From November to February, the waters around Aitutaki are the mating grounds of sea turtles...the Hawksbill turtle, onu taratara (left) and the green turtle, onu. The Hawksbill is on the "critically endangered species" list produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
The Legend of One Foot Island
Tapuaetai is known to all as One Foot Island - from the air it resembles a left foot. But I prefer the legend...
A tribe once attacked the main island and a man and his son escaped by canoe. On this unnamed islet, he carried the boy across the beach and hid him in a tall coconut tree. Then he paddled all the way to Rarotonga for help. When the "baddies" reached the islet they only saw one set of footprints on and off the island and they left. The boy remained safely hidden until his father returned with help. And from then on, the island was known as One Foot Island.
A tribe once attacked the main island and a man and his son escaped by canoe. On this unnamed islet, he carried the boy across the beach and hid him in a tall coconut tree. Then he paddled all the way to Rarotonga for help. When the "baddies" reached the islet they only saw one set of footprints on and off the island and they left. The boy remained safely hidden until his father returned with help. And from then on, the island was known as One Foot Island.
DON'T FORGET YOUR PASSPORT
...if you're paying a visit to One Foot Island! You won't need it to land on the islet, but you will want to get it stamped at the post office which sets up there each day...a unique souvenir of this piece of paradise. You can buy One Foot Island postcards and stamps too.
BETTER THAN ALL THE BEACHES IN AUSTRALIA...OFFICIAL!
The beach on One Foot Island was voted the best in the whole of Australia and the Pacific region at this year's World Travel Awards - the Oscars of the travel industry.
Highlights
POINTERS TO PARADISE:
MORE OF AITUTAKI RAROTONGA SITE MAP HOME SURPRISE ME!
OR FIND YOUR OWN PIECE OF PARADISE USING THE MENU ON THE LEFT
MORE OF AITUTAKI RAROTONGA SITE MAP HOME SURPRISE ME!
OR FIND YOUR OWN PIECE OF PARADISE USING THE MENU ON THE LEFT
When you're in Aitutaki, don't forget to say hi to my friend Aisne, at the market. She's going to teach me how to sew my own shirt when I go back. She'll cut your hair too.
And when the sun goes down, relax some more as the picturesque lagoon takes on a new beauty.
A stunning photo courtesy of Marcus Gleinig and Graeme Whitfield of Summerfield Systems, Rarotonga
A stunning photo courtesy of Marcus Gleinig and Graeme Whitfield of Summerfield Systems, Rarotonga
THE BEST BEACH RESORT IN THE WORLD TOO!
The Pacific Resort, Aitutaki has been named the world's best leading boutique island resort by travel industry experts. 167,000 travel profesionals worldwide voted in the 15th annual world travel awards - the industry's Oscars - and they chose it for a host of reasons including understanding visitor needs and expectations.