Rarotonga is the vibrant centre of the Cook Islands and is where government resides.
Circular and only 32 km in circumference, it is dominated by high mountain peaks which rise to 653 metres from which lush rain forests cascade and provide a dramatic backdrop to a palm-fringed shore.
The island is almost completely encircled by a reef, which harbours a lagoon of clear turquoise waters and many inviting white sand beaches.
Beyond the reef, the indigo blue of the ocean provides a vivid contrast and a bountiful supply of fish.