With some of the finest diving and snorkeling in the world, the Cook Islands is one of the best kept secrets in the Pacific. Untouched by tourism, this group of fifteen tiny islands is the ultimate retreat for those who want nothing more than to sit on a beach somewhere and relax.

The best dive sites in this tropical paradise are found off the islands of Rarotonga and Aitutaki with plenty of scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities available both inside and outside the reef. Surrounded by beautiful lagoons, both Rarotonga and Aitutaki have a wealth of marine life to explore.

The underwater visibility here is fantastic, with the visibility levels in some places as high as 60 meters. Add to this warm water temperatures most of the year, and you have some of the most ideal conditions to dive in. Besides exploring the reefs, here you also get the opportunity to explore underwater caves, canyons and ship wrecks that sit off the coast. The best time to go diving in the Cook Islands is between the months of July and December when the water is a warm 30oC.

Home to more than 73 different kinds of living coral, the Cook Islands play host to a huge variety of marine life ranging from humpback whales that migrate here between July and October, to a diversity of reef fish and game fish species. Manta rays, marlins, barracudas, sailfish, tuna, grouper and Spanish dancers are just a few of the various fish found here.

There are four dive operators on the islands of Rarotonga and Aitutaki, which not only offer daily dive trips, but PADI courses and certifications as well. Typically there are two diving trips in a day with a maximum of 10 people at any one dive site, so as to protect and safeguard the marine life here.

Some of the best dive sites in the Cook Islands include, Muri Lagoon, the Matavera Drop-off, the Avaroa Passage, Urutuki Rock, the Ngatangiia Swimthroughs, the Koromiri Coral Garden; the Mataora Wreck, Papua Canyon , Black Rock Caves, Maritime Reefer, the Avana Wall and Sand River. The diving and snorkeling off Aitutaki is among the finest in the world, with the lagoon here home to a myriad of tropical marine life.