An archipelago of 15 Pacific Islands, the Cook Islands are the epitome of a tropical paradise.
Here are some trivia facts about the beautiful Cook Islands.
Captain Cook
While Captain Cook visited the islands in 1773 and 1777, he didn’t name the region after himself. Originally Cook called the islands the Hervey Islands – the name Cook Islands is believed to have appeared in the 1820s.
Cook Islands - A Tropical Paradise
New Zealand
There are more people in New Zealand identifying as a Cook Islander than in the actual country – all citizens of the Cook Islands are automatically nationals of New Zealand and many relocate. Similarly Australia has more Cook Islanders than found in the homeland.
Local brew
The Cook Islands brew their own beer – consider trying a Matutu Beer or a Cooks Lager.
Captain Bligh
Several weeks before the famous mutiny, Bligh became the first European to drop anchor on the Southern Island of Aitutaki. It’s rumoured that he gave the locals seeds to plant orange trees. Incidentally, Bligh had previously visited other Cook Islands when he was a Sailing Master with Captain Cook.
Purchase a Pearl
While tourism is the number one industry, pearling has a strong presence. With very reasonable prices, this could be the place to purchase your own special pearl necklace but don’t stick to the standard colours – consider buying gold, silver, purple or green pearls.
