Because life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

"No artist's palette could ever conceive of a more perfect, more luminescent turquoise than that of the lagoon of Aitutaki, arguably the most beautiful in the world." So Steve Davey has written in his book, "Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die".

Aitutaki has indeed been capturing imaginations for many hundreds of years. Legendary Polynesian voyager Ru made landfall here well over a thousand years ago.

In 1789 Captain William Bligh and the men of the HMS Bounty were the first Europeans to arrive, reputedly bringing with them the succulent papaya.

In the 1950s a new wave of adventurer came by glamorous Solent Flying Boat for a leisurely refuelling stop along the fabled Coral Route, and a divine swim in the surreal lagoon waters.

Much more recently, the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler came, observing that: "Aitutaki is an exquisite atoll" with "the most vivid lagoon colors anyone has ever seen." The issue featured The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa on its cover, saying: "The Aitutaki Lagoon is the resort on the beach . nowhere could be more idyllic."

As the only resort directly on the world's most beautiful lagoon, The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is truly blessed.
This exclusive all-bungalow resort is one-of-a-kind in many other respects also.

It is the only private island resort in the Cook Islands.

It is the only Cook Islands resort to offer that invention of incurable romantics ~ the Overwater Bungalow.
And it is the only resort on Aitutaki with a truly Polynesian flavour, so you can truly savour what the South Pacific is famous for.

The panoramic views of super-natural Aitutaki Lagoon from your own personal paradise, The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa on Motu Akitua, will leave you breathless. Truly, deeply, madly breathless. And that indeed is the measure of a life well lived.

Special Offers are often available

The colour of heaven is blue

If you have a dream to really, truly, deeply experience the very essence of the South Pacific, then it is here - in the very heart of the South Seas - that your dream will be most truly realised.

The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is not just located in the heart of the South Pacific, it truly captures its unique, exotic, unpretentious heart.

Here you can experience the sweeping romance of your own private island, afloat, almost adrift, in the South Seas. The incredible charm of your own thatched bungalow perched atop the champagne sands. Swaying in a hammock under the cool green of a nodding palm tree, the blue, serene expanse of legendary Aitutaki Lagoon revealed before you. And by night, you can thrill to the pounding rhythm of the Aitutaki drums as the grass-skirted dancers shimmy and shake on the sands traced by a moonlit sea.

Everyone should journey to the very heart of the South Seas, at least once in their lives. Unfortunately, not everyone will have the opportunity to live - at least for a while - right at the edge of the world's most beautiful lagoon

Ode to Blue

This is where Mother Nature decided to write her most sublime, most intense Ode to Blue. A poem of surreal, super-natural power. To come here is to enter into the blueness, into the endlessness of omnipresent blue. Heaven, you will discover, is undoubtedly blue.

The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa rests on its own private isle named Motu Akitua, and is the only resort located directly on world-famous Aitutaki Lagoon.

It is from here that so many of the most stunning shots of Aitutaki Lagoon have been taken, because Motu Akitua affords the best views of this legendary lagoon. Panoramic, majestic, spellbinding views to die for.

Have you ever seen a masterpiece in an art book, and then been lucky enough to come upon it in life? A masterpiece perhaps such as the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, or a massive Kandinsky or Chagall canvas. You think you know what the real thing will look like, yet nothing prepares you for the power of scale, the power of something bigger than yourself.

The scale of the scene

You will have seen wonderful, dreamy, inspiring images of Aitutaki Lagoon. Gorgeous little photos in magazines, brochures or the internet. You will believe you know what it really looks like. And yet nothing will prepare you for the power of being there, for the vastness of the scene, for becoming one with blue. These will become moments apart.

Once you have left, you will forever be able to close your eyes and re-enter this portal, a portal to the poetry, to the power, of blue, the blueness of Heaven.

So why go to the effort and expense of journeying all the way to the heart of the South Pacific, to the shores of Aitutaki Lagoon, to The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa? Because no one should have to live life without at least once visiting Heaven while they're still on Earth.

The best lagoon views on Earth

Nowhere is closer to Heaven than Aitutaki. And nowhere can you experience this better than at The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa, because of its very unique blend of qualities and features.

The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is:

. The only resort located directly on Aitutaki Lagoon, a true Wonder of the World. That's 'location, location, location' for you. A good map will show this to you clearly.
. Because of this world-beating location, guests of The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa are the only resort guests to enjoy views of Aitutaki Lagoon, directly into the majesty, the heart of the lagoon. Expansive, panoramic views which are truly to die for. The best lagoon views on Earth, of Earth's most beautiful lagoon. See this for yourself and you'll realise it is no exaggeration. If anything, it fails to truly convey the grandeur of the experience.

. Located on charming Motu Akitua, The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is the only resort in the Cook Islands located on its own private island. To the prosaic this will mean little. To the poetic, this will mean everything. The luxury, the deep peace of your own truly private piece of paradise is indescribable.

. Yet even the romantics have a practical side. So the fact that this delightful little island is just a 2 minute ride by small private ferry from the main island of Aitutaki means that you have the absolute best of both - the convenience of quick and easy access combined with the exclusivity and tranquillity of privacy.

. The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is the only resort in the Cook Islands with Overwater Bungalows. Until you've stayed in an Overwater Bungalow you believe they're overrated, once you have, you're spoilt for life. Not even staying right at the water's edge quite compares to the sense of freedom and uplift of spirit that you feel in an Overwater Bungalow, afloat on a blue blue lagoon.

. The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is an all-bungalow resort, with the charming thatched bungalows well spaced for privacy. Here again, something unique.

. The warmth of the genuine Aitutaki welcome which you will receive at The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is something truly special and memorable. So many of our guests tell us that the stunning natural beauty of the setting was made complete for them by the friendly and obliging hospitality and service which they received; and so often it's the reason they come back again and again.

. The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is authentic Aitutaki. Yet again, something unique. Staying here is not like staying in a cookie-cutter chain hotel, it is not like staying in a nicely-decorated but could-be-Asia or could-be-anywhere resort or collection of bungalows. The Aitutaki Resort is locally-owned, it is light, airy, breezy and . . . unashamedly Aitutakian.

. Staying in a fully-serviced resort has its advantages, actually, it has its many, many advantages. Time is precious to you, and you want to savour every moment to the fullest. By staying at a fully-serviced resort such as The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa, you ensure that no precious time is wasted on anything other than maximum enjoyment of the moment, and each other. Whether you require wedding services, tips on the best places to snorkel, lessons on how to windsurf, help with booking your MX5 sports car or a cruise of Aitutaki Lagoon, or you need to place a room service order for a candlelit dinner, it's all right here for you at The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa. Your truly private piece of paradise.

Alluring Aitutaki

South Pacific

The magical, mesmerizing islands of the South Pacific. Legends have been made and stories have been told of these enchanting islands for centuries. The diverse cultures and dramatic islands that lie throughout this captivating part of the world have inspired authors and artists alike. Located within the heart of these historical and culturally-rich islands of the South Pacific are the alluring Cook Islands. 

Cook Islands

Like an elegant string of black pearls for which they are famous, the Cook Islands are spread throughout these rich, warm waters in the heart of the South Pacific. Fifteen magical, diverse islands are spread over 850,000 square miles (2.2 million sq. km) of these South Seas, just west of Tahiti. The Cook Islands is in virtually the same position south of the equator as Hawaii is north.

Located just west of Tahiti, the Cook Islands remains an unspoiled Polynesian paradise. Situated in the heart of the Polynesian Triangle, these islands are small in size, but large in spirit. The two most populous islands are Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Two dramatically different islands, each offering very different Cook Islands' experiences.

Aitutaki

Resort Map

Effortlessly exquisite

The sublime Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa rests effortlessly on its own secluded, private island of Motu Akitua - the only private island resort in the Cook Islands.

Just a 2 minute ride from the main island of Aitutaki by small private ferry, the isle of Motu Akitua is encircled by broad, expansive beaches the colour of champagne.

From here, you as our guest are able to enjoy the only resort facing directly onto the world's most beautiful lagoon, and from here, you can drink in spell-binding views of one of the Wonders of the World to your heart's deep content.

Nothing will prepare you for the intensity, the vibrancy, the omniscience, of the lagoon's blue expanse. So intense, so expansive, it is not just a colour you see, it is a blue you feel with every fibre of your being.

This is the reason you have journeyed all the way across the oceans, to see, to feel, to truly experience the world's most beautiful lagoon.

Staying at The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa, you will have the opportunity not just to see Aitutaki Lagoon as a day tourist might, but to really experience this true Wonder of the World in all its moods.

As day breaks, take your beloved by the hand and stroll in the morning stillness. Lithe, long-legged herons will be out, dipping elegantly into the lagoon's placid glaze. Crabs will be emerging to warm themselves in the day's new sun. And sleeping fishes will be awaking to the day's new thrill.

Over a breakfast of succulent, sweet tropical fruits and fresh-baked pastries, gaze out as the sun fires up this mystical lagoon into a vibrant, super-real intensity of blue such as you've never seen before, nor will again.

As the day unfolds, watch as the sun lights up the tiny motu floating in the horizon into verdant green, green dots bob, bob, bobbing on a sea of blue.

This is indeed a heady combination - the clear South Pacific sun, the swathes of fine white sands, the stillness of your own private island enclave, the big blue sky above, and the endless, everpresent blueness of the lagoon below. A colour so all-embracing you will find yourself willingly succumbing to its power, a power to transfix you into a new state of stillness.

As the day draws to a close, gaze out as the lagoon is transformed into a blaze of oranges, pinks, yellows and reds playing on its surface. The big blue sky will transform into a dark, velvety canopy sparkling with a million, trillion diamonds. And as the big, fat yellow moon rises, you will recall that the channel which divides your private island sanctuary from the main island is named O'otu Channel - Full Moon Channel - in remembrance of that night so very long ago when the chiefly Ru - having voyaged across the ocean in his grand Polynesian vaka with his entourage of wives, maidens, brothers and warriors - was the first man to gaze upon Aitutaki, by the light of the full moon.

Paradise is a much-overused word, but perhaps nowhere is it more apt than here. You will find there are many diversions to dip into, but so often, the simple pleasures will seem more than sufficient.

Loll on the beach, laze in a hammock, take a languid dip in the luminous lagoon, relax deeply into one another's company, re-discover the best in yourself and each other. In this place, this paradise, you have the time and the space to rekindle your own good humour, to relight the fire and passion in your embrace, and to truly live in the moment.

From the safe sanctuary and separation afforded by your own island hideaway, your mind, body and soul have the opportunity to be healed of life's workaday stresses. Your spirit has a chance to renew itself as you gain a fresh, more balanced perspective on what's truly important in your life. This is the luxury of distance, the ultimate luxury of your own private island sanctuary.

Nothing quite prepares you for the deep peace and tranquillity of being on your own private island resort. But once you've experienced the uniqueness, the specialness, of it, nothing else ever quite measures up.

This is alluring Aitutaki. When you leave, a piece of it will stay in your heart for always, yearning to return to the place on Earth closest to Heaven.

Resort Facilities

Aitutaki’s boutique bungalow resort with the mostest …

Imagine … being on your own private island resort looking out at the world’s most beautiful lagoon – yet still having access to so many creature comforts, conveniences and indulgences ….

Facilities, Features & Services at The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa include:

• Best location in the Cook Islands – nothing can beat being directly on the world’s most beautiful lagoon … the only resort located right on Aitutaki Lagoon (check out the map). WOW!  

• Best views in the Cook Islands – imagine looking out at these jaw-dropping views from your own private island resort … the only private island resort in the Cook Islands. WOW!  

• Best beaches in Aitutaki – long swathes of secluded champagne sand beaches encircling your private island resort, lined with elegant coconut palms. WOW!  

• Best swimming in Aitutaki – unlike other spots, here you can swim at any tide, and snorkel in the Marine Reserve which surrounds Motu Akitua. Perfect.  

• Best intimate bungalow atmosphere on Aitutaki – an authentic truly Polynesian-style boutique all-bungalow resort, with all bungalows well-spaced for privacy. Really feels like staying in your own ‘native wooden hut.’ Ideal for couples in love and incurable romantics.  

• Best bungalows in the Cook Islands – nothing compares with staying in a gorgeous Overwater Bungalow with the world’s most beautiful lagoon at your feet. The Cook Islands’ ONLY Overwater Bungalows. WOW!

• Best restaurant location in Aitutaki  – the views from the Flying Boat Beach Bar & Grill are to die for, anytime of day, and especially when the whole scene is ablaze at sunset (it’s not called Sunset Beach for nothing). Chase a cool sunset cocktail with a mouthwatering lagoonside dinner, with your toes in the sand as the moon rises and the canopy above starts twinkling with a trillion stars. A truly sublime setting.

• Best function restaurant on Aitutaki – the Bounty Restaurant provides a wonderfully spacious private function space for medium to large groups complete with an elegant high ceiling and authentic Polynesian-styling, with airy verandahs overlooking the pool and Full Moon Channel.  What a memorable location!

• Best spa on Aitutaki - SpaPolynesia Spa & Beauty Therapy Centre w Couple’s Sauna & Jacuzzi. A complete spa experience, made all the more wonderful for being set on a very special piece of Paradise – Motu Akitua private island. Succumb to true tranquility.

• Aitutaki’s most sublime wedding location complete with your ‘Taputou ~ The Promise’ Wedding Package. Your Personal Wedding Planner is right here to help tailor your dream South Seas wedding – right on your own private island resort, with spell-binding views of the world’s most beautiful lagoon. An unrivalled location for your paradise wedding – especially if you’ve brought special friends and family to share it with here in the heart of the South Pacific.

• Best range of diversions on Aitutaki – including windsurfing (yes, with our compliments!), plus all of the following complimentary activities: outrigger canoes, kayaks, bicycles, coconut tree climbing & husking show, ei (lei) making, hura (hula) dancing lessons, crab hunting, crab racing, fish feeding, snorkelling, giant chess, games room, board games, in-room movies, guest library, and much more

• Best conference setting on Aitutaki – a well-equipped, ideally-sized Conference Room, along with great ‘play-time’ diversions for your participants when they’re ready for a well-earnt break!  

• Unique vehicle rentals on Aitutaki - easy access to quality Vehicle Rentals and Tour Bookings through our on-site Vehicle Hire / Tour Desk, including a racy red MX5 convertible sports car, Prado and Rav4!   

• Handy shopping for life’s little essentials and authentic souvenirs at the on-site Vaka Gift Shop

• Beachfront Freshwater Swimming Pool, with views across the Full Moon Channel. A great place to chill out with a good book and a cool drink.

• Godliness – there’s an on-site Guest Laundry to keep it clean

• Keep in touch with the world if you must – on-site internet booth

Resort Activities

ABTA Magazine-Aug 2007

Romantic Planet Vacations

Garden Bungalow

Nestled in coconut groves, the Garden Bungalows offer a secluded garden settling with glimpses through coconut palms, frangipani and bougainvillea of the lagoon beyond. Each Garden Bungalow is equipped with super king size bed, air-conditioning, satellite TV/DVD player, in-room movies, CD player/radio alarm clock, IDD phone, in-room safe, hairdryer, bathrobes, fridge, tea / coffee making facilities and private sundeck with outdoor furniture.  The Garden Bungalows are located centrally to all resort facilities, including the restaurants, freshwater swimming pool, and gorgeous island beaches. Bungalows are serviced daily along with nightly turndown service each evening. Restaurant room service is also available.

Beachfront Bungalow

The Beachfront Bungalows sit on the fine white sands of Motu Akitua and look out across the translucent aqua waters of the O’otu (Full Moon) Channel towards Aitutaki Lagoon, including views of the main island with its rustling palm trees. Equipped with super king size bed, air-conditioning, satellite TV/DVD player, in-room movies, CD player/radio alarm clock, in-room safe, fridge, coffee/tea making facilities, hairdryer and bathrobes, the Beachfront Bungalow also includes its own private balcony with loungers overlooking the blue lagoon. Bungalows are serviced daily along with nightly turndown service each evening. Restaurant room service is also available.

Deluxe Beachfront Bungalow

The spacious Deluxe Beachfront Bungalows are located on absolute beachfront upon the island’s pristine white sand shores with a spectacular, uninterrupted view of the vast blue of Aitutaki Lagoon. These are indeed among the very best views in the whole of the Cook Islands. Under the cool green shade of coconut palms, the Deluxe Beachfront Bungalows feature a super king size bed sitting on a raised platform, affording a view directly from the bedroom across the sitting area and out towards the spectacular vista of world-famous Aitutaki Lagoon.  Other features include air-conditioning, satellite TV/DVD player, in-room movies, CD player/ radio alarm clock, IDD phone, in-room safe, fridge, coffee/tea making facilities, cool waffle-cotton bathrobes, hairdryer, and private verandah with sunloungers.  A few steps from your Deluxe Beachfront Bungalow you can relax in a hammock strung between two coconut palms, right on the shores of breathtaking Aitutaki Lagoon, the absolute ultimate in tranquil relaxation.  Bungalows are serviced daily along with nightly turndown service each evening, and restaurant room service is also available.

Overwater Bungalow

This intimate resort also offers the Cook Islands’ only Overwater Bungalows, a quintessentially Polynesian experience complete with thatched roof, pandanus-lined walls, beautiful appointments, a refreshing open-air shower, and direct access to the inviting lagoon waters. Warning: before you’ve stayed in an Overwater Bungalow you tend to wonder what all the fuss is about; once you’ve experienced an Overwater Bungalow, you’ll be spoilt for life!

The Overwater Bungalows feature stylish tropical décor right on the edge of Earth’s most spell-binding lagoon, legendary Aitutaki Lagoon. Guests booked into an Overwater Bungalow enjoy uninterrupted panoramic vistas of stunning Aitutaki Lagoon, its endless blue dotted with tiny motu (islets) floating on the horizon. These are the Cook Islands most spectacular views, from her only Overwater Bungalows, directly on jaw-dropping Aitutaki Lagoon. Your breath will be taken away by the splendour of these surreal views, as close to Heaven as its possible to get whilst you’re still on Earth.

The air-conditioned Overwater Bungalows come complete with such creature comforts as wide-opening sliding doors onto the lagoonfront verandah, super king size bed, satellite TV/DVD player, in-room movies, CD player/radio alarm clock, and in-room safe.

Steps meander directly down to the inviting waters of Aitutaki Lagoon from your Overwater Bungalow verandah. After a refreshing swim, rinse off under the outdoor shower on the lower deck hovering above the lagoon, then soak up the sun on one of the verandah loungers on the upper deck.

The spacious bungalow bathroom features an open-air shower in a private walled garden, cotton-waffle bathrobes, hairdryer, iron / board and his + hers vanities, as well as plenty of luggage and wardrobe space. The bungalow also offers coffee / tea making facilities and a mini refrigerator, with a personalised mini bar service to order.

Bungalows are of course serviced daily along with turndown service each evening, and in-room dining available just a phone call away.

It’s from an Overwater Bungalow that you’re perhaps most likely to appreciate why Aitutaki Lagoon has been called the world’s most beautiful lagoon. It’s also perhaps worth noting that The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is the ONLY resort actually ON Aitutaki Lagoon – and these views are … to die for!! The ultimate romantic retreat in the very heart of the South Seas.

• Flying Boat Beach Bar & Grill

• Bounty Restaurant

• ‘Legends of Polynesia’ Island Nights

• Private Candlelit Dining

SpaPolynesia

Island Adventures

Aitutaki Lagoon Cruise

4WD Safari Tour

Walking Tour

Island Tour

Nite Life Tour

Scuba Diving

Fishing

Church

Golf

Eating Out