A special reminder of your trip on the Cook Islands is the beautiful black pearl which is unique to the island. Be sure to shop around for those precious pearls as you will certainly walk away with a bargain that will not disappoint!

Our Cook Islands Shopping Guide provides information about some interesting places that you might want to explore while going on your shopping expedition. When the hunger pain hits, why not head to one of the restaurants in Cook Islands or sample the food at the local vendors in the markets.

Cook Islands Shopping Guide 

Local Markets

In Rarotonga head straight for the 'Punanga Nui Cultural Market' which is near the harbour in Avarua to pick up a variety of handicrafts like baskets, hats, grass skirts, jewellery and carvings. Saturday mornings offer the ideal time to shop here and if you reach early, you will get a wide choice. There are also some great Cook Islands stores which are permanently located here like 'Island Craft' next to Westpac, which also has an outlet at the airport with a limited range of items. In Aitutaki, go to the 'Orongo Centre' near Arutanga Wharf for handicrafts and beachwear.

Local Handicrafts in Atiu

In terms of shopping in Cook Islands, choices are limited in Atiu; however, there are some unusual things available here which can be interesting for tourists. Locals sell handicrafts from home like the traditional fibre art using ‘tapa' cloth. This is made of bark from trees, and women in the villages make wonderful tapa flowers. Some popular creative pastimes include ‘tivaevae', quilting done by patchwork, which uses vibrant and colourful patterns, and carvings done on traditional drums, bowls and ornaments. Atiu is also known for the best 'ukuleles' on the Cook Islands, made from local timber. There are also a few dairy stores in Cook Islands and tourists must try the local coffee, which is out of this world.

Tourists must exchange their currency in Rarotonga before arriving at Atiu.

Shell necklaces

Mangaia is the best place to see the elaborate craftsmanship of skilled village women and buy some local produce on the ‘market day' in the centre of town on Friday mornings. The ‘ei pupu' or shell necklaces made from tiny shells of snails in yellow and white strands are a speciality of this island. These necklaces like the woven ‘pandanus' bags are both labour intensive in nature but are sold at reasonable prices.

Black pearls 

The beautiful island of Manihiki is the heart of the pearl industry and the main producer of cultured black pearls in the Cook Islands. Manihiki is one of two Cook Islands which produce pearls, the other being Penrhyn. The Cook Islands and French Polynesia are the only producers of these treasures in the whole world. The black pearls are much sought after around the world and go on to become centrepieces of fine jewellery, worn by men and women alike. Manihiki is a large atoll, a land mass measuring 5.4 km in length with a 4 km wide and deep lagoon which rests on top of an underwater mountain standing tall at 4 km above the ocean floor. It is laced with 40 tiny motus or islets which are strung along a reef. The lagoon houses the farms for the cultured black pearls and most of the people on the island are involved in pearl production in some way. Tours are arranged to the farms to ascertain the process of cultivation and the placing of seeds inside oyster shells for future pearl harvesting.

Mauke Miracle Oil

Mauke is a scenic island with a leisurely and peaceful pace and where the people are warm and friendly. It is also famous in the Cook Islands for the ‘Mauke Miracle Oil' which is used by people to cure their skin ailments.

When to shop

Shops in Cook Islands mostly remain open between 8 am - 4 pm on weekdays and from 8 am - 12 pm on Saturdays. In Avarua, it takes little time to survey all the shops to find out what is available. You can buy a $3 note printed in the mint of Cook Islands at the Philatelic Bureau for $7! Isn't that a great Cook Islands souvenir and money spinner! If you don't want a crisp and new note, just ask a teller at the ANZ or Westpac Banks. They will give you an old one for just $3, which is a bargain! There are two kinds of $ 3 notes - Rarotonga has a green note and Aitutaki a pink one. Both can be legally tendered within the country.

What to wear

Dress should be light and casual (shorts and half sleeve shirts), preferably cotton clothing but not too short in public places. Sun bathing on a beach or around a resort pool is fine, but swimsuits should not be worn outside the resort. A sarong called ‘sulu' or ‘paraeu' is a useful accessory to wrap over a swimsuit and it can also be used for lying down. In the cooler months, a long sleeve shirt or jacket can be worn. During the evening hours, tropical clothes are fine. Ties are rarely worn even by people going to the court or a funeral. Ladies, roads can be rough on your feet, so do wear a comfortable pair of flat heels instead of making a fashion statement! A pair of reef shoes, your own mask and snorkel will be handy. If you plan to attend Sunday church, the men should be in long sleeve shirt, trousers and shoes. The ladies should wear a dress. The local women also wear dress hats.

Clothes shopping

For good tropical clothes, visit Tav's Clothing Factory in Avarua which is on Vakatini Road, across the Bowling Club. Also visit Joyce Peyroux Garments in Arorangi. And of course there is the Orongo Centre on Aitutaki.