Visit Mitiaro Island, Cook Islands

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Love a little off the beaten path? Mitiaro is the perfect destination for adventure seekers and those looking to sample authentic island life. Harbouring some of the most stunning subterranean limestone caves and pools to be found in the Pacific, Mitiaro is a natural playground featuring; white sandy beaches, fossilized coral formations and coconut palms. Mitiaro, the fourth island in the Cook Islands group, is of volcanic origin. Standing in water 14,750 feet deep (4500 m) it is four miles (6.4 km) across at its widest point. Mitiaro is part of the Nga-Pu-Toru island group formerly, a volcano that became a coral atoll. The coral died forming Makatea.The island is surrounded by the belt of fossilised coral—makatea, between 20 and 40 feet high (6 to 9 m) characteristic of islands in the southern group. The centre is almost flat, quite swampy and contains two freshwater lakes teeming with eels (Anguilla obscura) or what the locals call itiki and the imported tilapia from Africa where it is known as bream. Beaches are limited but there are crystal clear pools ideal for swimming in the subterranean limestone caves and the beach at low tide abounds in interesting marine life. Several flights per week from Rarotonga and small guest lodges make visits to Mitiaro possible for visitors.

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