White sandy beaches and deep blue lagoons aren’t all the Cook Islands has to offer, as eight Travellers Choice agents recently discovered when they embarked on an exclusive tour of the island nation’s fascinating history and culture.
The educational trip was hosted by All About Travel and Air New Zealand, which flew the Travellers Choice agents on its direct Boeing 777 service between Sydney and Rarotonga.
The itinerary covered all of the Cook Islands’ most popular activities, such as snorkelling in Aitutaki’s pristine lagoon and cruising to marine reserve areas to swim with tropical fish. But Norfolk Select Marketing’s Dave Bantoft also ensured the agents ventured beyond the tourist hot-spots.
For Marita Behrendorff, owner of Aspire Travel & Cruise in Queensland town of Maryborough, one of the highlights was a visit to the Muri Night Markets, where locals showcase the island’s best handmade crafts and an extraordinary range of fresh produce.
“I am usually restrained when it comes to buffet-style dining, but there were so many different types of food and salads that I had to try them all,” says Marita.
Agents were also treated to a 4WD safari tour of Rarotonga, which took them into rural parts of the island, where they learned about the Cook Islands’ colourful history and took in some breath-taking mountain vistas.