What Services are Available on Atiu?
Atiu is a 27km² (17mi²) island where all of its shops and services (with exception of the airport) can be found in the five merging villages in the centre. Mapumai (in the northeast), Teenui (in the northwest), Tengatangi (in the east), Ngatirua (in the west) and Areroa (in the south) are all clustered on the island’s plateau. The shops, services and tourist information centre can all be found on the main road passing through these villages.
Although the island is stocked with food (albeit, not as well-stocked as Rarotonga and Aitutaki), it is best that visitors come prepared with their own medication, pharmaceutical supplies and plenty of local currency. Otherwise, limited services are available for postal, internet and fuel. Find out more about the information, shops and services on Atiu in this guide.
Useful Services for Tourists
- Cook Islands Visitor Information Centre – Main road between Vodafone and the BCI Bank, Teenui
- Car Rentals – See The Top Atiu Car Rental Companies for listings
- Scooter Rentals – See Scooter Hire in Atiu: Where to Rent, Cost & More for listings
- Restaurants – See The Food Guide to Atiu for recommendations
- Accommodation – See Where to Stay on Atiu for listings
- Police Station (for a scooter licence) – Main road, Ngatiarua
- Atiu Airport – North end of the island, see Airports in the Cook Islands.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFood and Groceries
Atiu has a small number of convenience stores selling a range of tinned goods and staple foods (basically, anything that is easy to keep), as well as seasonal produce from the local plantations. Due to late shipments to the island, there’s not always the variety of foods that you might expect, so it’s best to approach grocery shopping with an open mind.
Supermarkets/Grocery Stores on Atiu
Some of the convenience stores on Atiu include:
- Super Brown (Main Road, Tengatangi, open Monday to Saturday from 6am to 10pm)
- Aire Mai Grocery Store (Main Road, Teenui, open Monday to Friday from 7am to 6.30pm)
- Ezra Grocery Store (Main Road, Mapumai, open Monday to Friday from 7am to 1pm and 6pm to 8.30pm, and Saturday 7am to 7am and 6 to 8.30pm).
Guests of Atiu Villas
Note that guests of Atiu Villas have a pantry and fridge stocked with a variety of food and drink, most of which are at a similar price as what you’ll find at the convenience stores. They provide a stock list with prices and to mark off what you have used.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comMedication, Toiletries and Pharmaceuticals
While we always recommend having all the medication you need with you for your stay in the Cook Islands (see What to Medication to Pack in Your First Aid Kit for the Cook Islands for advice), we especially recommend bringing even light medications (such as painkillers), hayfever medication, baby products, hygiene products and sun protection to Atiu.
Although some light medication and toiletries are for sale at Atiu’s convenience stores, the stock is limited and they are sometimes sold out. The only alternative option for getting medication on Atiu is the local hospital.
Pharmacy and Hospital
There is no pharmacy on Atiu. However, those in need of pharmacy medication can order from the pharmacies on Rarotonga and have it sent to Atiu via express delivery.
For more pressing illnesses and injuries, there’s the Atiu Hospital on the main road, Ngatiarua. They are open for doctor’s appointments Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm, Saturday from 7am to 9am and Sunday from 7am to 8am.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFuel Stations, Banks and Communication
Atiu has limited services when it comes to banking and communication. Visitors are recommended to bring all of the cash they need (New Zealand Dollars) and don’t rely too much on access to WiFi. Those that need a phone and internet are best getting a local SIM card.
Fuel Stations on Atiu
There are two fuel stations on Atiu, which are:
- Super Brown (Main Road, Tengatangi, open Monday to Saturday from 6am to 10pm)
- Mapumai Fuel Station (Main Road, Mapumai).
Phone Network on Atiu
There’s only one cellphone network provider in the Cook Islands, Vodafone, whose office you can find on Atiu on the main road of Ngatiarua. Learn more about the network and prices in The Best SIM Card in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands for Travellers.
Post Offices on Atiu
Vodafone also offers postal services on Atiu (Main Road, Ngatiarua) and is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.30pm.
Internet and WiFi on Atiu
Free WiFi is practically unheard of in the Cook Islands, and the same goes for Atiu except for the 500Mb per day guests receive at Atiu Villas. Anywhere that does offer WiFi usually provides it through a Vodafone WiFi hotspot, for example, Super Brown and the Vodafone Office. Learn more about how to use Vodafone WiFi hotspot vouchers in How to Get Internet & WiFi in the Cook Islands.
Banks and ATMs on Atiu
There is one found on Atiu, while the Super Brown store is an agent of the BSP bank. Don’t expect a foreign exchange service, as the banks here only deal in local banking. The banks on Atiu are:
- BCI (Bank of the Cook Islands) (Main Road, Ngatiarua open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm)
- BSP (Bank of the South Pacific) agent, Super Brown (Main Road, Tengatangi, open Monday to Saturday from 6am to 10pm).
There are no ATMs on Atiu, but you can withdraw cash with a credit card at Atiu Villas for a 5% fee. Find out more about paying your way through the Cook Islands in our guide, What is the Best Way to Pay in the Cook Islands?
More About Information, Shops and Services on Atiu
Now that you know about the Atiu shops and services available, here’s more advice to help you plan a smooth trip to the island:
- The Complete Travel Guide to Atiu
- Atiu Transport Guide: 7 Ways to Get to (& Around) Atiu
- The Food Guide to Atiu: Places to Eat & Food Tours
Finally, plan your whole trip to the Cook Islands using The Best Cook Islands Travel Guide. Plus, find more helpful tips in the 30 Tips for Travelling in the Cook Islands.
