Spread out over some 2 million sq km of ocean, the tiny Cook Islands is the ideal topical paradise. Quiet, secluded and remote, this island group offers a wonderful respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. What makes vacationing here so special is that anyone can have a good time, whether it’s just relaxing on the beach or having a fun-filled family vacation.

With plenty of activities to enjoy, the Cook Islands is the perfect place for an adventure. Here you can find a myriad of things to do from snorkeling and diving in the gorgeous lagoons of Aitutaki and Rarotonga, to spelunking on the islands of ‘Atiu, Ma’uke, Mitiaro and Mangaia. Among the many activities to keep you busy, lagoon and whale watching cruises around the Cook Islands are a must, as they offer you some truly breathtaking sights to behold.

Whale watching cruises in this part of the world are truly superb as you get the chance to encounter migrating humpback whales up close and personal. Beautiful and graceful, these huge mammals are a pleasure to watch in person. During whale watching season which lasts from July to October, many tour operators arrange whale sighting expeditions from the various islands.

Lagoon cruises around Aitutaki and Rarotonga are the perfect way to spend an afternoon, as you explore and discover the many wonders that are found in the lagoons here. Most tour operators usually include a swim, a barbecue lunch, a beach stroll and a snorkeling trip as part of your lagoon cruise, so that you take in the best that these islands have to offer.

The Aitutaki lagoon is the ideal place to go for a cruise, as the wealth of marine life found in these brilliant turquoise waters is absolutely incredible. Filled with brightly colored fish, an array of living coral and plenty of underwater wildlife, a lagoon trip here is definitely worth your while. With Aitutaki surrounded by a number of motus or smaller islands, there are plenty of uncrowded places here to enjoy.

For a lagoon cruise around Rarotonga, take a glass bottom boat ride from Muri Beach to Koromiri Island, while for the more adventurous, a semi-submersible cruise is on hand from Avatiu Harbor, which lets you explore the island’s outer reef.