IT IS ABOUT TO BE LEGENDARY
HOME
TO THE WORLD’S
MOST STUNNING
LAGOON
THE MAGIC HISTORY STARTS HERE
Legend has it that the Island was first discovered by the Polynesian voyager Ru. It seems certain this great Polynesian navigator and his entourage were the first settlers of Aitutaki a thousand years ago.
Disenchanted with the leadership of his home island, thought to be Tubuai in the Society Islands, Ru with his party of young men and their consorts navigated the large twin hulled vaka Ngapuariki, through days and nights of Pacific storms in search of a new homeland.
THE
MAGIC
HISTORY
STARTS
HERE
SEE THE ISLAND MIRACLES TODAY
SEE THE
ISLAND
MIRACLES
TODAY
History
Centuries later and under the command of Captain William Bligh, Aitutaki was sighted from the HMS Bounty on the 11th of April 1789, just a few days before the infamous crew mutiny led by Fletcher Christian.
During World War Two several thousand American servicemen descended on Aitutaki changing the landscape with the construction of a coral runway to provide an easterly route between Australia and Hawaii to avoid the advance of Japanese Forces. An American war correspondent wrote of Aitutaki at the time . . .
“You can’t over describe it. After the peace the War Department will have to send troops there to drag those guys home . . . it’s a soldier’s dream.”
Today
The 1950s and 60s saw Aitutaki as a stopover for TEAL Solent flying boats on the romantic ‘Coral Route’ en-route to and from Tahiti.
Travel on the Coral Route was expensive during a period when most international passengers still went by sea, and many of the worlds rich and famous stepped off onto the sands of Akaiami while the giant aircraft re-fuelled en-route between Samoa and Tahiti.
Today, Aitutaki has the modern conveniences of our era. However the stunning lagoon and availability of arable land means that every child still learns to plant and fish. Famed as the entertainers of the Cook Islands, Aitutakians still present spectacular Polynesian dances, drumming and song as they have done for centuries.
UPOKO KANGA
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Staying in Aitutaki?
The Vaka Cruise
If your holiday includes a stay on Aitutaki, please head over to The Vaka Cruise Web Site where you can book only the cruise.
Flights and accommodation
To book your flights to Aitutaki and the Hotels for your stay please visit Air Rarotonga or if you are interested in a package deal contact the Airline using their contact form.
Spend some beautiful time far from the hustle and bustle cruising aboard our Vaka the big wide turquoise of one of the world’s most beautiful lagoons. Soak up the sun and the peace and amazing views of the lagoon and soft bright white beaches, pristine nature in its best.
Our local crew is not only very knowledgeable and can give you a perfect introduction to the island’s history, local culture and legends, they are also true entertainers at heart. They will make you laugh to tears with their jokes, sarong tying and coconut husking show and general cheeky, fun loving island attitude. You can learn from them and laugh with them and when you eat, re;ax and wind down after all your adventures they will string some sweet local tunes on their ukuleles.
Visit 3 most beautiful motu (little islands) with powdery white sand or crashed white sands: Akaiami, Motu Rakau and the famed One Foot island.