The Best Overwater Bungalows in the Cook Islands

Aitutaki Lagoon Private Island Resort sits on its own private motu (islet) and is one of the most self-contained escapes in the Cook Islands; every room comes pre-loaded with kayaks, a SUP board, bicycles and snorkelling gear so you rarely need to think about what to do next.

Choose between overwater bungalows (the snorkelling directly beneath them is reportedly some of the best on the lagoon) or beachfront infinity pool villas. A sandbar nearby leads to a small island you can walk across to, and whale sightings are common around 9–10 am from the eastern side.

Beyond the water, there's an on-site coral restoration project that guests can join every Wednesday, daily activities ranging from ukulele lessons to fan weaving, and a spa run by SpaPolynesia. Monday's Island Night brings a management cocktail hour, hermit crab races and a cultural dance show, all exclusively for in-house guests.

The resort grows much of its own produce through on-site hydroponics and a working farm, supplying the HMS Bounty Restaurant and Bar with fresh herbs, fruit and eggs daily. Note that a minimum four-night stay is required.

A couple of freestanding villas on stilts hover over the sands (and water at high tide) at Manihiki Lagoon Villas. Whoever said that the Cook Islands only had one resort with overwater bungalows?!

Out on the lesser-visited northern atoll of Manihiki, Manihiki Lagoon Villas is one of the limited accommodations on the island. Yet, it is some of the most upscale accommodations outside of Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Manihiki is a little trickier to get to than other islands in the Cook Islands, but may well be worth the high airfares to get the real island experience.

Back to the spacious open-plan overwater bungalows, each of the two has a balcony, a bathroom and a kitchenette. They accommodate two people in a double or twin bed setup.

You are provided with breakfast supplies, while lunch and dinner are local dishes prepared by the locals. Discover more about visiting this fascinating island in The Complete Travel Guide to Manihiki.