Trader Jack's on Rarotonga, the Cook Islands.

Raining in Rarotonga: Hiding out at Trader Jack’s

Rarotonga in the rain: discover the true pace of island life while taking shelter at Trader Jack's, the legendary pub rebuilt four times after cyclones. Rainy days in the South Pacific They never tell you about the rain. It’s all about the beaches, the lagoons…
Spear fishing on Aitutaki, the Cook Islands.

Spear fishing on Aitutaki, The Cook Islands

A fishing trip on one of the most beautiful islands on earth is harder work than expected. A fishing trip with a difference Mike from Black Pearl Fishing Charters takes one look at the afternoon’s current forlorn haul, and turns towards the cabin. “If the…
The cross-island trek on Rarotonga, the Cook Islands.

Hiking across Rarotonga

In the Cook Islands, a trek through the rainforest is a refreshing antidote to lazy lagoon life. Walking with Pa There are few things more humiliating than panting your way up a heart-attack inducing mountain, only to be passed by a bare-footed man in his…
Vailima, Robert Louis Stevenson's house in Samoa.

Vailima, Samoa: Visiting Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave

Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa Visiting Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave is quite the trek. Somewhat surprisingly, the Scottish author is buried in the Pacific nation of Samoa. Stevenson, who wrote the likes of Treasure Island and Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, was a sickly chap…
Canoe carving on Rarotonga.

The last of Rarotonga’s canoe carvers

In the Cook Islands, a few men are trying to keep an ancient culture alive. A ceremony in Rarotonga The country’s main ceremonial building looks rather like a cross between a school assembly hall and a small capacity basketball stadium, but we’re all invited in.…