The Cook Islands consist of 15 islands scattered over some 850,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean. They lie in the center of the Polynesian Triangle, flanked to the west by the Kingdom of Tonga and the Samoas and to the east by French Polynesia. The first inhabitants arrived by vakas, doublehulled canoes, in approximately 800 A.D. In 1773 Captain James Cook, for whom the island group was named, sighted Manuae Atoll, which he named Hervey Island. On a later voyage he discovered Palmerston, Takutea, Mangaia and Atiu. The ill-fated Captain William Bligh sighted Aitutaki in 1789, and Christian Fletcher sighted Rarotonga, followed by the “mutiny on the Bounty.” The beauty and charm of the islands is matched only by the friendliness of the people. You will find warm and spontaneous hospitality. The culture is expressed through song and dance. The islanders take pride in traditional songs, Sunday hymns and the distinctive crafts which exist in the day-to-day lives of the people. The total population of the islands is 18,000. The island of Rarotonga is 20 miles in circumference, with only two main roads. The “Island Bus” can take you around or you can rent a bike, car or jeep. The island of Aitutaki is less than an hour’s flight from Rarotonga. It is partly volcanic and partly atoll, boasting a crystal clear turquoise lagoon and white sand beaches.