In part one of a two-part series, Tracey Bond takes a look at some of Rarotonga's best resorts.

I'd only been snorkelling in Rarotonga's Muri Beach lagoon for a few minutes when something whacked my foot with so much force it felt like an electric shock.

Run by expat New Zealanders Robert and Susan Wyllie, Rito's products are paraben-free, and all made in Rarotonga.

Visitors to the Pacific island of Rarotonga - the largest of the Cook Islands and the land of the long, white beach - never want to leave.

We've just been on the tiny island of Rarotonga, where there are scores of eating options, so here are a few we visited and can recommend.

In the village of Vaimaanga on the southern part of Rarotonga, halfway around the island from the main town of Avarua.

A is for Aitutaki. Outside of Rarotonga, this is the most famous of the other 14 islands in the Cooks and can be explored on a day trip.

The 'E2 Way' keeps angler Jane Jeffries happy - and her prey gets to live another day.

Chris Daniels climbs aboard a bike to explore a different side of Rarotonga.

Aitutaki's eco-snorkelling trail highlights the frailty of lagoon life, writes Jane Jeffries.

Aitutaki casts its beautiful and restful spell over Carly Flynn, who discovers a destination better than any brochure could promote.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has taken Shane Jones, David Shearer and Winston Peters with him for his trip to the Cook Islands, where he is holding talks.

An art exhibition with an Anzac twist is paying tribute to the Cook Islands soldiers who served in World War I.

Kim Palsenbarg revisits a past hobby and is entranced to find the world beneath the waves as welcoming as ever.

Laura Hutchins cherishes the easy-going pace of Cook Island life because she knows when she's home it'll be what she misses the most.

Laura Hutchins is blown away by the hospitality at a three-star Cook Island resort.

Andrew Stone has the low down on making the most of the island's high times.

A second honeymoon can be better than the first, writes Penny Lewis.

A retired Swiss accountant found Aitutaki grew on him, writes Winston Aldworth.

Make the most of Rarotonga's thriving mini-town, which will steal your heart with daily snorkel cruises, cafes, markets, beachside resorts and superb local produce, writes Carly Flynn.

Paddleboard yoga brings out the best in Andrew Frampton (at least in his head).

Photos of two New Zealand men posing with a number plate in the Cook Islands are being investigated by police after they were posted on Facebook.

Winston Aldworth spends a few days enjoying beautiful Aitutaki - and wondering why Captain Bligh ever left...

Penny Lewis and family escape to an island paradise and revel in all it has to offer.

After a serve of super-fresh fish, some boutique ale, a snorkel and a scoot around, Ben Chapman-Smith reckons Raro's not so sleepy after all.

Atiu upgrades its tourist appeal with a revival of the island's historic sites, writes Jim Eagles.

Former Northland cop Mark Franklin has been sentenced to a year in prison in the Cook Islands for selling drugs.

Graham Reid takes time to look at what's in his pocket