Money and payments
Cards and cash
There are a handful of ATMs in Rarotonga and two on Aitutaki.
Tipping
Like New Zealand, tipping is quite unusual in the Cook Islands – better to graciously thank the person for their service or hospitality.
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Oceania · PolynesiaOutline guideCountry in the South Pacific Ocean
Photo: User: (WT-shared) TVerBeek at wts wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Cook Islands is an island country in free association with New Zealand, located in Polynesia, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. It is an archipelago of 15 islands spread over 2.2 million km2 of ocean.
Answers to what travellers most often look up about Cook Islands.
Cards and cash
There are a handful of ATMs in Rarotonga and two on Aitutaki.
Tipping
Like New Zealand, tipping is quite unusual in the Cook Islands – better to graciously thank the person for their service or hospitality.
English, Cook Islands Māori
There are five living languages in the Cook Islands with English and Cook Islands Māori the official languages.
Tap water is not safe to drink.
Medical and hospital facilities on Rarotonga are limited and serious cases will most likely require medical evacuation to Auckland for treatment. Facilities on the outer islands are extremely limited.
Like New Zealand, tipping is quite unusual in the Cook Islands – better to graciously thank the person for their service or hospitality.
Attractions, food, stays and travel essentials, with ratings, reviews, opening hours and directions.
Low coral atolls close to the equator. The islands are sparsely inhabited and difficult to travel to.
Mostly volcanic and hilly islands, with a few atolls. These islands host most of the population and include the two main destination islands of Rarotonga and Aitutaki.
Public transport and paid services in Cook Islands.
By boat
The intrepid traveller can visit all inhabited islands by inter-island freighters, but these can be weeks apart or worse if you want to get the really remote islands.
Apps for booking a taxi or a ride in Cook Islands.
Finding apps for Cook Islands…
Operators checked against their official websites in October 2026; services that have stopped running are not listed. Logos and Wikipedia links: Wikidata (CC0)
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Avarua · International · RAR
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Calculated from climate averages: mild daytime highs and lower rainfall. It does not account for festivals, crowds or prices.
Average conditions in Avarua
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. high | 27° | 27° | 27° | 27° | 26° | 25° | 24° | 24° | 24° | 24° | 25° | 26° |
| Avg. low | 26° | 26° | 27° | 26° | 25° | 24° | 23° | 23° | 23° | 24° | 24° | 25° |
| Rainfall (mm) | 195 | 202 | 198 | 166 | 150 | 62 | 77 | 63 | 83 | 95 | 144 | 175 |
| Humidity | 82% | 81% | 81% | 80% | 79% | 78% | 78% | 78% | 79% | 79% | 81% | 82% |
Choose your passport and destination to see whether you need a visa.
We do not label countries as safe or unsafe. Below is the official advice from two governments, with the date it was last updated. Always read the full advice before you travel.
US Department of State
No advisory found from this source.
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
No advice against travel. Read the full advice before you go.
Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: see general advice for women travellers read our guide on disability and travel abroad see general advice for LGBT+ travellers read about safety for solo and independent travel see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad Travel insurance If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. About FCDO travel advice The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice. Get travel advice updates Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. Follow FCDO: travel advice on X travel advice on Facebook Travel Aware on Instagram
Stories, itineraries and practical advice for travelling in Cook Islands.
Travel tipsRather than buying separate flights from one destination to another, a flexible and sometimes cheaper way of international travel is via Round the world (RTW) tickets.
Wikivoyage
Culture & historyMany people who travel to New Zealand and the Cook Islands are interested in experiencing and learning about Maori culture, the customs and traditions of their indigenous people.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsA motel, short for motor hotel, is self-contained travel accommodation adapted for people who are travelling by car.
Wikivoyage
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