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Cook Islands

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The boom in midlife ‘friendsmoons’ and the perfect destination for one

Less than six hours from Sydney, this drop-and-flop hideaway is perfect for relaxation and reconnection.

  • Fiona Carruthers

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Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

More Aussies are discovering my island paradise, but they can’t change it

I grew up in a place where no building is allowed to be higher than the tallest coconut tree. It remains my happiest place on Earth.

  • Craig Tansley
Little Polynesian Resort, Rarotonga.

Island resort offers a wonderfully laid-back escape from winter

Set in lush gardens with a backdrop of volcanic mountains and the ocean beckoning beachside, Little Polynesian is your textbook tropical escape.

  • Trudi Jenkins
Pacific Resort Aitutaki is the tropical island of your dreams.

The tropical paradise you can have (almost) all to yourself

Aitutaki is wonderfully unspoiled compared to certain other island hotspots, and this adults-only resort takes the fantasy a step further.

  • Trudi Jenkins
Arriving in Rarotonga feels like stepping into a living postcard.

A short(ish) flight away, this place is like stepping into a postcard

There’s plenty to do when visiting the Cook Islands, or you can choose to do nothing at all.

  • Tatyana Leonov
Getting to South America is easy from Sydney or Melbourne.

Back-to-work blues? These 10 tips will ignite your travel dreams

The exchange rate is brutal, there’s a cost-of-living crisis and overtourism is ruining popular spots, but here’s how you can still have a great holiday in 2025.

  • Ben Groundwater
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Taveuni, Fiji.

The under-the-radar island getaways that are only a short flight away

These South Pacific destinations allow you to avoid other tourists and live like a local – without breaking the bank.

  • Craig Tansley
It takes less than an hour to drive around Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands.

I haven’t lived on this Pacific island for 40 years – but it’s as if I never left

For this former local, returning to the Cook Islands means scooting about, breathing in sweet air – and being related to everyone (including a former PM).

  • Craig Tansley
Australia’s slow and outdated migration system is weakening the nation’s influence in the Pacific.

Showing up matters: Why Albanese must keep travelling

After cosying up to Xi Jinping in Beijing, Anthony Albanese has immediately pivoted to curtailing China’s influence in the Pacific.

  • Matthew Knott
Jetstar’s new non-stop route to Rarotonga cuts the previous shortest route by over seven hours.

Airline review: Economy class on Jetstar’s next-gen plane

This game-changing new service to a Pacific paradise has a seatback feature passengers will love.

  • Katherine Scott