What Services are Available on Mangaia?
Mangaia is a 52 km² (20 mi²) island with almost all of its shops and services (with exception of the airport) found in its main village, Oneroa on the west side of the island.
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, plenty of local currency, as well as any snacks to keep the energy up while exploring. Otherwise, limited services are available for postal, internet and fuel. Find out more about the information, shops and services on Mangaia in this guide.
Useful Services for Tourists
- Island Administration (Looks after tourists instead of a tourist information centre) – Southern end of the sports field, Oneroa
- Car Rentals – Accommodation providers and Babe’s Store, Oneroa
- Scooter Rentals – Accommodation providers and Te Vai Anga gas station, Oneroa
- Restaurants – There are no restaurants on Mangaia, see The Food Guide to Mangaia for eating recommendations
- Accommodation – See Where to Stay on Mangaia for listings
- Police Station (e.g. for a scooter licence) – Southern end of the sports field, Oneroa
- Mangaia Airport – Northeast end of the island, see Airports in the Cook Islands. It is only open when flights are due.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFood and Groceries
Mangaia has just two convenience stores selling a range of tinned and frozen food – rarely anything fresh except home-baked goods at Akeke Trading, as well as the occasional seasonal produce from the local plantations (although these are better to get at the Friday Market). 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. We recommend bringing any snacks you might need to keep you going.
Supermarkets/Grocery Stores on Mangaia
The convenience stores on Mangaia include:
- Babe’s Store (Northern end of the sports field, Oneroa, open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5.30pm)
- Akeke Trading (Te Makate Road, Oneroa, open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm).
Market on Mangaia
The Friday Morning Market sells fresh local produce early morning, as well as hot and cold food. The market starts at 5.30am on Friday morning and usually ends around 8.30am. Find the market at the southern end of the sports field in Oneroa.
Meals at Mangaia’s Accommodations
Note that guests of Babe’s Place get three meals a day included in their room rate, while Mangaia Villas includes breakfast each day and other meals made to order. More details are outlined in Where to Stay on Mangaia: The Best Mangaia Accommodations.
Water Stations
There are filtered water stations around Mangaia providing safe drinking water to refill your water bottle. The easiest one to find is at the southern end of the sports field, Oneroa. Otherwise, water (or drinking coconuts) is provided at your accommodation. Learn more about having access to drinking water in Is the Water Safe to Drink in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands?
© 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 Mangaia.
Although some light medication and toiletries are for sale at Mangaia’s convenience stores, the stock is limited and they are sometimes sold out. The only alternative option for getting medication on Mangaia is the local hospital.
Pharmacy and Hospital
There is no pharmacy on Mangaia. For more pressing illnesses and injuries, there’s the Mangaia Hospital on Aremauku Road, Oneroa. They are open for doctor’s appointments Monday to Friday from 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm.
© CookIslandsPocketGuide.comFuel Stations, Banks and Communication
Mangaia has very 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 Mangaia
There is only one “formal” fuel station on Mangaia, which is the Te Vai Anga fuel station. It is located on the Main Road of Oneroa, just north of Babe’s Store. Opening hours are from Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
Phone Network on Mangaia
There’s only one cellphone network provider in the Cook Islands, Vodafone, whose office you can find on Mangaia at the end of Aremauku Road in Oneroa. Learn more about the network and prices in The Best SIM Card in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands for Travellers.
Post Offices on Mangaia
Vodafone also offers postal services on Mangaia (end of Aremauku Road, Oneroa) and is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm.
Internet and WiFi on Mangaia
Free WiFi is practically unheard of in the Cook Islands, and the same goes for Mangaia. Anywhere that does offer WiFi usually provides it through a Vodafone WiFi hotspot, for example, Mangaia Villas 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 Mangaia
There is one bank found on Mangaia, the BCI (Bank of the Cook Islands) while Babe’s Store is an agent of BSP (Bank of the South Pacific). Don’t expect a foreign exchange service, as the banks here only deal in local banking. The banks on Mangaia are:
- BCI Bank (Next to the sports field, Oneroa, open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm)
- BSP agent, Babe’s Store (Northern end of the sports field, Oneroa, open from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm).
There are no ATMs on Mangaia. Make sure you bring all the local currency in cash that you’re going to need with you. 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 Mangaia
Now that you know about the Mangaia shops and services available, here’s more advice to help you plan a smooth trip to the island:
- The Complete Travel Guide to Mangaia
- Mangaia Transport Guide: 6 Ways to Get to (& Around) Mangaia
- The Food Guide to Mangaia: 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.
