The Guide to Duty-Free Shopping in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands

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Where are the Cook Islands’ Duty-Free Stores?

The only duty-free stores in the Cook Islands are located at Rarotonga International Airport. There are no duty-free stores in town nor on any of the outer islands.

Locations of the Duty-Free Stores in Rarotonga Airport

There is one duty-free store in the international arrival terminal before passing through customs. All other duty-free stores are located in the international departures lounge, once you have passed through security for your departure flight.

Learn more about the arrival process in our guide, Arriving at Rarotonga Airport, Cook Islands: A Step-by-Step Guide, as well as more about Rarotonga Airport in Airports in the Cook Islands: Where Can You Fly to in the Cook Islands?

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The Duty-Free Stores of Rarotonga

There are several duty-free stores at the Rarotonga Airport. Only some duty-free stores are open for all international flights, whether it’s arrival flights or departure flights. Others open when the most flights are scheduled.

CITC Duty Free – Arrivals Terminal

One of only two duty-free stores in the Arrivals Terminal of Rarotonga International Airport, CITC Duty Free is located opposite the door upon arrival from the tarmac. They stock major brands of liquor and tobacco and are open to all arrivals, 24 hours a day.

CITC Duty Free – Departures Terminal

The largest of all duty-free stores in the Cook Islands, CITC Duty Free at the Departures Lounge stocks a wide range of products, including liquor, tobacco, and souvenirs such as perfumes, skincare, fashion, jewellery, and local items from Rito, Te Tika, and artist Kay George. Pre-orders are available. Again, they are open for all international departures, regardless of the time of day.

Beach Hut

Beach Hut Duty-Free stocks an array of Polynesian-designed clothing, crafts and black pearl jewellery. They are open for all flight departures.

Sava

This liquor and tobacco store (also stocking Atiu Island Coffee) is open for all international arrivals and departures. Pre-orders are also available with Sava.

Dive Surf Sport

Like it says on the tin, Dive Surf Sport stocks, well, dive, surf and sports gear with popular international labels like Rip Curl, Oakley, Hurley, Reef and more. They are usually one of the limited stores open during the early am flights.

Island Craft

You may have seen their craft store in Avarua (see The Guide to Shopping in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands + The Best Places to Shop). Island Craft‘s international departures duty-free store offers a wide range of Polynesian crafts, including black pearl and mother-of-pearl jewellery, wood carvings, and more. They are only open for some flights, however.

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Duty-Free Allowances (Travelling From the Cook Islands)

When arriving in the Cook Islands, you will need to stick to the local duty-free allowances in order not to pay tax on your items, which we list in detail in The Duty Free Allowances for Rarotonga & the Cook Islands. Since most duty-free stores are in the international departures lounge, you are more likely to need to know the duty-free allowances for your arrival destinations.

New Zealand Duty-Free Allowance

For each passenger 17 years old or older, you can bring back to New Zealand:

• 3 bottles of up to 1.125 millilitres each or 2.5 litres of wine or 2.5 litres of beer
• 50 cigarettes or 50 grams of tobacco or 50 cigars or a combination not exceeding 50 grams.

Australia Duty-Free Allowances

Considering there are many Australians visiting the Cook Islands as well, here is what you can bring back to Australia from Rarotonga. For each passenger 18 years old or older, you can bring back to Australia:

• 2.25 litres of alcohol
• 50 cigarettes, 50 grams of tobacco, or cigars.

French Polynesia Duty-Free Allowances

With direct flights between Tahiti and Rarotonga, you might also like to know the duty-free allowances for French Polynesia. Each person may legally bring the following into French Polynesia:

• 200 cigarettes, 200 cigarillos or 100 cigars
• 50 grams of perfume
• 500 grams of coffee
• 100 grams of tea
• 10 rolls of film
• 2 litres of alcohol.

Hawai’i (USA) Duty-Free Allowances

With direct flights between Hawai’i and Rarotonga, it’s handy to know the duty-free allowances for the USA. Each person may legally bring the following into the USA:

• 1 litre of alcohol
• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 1,350 grams of tobacco or a combination
• *Cuban cigars are not permitted to be imported

Duty-Free Allowances for Other Countries

• Canada – 1 litre of alcohol, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars
• China – 1.5 litres of alcohol, 400 cigarettes
• Fiji – 4.5 litres of wine or beer or 2.25 litres of spirits or liqueur, 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco or 250 grams of cigars
• Hong Kong – 1 litre of alcohol, 19 cigarettes or 25 grams of tobacco or 25 grams of cigars
• Japan – 3x 750ml of alcohol, Residents: 200 cigarettes, Non-residents: 400 cigarettes or 250 gramsof  tobacco
• Korea – 1 litre of alcohol, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars
• Malaysia – 1 litre of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 225 gramsof  tobacco
• New Caledonia – 2 litres of spirits except for Aniseed or Absinthe and 2 litres of wine, 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 400 grams of tobacco
• Norfolk Island – 1 litre of alcoholic beverage, 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco/cigars
• Samoa – 2.25 litres of alcohol, 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco/cigars
• Singapore – 1 litre of spirits and 1 litre of wine or beer, no cigarettes, all tobacco goods must be declared
• South Africa – 2 litres of wine and 1 litre of spirits, 400 cigarettes, 250 grams of tobacco and 50 cigars
• Taiwan – 1 litre of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars or 500 grams of tobacco
• Thailand – 1 litre of alcohol, 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco or an equal weight of cigars
• Tonga – 2.25 litres of spirits or 4.5 litres of wine, 400 cigarettes or 500 grams of tobacco/cigars
• UK – 2 litres of wine and 1 litre of spirits, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250 grams of tobacco
• Vanuatu – 2 litres of wine and 1.5 litres of spirits, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.