Where to Find Caves on Mitiaro
Welcome to Mitiaro, home of some of the best swimming caves in the Cook Islands and the South Pacific! It’s home to the Cook Islands’ only mineral sulphur cave (said to have healing properties), while the clear deep blue waters of some of the island’s other caves provide an awesome afternoon of bombing, floating and diving.
What’s more, the best caves on Mitiaro are easy to find without a guide, so they can be included on your self-drive tour around the island. Discover what they are and where they are on this list of unmissable Mitiaro caves!
For more guidance on planning the perfect trip, check out The Complete Travel Guide to Mitiaro.
Table of Contents
1. Vai Marere
The only sulphur pool in the Cook Islands, Vai Marere is known among the locals for its healing minerals. Bathe in the healing waters yourself by finding this easy-to-miss cave pool after a 10-minute walk from Mangarei village.
It looks small from the roadside, but as you go down the concrete stairs, the cave opens up into a relatively large cavern with stalactites hanging from the ceiling. The water is a little murkier than the other cave pools mentioned on this list of caves on Mitiaro, but that might just be the sulphur content.
Location: Just off the cross-island road, approximately 200m/219 yards (10-minute walk) from Mangarei. It’s on the eastern side of Mitiaro.
© Taniera - Cook Islands Tourism2. Vai Nauri
By far the best swimming cave in Mitiaro (and the Cook Islands), Vai Nauri holds a deep pool with clear deep blue waters and striking limestone features.
There are a set of steps down to the pool or you can clamber around the pool and jump off a 3 m (3.3 yards) outcrop into the deep waters. Try to get there on weekdays when the kids are in school to experience the eerie silence of this cave as you’re floating under a canopy of dripping stalactites.
Location: West side of Mitiaro. A short dead-end road to Vai Naui can be found a few hundred metres north of the Lake Rotonui turnoff.
© Cook Islands Tourism3. Vai Tamaroa
While still a must-visit, Vai Tamaroa requires a short walk to reach. It’s easy to spot the white-painted sign and commemorative marker for the 1985 Boys’ Brigade project that established this trail to the cave.
The trail is easy enough to follow without a guide if you pay attention as you scramble over grassy makatea inland. Allow around 20 minutes of walking to finally reach Vai Tamaroa, a 10 m (10.9 yards) deep circular hole with a deep pool filling most of it. Be prepared for a bit of climbing in and out.
Location: Along the east coast road, spot the Vai Tamaroa sign a few hundred metres south of the Lake Rotonui turnoff.
© Taniera - Cook Islands Tourism4. Vaia’i (Sandalwood Cave)
Moving onto the much lesser-visited caves of Mitiaro, Vaia’i is known as the “Sandalwood Cave” as the makatea on the way to the cave is covered in sandalwood. The cave is another one on Mitiaro that you can swim in. It’s very difficult to find, however, so a guide is required.
Location: Inland, approximately 1 km (0.6 mi) on the road from Mangarei to the Atai plantations (northern inland road). A guide is needed to find this cave. Ask at your accommodation if they know anyone who can take you.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.com5. Tepito o Kare
Inland from Te Unu Beach, the freshwater of Tepito o Kare was once used as a drinking hole by fishermen returning to the beach. Nowadays, it is one of the less-visited caves on Mitiaro.
Location: Southeast side of Mitiaro. From Te Unu Beach, take the cross-island road for a few hundred metres to where the rough trail starts. Although it’s a short trail, it requires local knowledge to find, so ask at your accommodation if they know anyone who can take you.
© Cook Islands TourismMore About Caves in Mitiaro and the Cook Islands
That’s it for our list of the best caves on Mitiaro. For more caving inspiration, take a look at more caves across the Cook Islands:
- 5 Best Caves on Mangaia
- 5 Best Caves on Atiu
- 9 Best Caves on Mauke
- 10 Best Caves in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands
Finally, plan more of your Cook Islands bucket list using the 101 Best Things to Do in the Cook Islands: The Ultimate List.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across the Cook Islands and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Meteorological Service (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Finance & Economic Management (Border restrictions advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Agriculture (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2025])
- Cook Islands Statistics Office (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Transport (Transport operators and licenses - Updated [2025])
- Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for the Cook Islands - Updated [2025])
- Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for the Cook Islands - Updated [2025])
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