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Another day in paradise
Muri Beach: you can snorkel on the reef (a marine conservation park) or walk across to the two uninhabited islands in the lagoon - or both!

Scooters are the main form of transport. Tourists need a Cook Islands driving licence (NZ$10) from police headquarters in town. You'll also have to take a short test - to prove you know how to go round a roundabout!

Rarotonga is the largest of the Cook Islands and the capital, Avarua is the main commercial and administrative centre. Early Polynesian settlers found the island by sailing raro (down) and tonga (to the south) of French Polynesia. Air New Zealand finds it every day now with flights into the island from Auckland and Los Angeles. And as soon as you step off the plane, you know you've arrived somewhere very special.

A straw hatted Islander stands in the corner of the church hall sized arrivals area in Rarotonga airport strumming Polynesian love songs on a banjo, as you queue up (very short queues!) to get your passport stamped. Immigration are efficient but very friendly, welcoming you with words that quickly become familiar because everyone greets you with them... "kia orana" meaning "may you live long".

Cook's Island Bus is an inexpensive way of getting round. It goes right roumd the island, stops almost anywhere you want to get on or off...and you only need to decide if you want to go clockwise or anti-clockwise.