18 FEB 2024

Sunshine, beaches, cocktail by the lagoon, and colorful coral reefs — this is Rarotonga, the main island of the Cook Islands.

Getting to Rarotonga from New Zealand is easy and feels magical. A short four-hour flight takes you not only to the South Pacific but also back in time. Crossing the International Date Line means you arrive the day before you left. Rarotonga lies just east of the date line in the South Pacific, while New Zealand is west of it. So when you fly east from Auckland to Rarotonga, you “gain” almost 24 hours.

From macaroon green to turquoise blue, another sweet family holiday we together. I had the best seafood pasta ever at the Trader Jack, and learned some fun facts:

      No building on Raro can be taller than a coconut tree;

      Rarotonga means 'up' and 'North';

      Captain Cook never visited this island named after him!

When the holiday ended and we flew back to New Zealand, time jumped forward. Crossing the International Date Line again meant I “lost” another day in an instant. It moved too fast—just like every ending of a holiday.