r/CookIslands

I recently visited Rarotonga and loved it, no surprises.

There was a sign at my accommodation that described the dogs that can be seen all around not as strays but as 'wandering dogs', explaining that they have homes and owners but are allowed to roam around rather than being fenced up.

We only had good experiences of the dogs while we were there. We were approached on the beaches and while seated eating in outdoor areas by lovely friendly dogs who happily accepted our pats. Some looked very loved (well fed)! Particularly a couple of rotund ones at Tiare's! We laughed as we pondered what could be a better life than being a dog swimming in a beautiful lagoon as he pleases.

I won't claim to understand the nuances that may apply to living with dogs in this way, having only visited for a week, but I felt safer around dogs in Rarotonga than I would in many areas of NZ. It was one of the many good memories of our trip.

Hey cook islands team!

I have been tasked with the all important job of planning my honeymoon for March/April 2027.

I have been so absorbed in the thing - I feel like I've lost sight of what we need / what we want / what is important to us and now I'm in the horrible stage of trying to lock in our accommodation and I cannot decide.

Back story for us (the couple).

We own a restaurant so food and drink hold a special place in our hearts. We love great food including simple food, we aren't snobs. We just like quality food and don't care about price. In terms of rank, lunch and dinner are as important as each other. Breakfast can be good without being crazy.

We love a good cocktail and a decent wine so I'd love not to be stuck with somewhere that doesn't have variety. We do love to sit by the pool for a few hours in the afternoon / evening and have a few drinks.

We don't care about flashy or showmanship, but we care about clean. We couldn't give two rats if someone calls us by our name but if they can't clean the bathroom properly or the linen is dirty it's game over. If you asked us if modern mattered we would both say. If it's modern and dirty then no, if it's old and clean then we will take it.

We would love somewhere that is calm but we also understand that having some kids run around is part of humanity and sometimes that contagious laughter they have adds to atomosphere. Do we want a million kids doing bombs in a pool or throwing balls. No. But doesn't it need to be an all exclusive adults resort. Also no.

We love abit of shopping and night life so having options to walk around to and restaurants or bars to have a drink at is a huge positive.

While we might some something's like snorkeling or paddle boarding and stuff. This trip is about spending time together and also relaxing after a chaotic week. So it's not essential that those amenities are provided. We would happily pay for what we use if we want.

We are looking at spending 4/5 nights in raratonga and 3 / 4 nights in Aitutaki.

For budget we aren't rich but we also don't have any kids and this would be our last big splurge before we go down that track. So while we cannot afford 2000 a night. I'm also not looking for a budget friendly option. If it ticks the boxes I'm happy.

I would love to hear some real world recommendations from like minded people who have either found the good, the bad or even the ugly.