The Beautiful South Pacific Island of Rarotonga

There is an old saying in the South Pacific... you can take the boy from the island but never the island from the boy. And for me it all started in 1950 when I arrived on-board the beautiful old New Zealand sailing ship the 'Huia.'

Sign-on as Cabin Boy at the age of six... my first crew position, but nowhere near the last on a trip from Suva, Fiji to Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands.

Rarotonga and the other 14 Cook Islands are nothing but little tiny specks on a world map, scattered between Tahiti and Samoa in an area in the South Pacific Ocean about a third the size of the continental United States and yet all together they comprise only 93 square miles of land.

Rarotonga is by far the largest with 26 of those square miles, yet it is only 32 kilometres (20 miles) around. A microcosm of modern Polynesia, Rarotonga has enough island activities to satisfy almost anyone, whether it's snorkelling, shopping, sightseeing, scuba diving, or several other pastimes. Its cultural tours are the best in the South Pacific.

Rarotonga today is perhaps like Maui, Hawaii of 40 years ago. Tourism is still very young for Rarotonga and the other 14 Cook Islands. Unspoilt and non commercialized. Lush tropical growth, flowers, ferns, white sandy beaches, blue lagoons, waves breaking over the reef, fish, sunsets and starry nights will fill your memories.

There are only a few elaborate hotels, a few restaurants, not one traffic light signal or a McDonald's. Instead you will find a true South Pacific paradise with beautiful, friendly Polynesia people who are happy to welcome you. Their greeting is Kia Orana (key-o-rah-na) meaning "Here's Life". Living in the islands you will come to know the meaning of this.