Aitutaki wins Oceania’s best island destination… and we love it!

The World Travel Awards named Aitutaki as Oceania’s Leading Island Destination for 2022, at a grand gala event in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. For the unaware, Aitutaki is one of the 15 which make up Cook Islands – but that’s such a bare-bones definition. From the air, the Aitutaki lagoon forms one of the most beautiful scenic spectacles in the world. Surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean, the lagoon is a bright electric blue, with powdery white sand beaches and forest green of volcanic mountains.

Where is Aitutaki?

Aitutaki is just 220 kilometres away from the main island of Rarotonga, or a domestic flight of just under an hour. Spread over just 18 square kilometres, Aitutaki has its own constellation of 15 islets or ‘motus’. The island has an elevation of just above 400 metres, so hiking the hill of Maunga Pui rewards travellers with jaw-dropping visuals of the clearest blue waters, swathes of white sandbars and the endless deep blue of the Pacific.

Winning the Leading Destination crown – Aitutaki, Cook Islands

It edged out Bora Bora, which had been winning the category for the last three years. Besides this prestigious title, Cook Islands also took home two more pole positions for the Leading Boutique Resort (Pacific Resort Rarotonga) and Leading Resort (Pacific Resort Aitutaki). What a trifecta, we say. Domestically, the Little Polynesian Resort in Rarotonga took home the title of Cook Islands’ Leading Boutique Hotel, while Cook Islands’ Leading Resort for 2022 was, yes Pacific Resort Aitutaki again! The Te Manava Luxury Villas & Spa in Rarotonga was crowned as the island destination’s Leading Villa Resort for this year.

Aitutaki – Cook Islands Holiday Packages

As Cook Islands is fully open for tourism and happy travellers, our South Pacific Specialists are all too happy to tailor bespoke Aitutaki holidays and Cook Islands holiday packages. Check out our Hot Deals section for Cook Islands, they’re always updated with the season’s freshest deals showcasing the best of family-friendly resorts, adults-only escapes, and experiential luxury itineraries. Want to do some research about your new favourite destination? Head this way to our Cook Islands blog posts and articles!