The late American writer, Robert Dean Friske settled on Pukapuka in 1924 and immortalised the island in the books he wrote about it. He said at the time he was looking for a place beyond the reach of "the faintest echo from the noisy clamour of the civilised world". He found it, and to this day Pukapuka is one of the most untouched and secluded places in the Cook Islands. Traditions and culture have remained unchanged for centuries. And even with the arrival of a regular air service, the island's unlikely to be overwhelmed with tourists. The five hour flight from Rarotonga operates only once every six weeks, although Air Rarotonga includes Pukapuka in a special adventure tour of the northern islands.
