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.

Man's best friend is never far from Tessa Chrisp's side, offering companionship on a Rarotongan holiday.

Whether you're on a tight budget or splashing out, the islands have it all.

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.

Racism is no part of the issue, writes Hussein Rawlings. Nor should we fear the accusation of "protectionism". Are Indonesia, China, or Thailand challenged on their land ownership laws?

An Austrian couple have been rescued from their yacht near American Samoa after getting into trouble for the second time in a week.

Colourful church services are a glorious way to enjoy Sundays in paradise, finds Pamela Wade.

Rarotonga is perfect for families, finds Graham Hepburn.

Island time A walk in Atiu jungle feels like scuba-diving, says Jim Eagles.

Pacific-style hustle and bustle attracts Pamela Wade.

Danielle Murray falls under the spell of a remote atoll in the South Pacific.

A company established in the Cook Islands by a New Zealand lawyer is at the centre of a global investigation which has exposed the identities of thousands of people putting money into secretive overseas hideaways.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will host Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna and two of his ministerial colleagues today for the second New Zealand-Cook Islands Joint Ministerial Forum.

Jim Eagles is surprised to find so many brightly coloured fish as he dives in one of the Cook Islands' new marine reserves.