This might be one of the most remote places on earth I have ever been to.
If you are looking for a shelter to slow down your pace, enjoy a solo sunset or to swim with fishes in pristine waters, well, you should seriously consider to pay a visit to this incredible island.
The atoll of Aitutaki lays north to Rarotonga, the capital of Cook Islands, and is composed of three volcanic islets and twelve coral isles. You are literally on a small stretch of sands in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. How does it sounds?
William Bligh was the first European to visit this island back in 1789 on the famous "Bounty", and I did feel like a kind of an "old time explorer" arriving here.
So, where's the fun? well, basically, having an island almost for yourself, sharing it with around 2.000 locals and few more tourists. No big hotels, no city lights, just nature as it should be. The majority of visitors come for a day trip from Rarotonga missing out all the fun the island has to offer ;-) so chances are that you will rather find yourself mingling with the locals rather than at a bar chatting with another tourist.
And hurray to the locals! Everyone is incredibly welcoming, warm-hearted and super friendly.
I stayed in a self contained apartment, right on the beach, owned by a family that took really good care of me: from the airport pick up to arranging all the activities, to take you back to the airport and literally wait there to wave their hands as you take off.
Seriously, they were just phenomenal.
Tourism hasn't spoilt them like in other places and their hospitality is still very genuine and spontaneous.
I had a scooter during my stay and it was just so fun to drive around along the main road and see the island life. From rugby playing to chickens running around and kids catching them, at every corner you would have something to stop and look at.
One of the best moment I experienced was at sunset, when my host would sit on the shore and clean small fish to use as bait to fish for rock trouts. Her family members and friends would then walk in the water and start to fish and bring the harvest back home later. She told me that this is very usual and when the weather is good, you would see a lot of women sitting on the shores cleaning fish and waiting for the harvest to come back.
I just loved this moment. I felt that the island and its inhabitants were really strongly bonded, in a deep mutual respect.
All this happened while I was enjoying incredible sunsets, almost like a private show just put up on stage for me. Yes because on the beach stretch I was staying there were few other hotels and bungalows but you would not feel the presence of any other tourists, and it truly felt like the beach was all for me! AMAZING
One of the four days I stayed on the island I did a lagoon cruise. Normally I wouldn't really like these kind of arranged packages (full of tourists and guided stuff) but it was the only way I could see the hidden gems of the lagoon, the little islets spread across the reef.
I am just soooooo happy I decided to do this tour. It was mega nice.
Words cannot describe the beauty of the ocean and its islands there: if I get to go to Paradise, I hope it looks like that.
Our first stop was to snorkel around Honeymoon Island where we eventually went to stroll on the white beach and to take another quick swim. The water here was so clear and warm that it truly felt like being in an immense pool.
After this incredible swim we left towards One Foot Island, called like this because this islet does have the shape of a foot! No-one lives there but there is a postoffice that for few dollars stamp you a big foot on your passport (I don't have enough pages left on it so I decided to skip...).
The lagoon around One Foot Island is just stunning: white sands, palm trees, great snorkeling.. what to add! take a look!
The big fish that you see in the picture is a Giant Trevally Fish, they were very close to shore and I could swim with them even if the do look kind of scary.
The tour gave me great memories enriched by the stories of our captain who, by showing us the nature and the ocean and sharing anecdotes from the sea, was a great ambassador for his island. Grazie
What to say, I totally fell in love with this place and I truly hope I will get to go again. Driving like a crazy on a scooter kissed by the sun and the wind watching palm trees, white beaches and turquoise sea is something you don't get to do every day. But I would definitely be happy to do it once again.
MEITAKI ATUPAKA! (Thank you very much)
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