Things to Do on Aitutaki Island
There are five kayaks and a couple of SUPs for guests to use around the lagoon in-front of the property (charge applies). There are some decent coral patches and fish congregations in the lagoon and it's a short walk north along the beach to the best snorkelling spot on Aitutaki.
The laid back main island of Aitutaki is a wonderful spot for exploring. There's little road traffic and the island is small so it's easy to get about and explore with pretty coastal villages and easy access to the beaches around the island. Aitutaki Beach Villas has five automatic mopeds for guest hire($25/day) and two bicycles; and we can arrange car rentals.
Aitutaki offers some excellent day tour options, including a handful of wonderful lagoon cruises, boat charters and water taxis to explore the uninhabited islands, walking tours of the bush, scuba diving excursions and deep sea fishing charters. All can be arranged by the villa manager and tour companies will pick you up from the Villas. Humpback whales pass Aitutaki between July and October and can sometimes be seen from the villas and along the coastline breaching along the outer reef.
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Sightseeing around Aitutaki Island
Aitutaki Beach Villas is ideally located in the heart of the east coast for exploring Aitutaki Island. The best way to get get around is the local way: by moped. If you've ever ridden a bicycle, then you'll be OK. Our mopeds are automatic and very easy to ride. There are quiet roads criss-crossing the island and these are great to explore and experience how the locals live. Amuri Village is a ten-minute walk away for those wanting to explore by foot, and Arutanga Town is about a 25-minute walk (10 minutes by bicycle / 5 mins by moped). If you don't feel comfortable riding a moped, or are travelling with younger kids, there are three car rental companies close by; or you can even walk to most places on the island.
There are three good lookouts to enjoy: Piraki Lookout is right behind the villas and from the top you can see most of the island and lagoon. Maunga Pu is the highest point on the island, accessed from the road about a fifteen minute walk north of the villas. There's a good view of Arutanga Town and wharf just behind the CICC Church. All a worth the trip for a picture.
The best stretch of beach on Aitutaki Island is right in-front of the villas. You can walk south along the beach to Pacific Resort in about a five minute (there's a local massage therapist just before) and beyond to Amuri Village where three cafés serve decent food and coffee; or north to Tava'e Resort in two minutes, and another three minutes walk takes you to Tamanu Beach. Both have restaurants and island nights with traditional Cook Islands dancing open to outside guests. The beach continues to Paradise Cove (15 mins walk) and Base 1 (another 10 mins walk) where there are several excellent snorkelling reefs off the beach, just before the government fisheries department on the northern tip of the island.
The largest village is Tautu on the east side of Aitutaki, and here there's the excellent Avatea Cafe, some art studios and a wharf, and plenty of local houses along the road. The beach along the east and south side of the island is tidal and full of mud crabs and not good for swimming. Ootu Beach, on the point south of the airport, is also tidal, and let's be honest, although it is white sand it's not much of a beach although you can swim in the dug-out channel opposite Aitutaki Village Resort. It's a rather long, dull and exposed walk alongside the airport runway to Ootu and not recommended for walking, but it takes less than fifteen minutes by moped to get there, with a small cafe and the excellent Boatshed Restaurant which on Friday night is the liveliest spot on Aitutaki.
Shops, Cafes & Restaurants on Aitutaki
Aitutaki Beach Villas is located very close to local shops, cafés and resort restaurants. The following is a list of walking and moped times to these:
Tina's Grocery 24/7 - this shop is always open. It takes 10 minutes to walk there from the villas by road (2 mins by moped) and sells basic food items including frozen meat, fruit and vegetables, some toiletries and also has takeaway breakfast snacks and picnic lunch containers.
Aquila Store is just a minute further along the road and has a cafe selling burgers, pizzas and hearty curry chicken dishes. There's also Wok Kai for more Chinese inspired dinners; and Tavake Cafe which offer good coffee and breakfasts.
Maina Traders is the main supermarket and is located in Aratunga Town, a 25-minute walk from the villas (5+ mins by moped). It has a larger selection of food and medicines as well as beer, wine and spirits. Also in town is Vonnias where you can buy clothes, hats, flip-flops, reef shoes and fishing rods.
Heading inland from Aratunga towards Tautu Village is the excellent Avatea Cafe (10 mins by moped) which serves Poke Bowls, Ika Mata (local marinated fish) and Brushetta amongst others.
Otherwise, Pacific Resort offers fine dining (5 mins walk along beach); Tava'e Resort and Tamanu Beach Resort (3 mins walk along beach) have lunch and dinner menus that usually includes Ika Mata.
The Boatshed at Ootu (12mins by moped) is another good restaurant, serving steaks and sumptuous fish & chips (if parrot fish has been caught).
Aitutaki Holiday General Information
There are several local car rental companies we recommend and will provide information during the booking process. Mopeds can be rented direct from the villas and are very useful to get around and do some shopping. The Police Station in Arutanga issues local cook islands driving licenses for mopeds Mon-Fri 9am to 11am, but if you arrive outside these hours you can still use our mopeds until you can get your license issued. There's an ATM at the airport and in town, as well as a nearby store which is a 10-minute walk from the villas. Drinking water from taps is not advised and water stations are dotted around the island for free use (the villas supplies large water bottles for refilling). Aitutaki Airport, built during WWII, is located on the north side of Aitutaki about a ten minute drive from the villas. Our villa manager meets all guests at the airport and transfers guests to the villas with a short orientation trip along the way.
