Aitutaki, 50 shades of blue

I'm not sure how to start this blog, because all the superlatives you can think of are applicable.

The short flight from the main island Rarotonga with a small propellor plane is an experience in itself and already gives a wonderful overview of the stunning lagoon.

Once we arrived at our "cottage" at Ootu Beach, the views took our breath away. What an incredibly beautiful sea with so many shades of blue. This is our home for the next 5 days.

We took a boat twice to discover the lagoon and visit the many uninhabited islands called 'motus' (there are 15 of them in total, including the famous One Foot Island, where I've sent a few postcards from the most remote post office in the world.

On the main island of Atutaki live about 2500 people and is in size comparable to half of the Dutch island Vlieland.

We spoke to an English couple and we agreed that it is not often that the real thing is better than the brochures! Aitutaki took our breath away, it is definitely the most beautiful piece of earth I have ever seen!

I could n't make a choice of all the awesome pictures Remco took!

Arrival at Aitutaki Airport, welcomed with a "lei" (bloemenkrans)

Ootu Beach, near our accommodation

Piraki Lookout 

Our cute cottage near the beach

The weather station

A quick snapshot with my Iphone 😲

Boat-tour through the lagoon. This is the 'motu' Akaiami.

Heaven Island

It was heaven to Rafael too, because he could get out of the boat and run around 😄.

Me snorkeling with Giant Trevally fish. They measure more than 1 metre and looked intimidating...

One Foot Island (Tapuaetai)

The stamps in our passports

Ika mata: a delicious local dish with raw fish in coconut sauce.

Rafael trying to open a coconut, just like he saw in a demonstration a few days before.

 Sunset at Ootu Beach

The city centre of Arutanga, the capital of Aitutaki.

Ready for our second boat tour to ' Honeymoon Island'

Green sea turtle

Looking for crab and birds-nest on Honeymoon Island

 Kayaking

View from our breakfast location

At the Marine Research Centre where local schoolkids get educated about the effects of garbage in the sea and on the beach (this was found in 1 hour!).

The small plane of Air Rarotonga to take us back to Rarotonga

For more footage, watch this great youtube video of Aitutaki by drone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV2SGjSlzZA

Meitaki Cook Islands, you were unforgettable 💙

Off to New Zealand now, for new adventures!