Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Honeymoon accommodation ideas

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Cook Islands

Hello fellow travellers,

my soon-to-be-husband and I will be spending our honeymoon in the Cook Islands (Raro and Aitutaki) for 10 days or 2 weeks, probably in late May/early June. I have read heaps of brochures from the travel agents and browsed the web for many nights, and there's so much choice out there that I'm still not any wiser as to where to stay. I have to admit that we (well, I) am quite fussy.

We'd like to stay approx. 2 nights on the west coast to view some stunning tropical sunsets.
The other nights on Raro we'd like to spend on the east or south coast, although I'd prefer some motus in my view, hence I'm thinking Muri would be better than the south coast?
4-5 nights on Aitutaki, including a day to the secluded motus, a trip to One Foot island...

Here's my wish list:
*No kids/family holiday resort.
*Freshwater pool.
*Bungalow accommodation, as opposed to rooms or units.
*Small, intimate, romantic, secluded.
*We don't want anything 'big', 'busy' or with close neighbours :)
*Good snorkelling right off the beach.

We're happy to pay roundabout NZD500 a night for the two of us.

We're normally backpackers, but do want to splurge on a fancy honeymoon. Given that we will be spending a lot of money on our accommodation, I think I am allowed to be picky :)

Can you suggest places that would fit the bill?

The Etu Moana in Aitutaki... don't know about Raro... Another suggestion for real seclusion would be Okiva Point on Mauke.

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Rarotonga - Muri accommodation (east) :Sokala villas, The Navigator, Te Manava, Rumours, Sea Change Villas.

Black Rock - Arorangi (west). Black Rock Villas (inland, elevated, seaviews, good snorkelling on Black Rock beach), Crowne Beach, Manuia Beach, Magic Reef, Sunhaven.

Aitutaki: Etu Moana, Tamanu Resort.

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Thanks so much for your suggestions! I especially like the looks of Etu Moana, Sea Change Villas and Sunhaven or Magic Reef!

If my budget allowed it, we'd book in for a few nights at Rumours! :)

Anyone else any suggestion?

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