The Cook Islands GETTING ORGANISED FOR YOUR DESTINATION HOLIDAY TO THE COOK ISLANDS General Information A newly built international airport in Rarotonga means the Cook Islands are well-equipped for two global airlines – Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia. Entry Requirements When you come to the Cook Islands, a valid passport and a return ticket will allow you a stay of up to 31 days. Extensions may be granted on a monthly basis – for up to five months. New Zealand citizens automatically qualify for a 90 day stay. For extensions, apply 2 weeks before your permit expires. Vaccinations & Visa No Vaccinations are required. Entry Visa is not required. Customs on Arrival With the Cook Islands’ close ties to New Zealand, personal effects including sports equipment and clothing are exempt from duty. Duty Free items include: 200 cigarettes or 250gms of tobacco or 50 cigars or a mixture of not more than 250 grams in total Two litres of mixture/ ornot of spirits, wine and liquer OR 4.5 litres of beer Goods in excess of NZ$250 are liable for duty Any food items must be declared on arrival. For more information visit www.agriculture.gov.ck Departure Tax There is no departure tax payable at the airport as this is included in your international tickets. Local Air Transport The Southern Group of the Cook Islands is connected regularly by the local airline, Air Rarotonga, with Aitutaki having several daily return flights. However travel to the Northern Group is infrequent and usually only on request. Medical Services A range of medical and dental services are available in Rarotonga which also includes a hospital. Aitutaki and Atiu also have limited medical aid with very small hospitals. Emergency services operate on Rarotonga and there is an optometrist plus several pharmacies for prescriptions. Physiotherapists are also available for you to take advantage of while in the Cook Islands. Medical and dental services are available and there is a well-equipped hospital with New Zealand trained staff situated in Rarotonga, with a smaller hospital in Aitutaki. There are no venomous snakes and most of the insects are innocuous - but look out for centipedes which do bite. The coral reefs should be treated with caution. Currency The Cook Islands’ unit of currency is the New Zealand dollar, supplemented by notes and coinage for local use. The unique local coins and notes are not negotiable outside the Cook Islands, but are keenly sought by collectors worldwide. Banking ANZ and Westpac Banks in downtown Avarua are open Mon-Fri from 9am – 3pm. ANZ extends its closing time on Friday’s to 4pm whilst Westpac Bank opens from 9am-12pm on Saturdays. Westpac Bank has an exchange service available at the airport for all international flights; this is located at the International Arrivals Terminal. ATM’s are conveniently located around Rarotonga and Aitutaki and EFTPOS is available at some hotels and stores. Western Union has an office in Avarua offering money exchange and transfers. Climate The Cook Islands enjoy a pleasantly warm and sunny climate all year round. June to August are the cooler months, whilst November to March marks the warmer season, with occasional tropical showers expected. It is also known as cyclone season – something to be aware of although not necessarily a deterrent as they are not a regular occurrence. The drier months, from April to November, have an average of about 26°C, whilst the warmer, more humid and damp season runs from December to March. During this season the temperature ranges between 22°C (min) and 30°C (max). The table below indicates the prevalence of sunshine and temperatures. Severe weather is rare and infrequent. Month Temp. (°C) Hours Max Min Sunshine Jan 28.8 22.9 179 Feb 29.1 23.1 171 Mar 28.9 22.6 181 Apr 28.2 22.0 174 May 26.6 20.4 162 Jun 25.6 19.3 169 Jul 25.2 18.6 177 Aug 24.9 18.4 177 Sep 25.3 19.1 177 Oct 26.0 20.0 185 Nov 27.1 21.0 178 Dec 27.8 21.9 181 Driving The standard left hand rule applies to driving in the Cook Islands. And the maximum speed limit in the villages and town is 30km/h with 50km/h in the less populated areas. It is essential to have a current Drivers Licence. Visitors from Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada, UK and the EU can now drive in the Cook Islands for up to six months using their overseas license. Visitors over 16 can drive in the Cook Islands on their current and full overseas license for up to six months, unless the license expires, is revoked, suspended or disqualified in that time. Visitors will be allowed to drive only the class of motor vehicle they are entitled to drive in their home country. If visitors hold an overseas driving license for a car only, the license holder will only be permitted to drive a car in the Cook Islands. However, if a visitor wants to ride a scooter or motorbike in the Cook Islands and is not licensed to do so at home, he or she will still have to obtain a Cook Islands Driving License (either Class A covering motorbikes/scooters or Class AB covering both regular vehicles and motorbikes/scooters). This involves a practical test at the Police Headquarters in Avarua and the payment of NZ$20 license fee plus NZ$5 practical fee. Visitors whose license is written in a language other than English will need an accurate translation. Road rules are strict when it comes to drinking and driving, so best not to. Communication If you are a stamp collector, the colourful Cook Islands stamps are distinctive and sought after by enthusiasts. Mail is available from the Post Office, which opens Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. Telepost, a Telecom outlet located at the CITC Shopping Complex, is open every Saturday 8am – 12 noon. International telephone, mobile telephone, facsimile and internet services (including Broadband) are available through Telecom Cook Islands. Several internet cafes are located on Rarotonga and Aitutaki . WiFi is available at key locations and resorts. Language Cook Islands Maori is the local language but everyone also speaks English. Here are a few local words you might like to try during your visit: Kia Orana Hello Aere ra Goodbye Meitaki Thank you ae yes kare no tane man vaine woman mataora happy kai food teia ra today apopo tomorrow ra sun marama moon Voltage and frequency You can use your electric appliances in the Cook Islands, if the standard voltage in your country is in between 220V - 240V (as in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa). Manufacturers take these small deviations into account. If the standard voltage in your country is in the range of 100V - 127V (as in the US, Canada and most South American countries), you need a power converter. To be sure, check the label on the appliance. If it states 'INPUT: 100-240V, 50/60 Hz', it can be used in all countries of the world (like chargers for tablets/laptops, photo cameras, cell phones, toothbrushes). If the frequency in the Cook Islands (50 Hz) differs from the one in your country, it is not advised to use your appliances, but you can try at your own risk. Be especially careful with moving, rotating and time related appliances like clocks and electric fan heaters. Power sockets and plugs In the Cook Islands the power sockets used are of type I: Type I Geography The Cook Islands are "hidden" in a vast expanse of the South Pacific ocean roughly 3,000 kms (1,867 miles) north east of New Zealand and 4,725 kms (2,936 miles) south of Hawaii. The country is actually 15 separate islands...nine in the Southern Group and six in the Northern Group, and they're defined geographically as between 156-167° West and 8-23° South. Two of the islands - Takutea and Manuae - are uninhabited. They're spread across 2.2 million square kilometres (nearly 850,000 square miles) of water, which is an area the size of India. And the whole of those territorial waters are also the world's largest designated whale and shark sanctuary. 1,433 kms (891 miles) separates the most northerly island (Penrhyn) from the most southerly (Mangaia). The Flag The Constitution of the Islands explains the flag: BLUE - is the colour most expressive of our Nation, it is representative of the vast area of the Pacific Ocean in which the islands of the Cook Islands are scattered. Blue also depicts the peaceful nature of the inhabitants of our islands. THE UNION JACK indicates our historical association with and membership of the British Commonwealth. The 15 WHITE STARS represent the 15 islands of the group. Time Zone The islands are 10 hours behind GMT. Daylight saving time is not observed - in other words, the clock doesn't go back or forward at any time. Government and Head of State Parliamentary democracy based on the UK model. Officially the Islands are an independent nation in free association with New Zealand. They gained independence on 4 August, 1965. The free association agreement means: The Cook Islands Government has full executive powers The Cook Islands can make its own laws and New Zealand cannot make laws for the country unless authorised by Government Cook Islanders keep New Zealand citizenship The Monarch is represented by former deputy prime minister, Tom Marsters. His official title is "HM the Queen's Representative in the Cook Islands".