and seasonally, giving some dives a thrilling, unpredictable quality. Visibility is often excellent, and the contrast between sheltered lagoon bommies and exposed walls means both relaxed shore dives and more adventurous boat or liveaboard excursions are rewarding.rr>Dive styles here lean toward short boat trips from the main islands and convenient shore entries into calm lagoons, while outer passes and walls are best accessed by boat or day trips. Many sites feature coral pinnacles, swim-throughs and sheltered cleaning stations that attract colorful macro life as well as larger visitors—so both macro photographers and wide-angle enthusiasts find plenty to enjoy. The island chain’s remoteness adds a sense of discovery: quiet sites, low diver traffic and the chance to experience Pacific seascapes that feel uncrowded and authentic.
Power Plug Type
I
Payment Method
VISA, MC, Plus, Cir
Tipping
Tipping is not customary and generally not expected.
Airports
RAR
Currency
New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
Dial Code
+682
Electricity
Voltage: 240 V, Frequency: 50 Hz
Time
Cook Islands Standard Time (CKT) - UTC −10
Dive Centers
Dive Sites
Top Wildlife Sightings in Cook Islands
Coral reefs around the Cook Islands host abundant reef fish: parrotfish, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, grouper and snapper are common on most fringing reefs and passes. Shallow gardens hold cleaner wrasse, damselfish and lionfish; bommies and drop-offs attract large schools of fusiliers and jacks.
Seasonal highlights include green and hawksbill turtles seen year-round but more often near foraging bays; manta and eagle ray encounters peak in warmer months at cleaning stations; reef and occasional reef-associated sharks (blacktip and whitetip) are more likely near outer passes and deeper channels.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
240 Sightings
J
9
F
12
M
9
A
20
M
28
J
44
J
38
A
37
S
10
O
13
N
8
D
12
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel
104 Sightings
J
5
F
6
M
7
A
9
M
9
J
13
J
11
A
16
S
5
O
9
N
6
D
8
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 25
iStock/Juliosanjuan
Eagle Ray
77 Sightings
J
6
F
4
M
8
A
5
M
5
J
19
J
14
A
4
S
3
O
4
N
4
D
1
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse
60 Sightings
J
1
F
4
M
1
A
2
M
4
J
12
J
13
A
4
S
9
O
3
N
3
D
4
Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
Hawksbill Turtle
58 Sightings
J
5
F
1
M
2
A
6
M
6
J
8
J
9
A
13
S
0
O
5
N
3
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 27
iStock-Global_Pics
Barracuda
19 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
1
A
4
M
2
J
3
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
2
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 300
Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
Octopus
13 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
2
J
6
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
AdobeStock-Magnus
Humpback Whale
10 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
5
S
3
O
0
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 130
Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
Butterfly Fish
171 Sightings
J
16
F
5
M
11
A
16
M
14
J
12
J
37
A
17
S
18
O
10
N
8
D
7
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 90
Shutterstock-Rich Carey
Angelfish
158 Sightings
J
14
F
4
M
12
A
18
M
15
J
15
J
32
A
11
S
18
O
7
N
4
D
8
