Before you decide to travel to Rarotonga you should check out the Cook Islands web site This is the complete guide to the Cook Islands and is the largest and oldest site devoted to these magic islands.

There are also a few newspapers that can help get you accustomed to local quirks. The Cook Islands News has a solid selection of local news stories, and also prints longer pieces about island culture. The paper has a good mix of photographs, as well. The weekly Cook Islands Herald has a more political emphasis, with hard news, columnists and editorials occupying the most space. Either paper is worth browsing before your visit.

For most travelers, it’s a long plane flight to the Cook Islands, so you’ll want some more extensive reading material to occupy the time. Lonely Planet’s Raratonga and the Cook Islands is a good place to start: it’s a straightforward manual with all the details you’ll need to finalize your itinerary. For some lighter reading, try Papa Mike’s Cook Islands Handbook , an unconventional, anecdotal guidebook based on “Papa Mike’s” personal experiences. If you can’t stand the dry tone of the average tourist’s guide, this is a decent alternative.