There are just two ways of getting around the Cook Islands, the first is by air and the second is boat. Depending on the kind of vacation you wish to enjoy, getting around by air is much more efficient, especially if you are here for a short time. However, if you are planning on enjoying an extended vacation then touring the different islands by boat is a viable option.

Air Rarotonga is the only domestic airline to operate in the Cook Islands. Its office is located at the Rarotonga International Airport from where you can make flight bookings as well as buy tickets. Air Rarotonga flies several times a day between Rarotonga and the atoll of Aitutaki; while to the other Southern Islands flights are on a weekly basis. Also flying out to the Northern Islands of Manihiki and Penrhyn, do keep in mind that Air Rarotonga does not fly on Sundays.

An important point to remember is that air tickets purchased outside the Cook Islands are more expensive than those bought in-land. But the downside to this is that very often flights are completely sold out. A great way to economize while flying here is to avail a super-saver fare, which offers a discounted round trip between Rarotonga and Aitutaki. You can also purchase air passes and package deals from Air Rarotonga to make it easier when you are traveling between islands. Air Rarotonga flies to all the Southern Group islands; however in the Northern Group, it only flies to Manihiki, Penrhyn and Pukapuka.

If you are interested in touring the various Cook Islands by boat, be prepared for a lengthy journey. While most of the Northern Islands are served by ship only, the trip can often be a very long one. There are no fixed boat schedules and the weather needs to be taken into consideration. At the moment two shipping companies provide inter-island cargo and passenger services to all the islands except Palmerston, Manuae, Takutea and Suwarrow. It usually takes a day to travel from Rarotonga to any of the Southern Group islands; however, a journey to the Northern Islands takes roughly 3 days.

To get around the islands of Rarotonga, Aitutaki and ‘Atiu, you have plenty of rentals cars, four wheels drives, motorbikes and bicycles for hire, but on Ma’uke and Mitiaro your only options are cycle and motorbike rentals. Most of the other islands do not require any rental transport to get around, as they are small enough to cover on foot. Driving here is on the left side of the road and you will need to get a Cook Islands drivers license to get around. On Rarotonga a bus service is available that travels around the entire island.