Combine two parts perfect tropical paradise with one part Tom Hanks in Castaway (they filmed a season of “Survivor” here), and you’ll have Aitutaki. A remote, beautiful island about 150 miles from the main island of Rarotonga, Aitutaki is the South Pacific that Gauguin, Darwin and James Cook himself found – an island with beautiful beaches, warm and friendly people, and no strip malls, traffic lights, timeshares or TGIFridays. If it’s South Beach sophistication or a hedonistic nightlife you seek for your holiday, keep looking. Cocktails here often entail sipping something tasty out of a coconut while listening to the waves on the reef, and the best restaurant on the island (Café Tapuna – and it is very, very good) has a sand floor. But if you like the idea of having the beach to yourself all day, any day, or substituting traffic noise with the wind whispering through palm trees, you’ll love it here.
The reef and lagoon is the big draw to Aitutaki, and justifiably so. It’s near perfect, whether seeing it from the air or snorkeling amidst the brilliant fish and coral. Access doesn’t get any easier, either – just slip on your fins and mask, walk off your deck to the beach, wade in and start swimming. The coral starts right off shore, and the calm clear waters of the lagoon stretch out a mile or so until the reef meets the open ocean. While this is a great introduction, you’d be missing the best part if you didn’t spend one day (at least) taking a boat out to the outer reaches of the lagoon and visiting the uninhabited motu (barrier islands) on its fringe.
We hooked up with a local named Teking, who has his own charter boat to take visitors out to the best parts of the reef you can’t swim to from shore. There are many boat operators, with different kinds of tours, but Teking seemed like a good fit for us because he focused on small groups and good snorkeling. He didn’t disappoint. An Aitutaki native, Teking knows every inch of the lagoon, and took us to some amazing spots for snorkeling. We saw giant Napoleon Wrasse as big as I am (and I’m a big guy), scores of giant clams, stunning coral, and every imaginable species of tropical fish. He also set us up with a barbeque fish lunch on one of the motu, including a table literally in the water with maybe the best view you could find on the island. And a quick note about the water – I’ve snorkeled all over the world, and I’ve never seen clearer, calmer, bluer water than I found here. It’s paradise for a snorkeler.
I shouldn’t short the creature comforts available on Aitutaki, either. I love the simplicity and isolation of this place, but I really like a soft pillow and a hot shower, too. We stayed at the Pacific Resort, a 5-star resort by any standard. The property is stunning, with every room directly on or with direct access to the beach, a beautiful infinity pool, and gorgeous architecture/appointments. The service, though, is what sets Pacific Resort apart. Jason, the resident manager, greeted us personally upon arrival, and he has apparently worked tirelessly to deliver a staff that is warm, friendly and completely attuned to superior service. No request is too large, and most are anticipated. At the risk of sounding over the top, the impeccable service here almost feels heartfelt. The staff really seems to care that you are happy. One example: Ann, perhaps the best front desk clerk in the free world, even baked a cake for my birthday celebration and had it delivered to our restaurant – without being asked. If I’m lucky, I’ll return here again and again.
All in all, Aitutaki is a treasure. Beautiful, simple, and remote, with gracious people and a stunning lagoon for a backdrop, it’s the getaway most people fantasize about when looking for the ultimate beach vacation, and proves very hard to find in today’s world.
The reef and lagoon is the big draw to Aitutaki, and justifiably so. It’s near perfect, whether seeing it from the air or snorkeling amidst the brilliant fish and coral. Access doesn’t get any easier, either – just slip on your fins and mask, walk off your deck to the beach, wade in and start swimming. The coral starts right off shore, and the calm clear waters of the lagoon stretch out a mile or so until the reef meets the open ocean. While this is a great introduction, you’d be missing the best part if you didn’t spend one day (at least) taking a boat out to the outer reaches of the lagoon and visiting the uninhabited motu (barrier islands) on its fringe.
We hooked up with a local named Teking, who has his own charter boat to take visitors out to the best parts of the reef you can’t swim to from shore. There are many boat operators, with different kinds of tours, but Teking seemed like a good fit for us because he focused on small groups and good snorkeling. He didn’t disappoint. An Aitutaki native, Teking knows every inch of the lagoon, and took us to some amazing spots for snorkeling. We saw giant Napoleon Wrasse as big as I am (and I’m a big guy), scores of giant clams, stunning coral, and every imaginable species of tropical fish. He also set us up with a barbeque fish lunch on one of the motu, including a table literally in the water with maybe the best view you could find on the island. And a quick note about the water – I’ve snorkeled all over the world, and I’ve never seen clearer, calmer, bluer water than I found here. It’s paradise for a snorkeler.
I shouldn’t short the creature comforts available on Aitutaki, either. I love the simplicity and isolation of this place, but I really like a soft pillow and a hot shower, too. We stayed at the Pacific Resort, a 5-star resort by any standard. The property is stunning, with every room directly on or with direct access to the beach, a beautiful infinity pool, and gorgeous architecture/appointments. The service, though, is what sets Pacific Resort apart. Jason, the resident manager, greeted us personally upon arrival, and he has apparently worked tirelessly to deliver a staff that is warm, friendly and completely attuned to superior service. No request is too large, and most are anticipated. At the risk of sounding over the top, the impeccable service here almost feels heartfelt. The staff really seems to care that you are happy. One example: Ann, perhaps the best front desk clerk in the free world, even baked a cake for my birthday celebration and had it delivered to our restaurant – without being asked. If I’m lucky, I’ll return here again and again.
All in all, Aitutaki is a treasure. Beautiful, simple, and remote, with gracious people and a stunning lagoon for a backdrop, it’s the getaway most people fantasize about when looking for the ultimate beach vacation, and proves very hard to find in today’s world.
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