Atiu Part 1- A Slice of Forgotten Paradise

Nothing could have prepared me for Atiu. No amount of reading websites, books, talking with the old man, nothing at all could have given me a clue of what I was in for when I left the Pacific Resort and jumped on that Bandeirante Aircraft and headed a few hundred kilometres ENE from Rarotonga.

First look at Atiu

This is the stuff South Seas legends are borne from. A 27 sq.km island in the Pacific Ocean, population approximately 600, down from 1000 a decade or so back. Half the numbers are lively and boisterous kids, many of whom are raised by grandparents. I guess many of the working age folk gravitate to Raro or NZ, leaving a bit of a generation gap. I understand its actually Cook Island custom for the first born to be given to the grandparents. The people there are just so friendly and giving, after just a few hours on the place my initial shock of no longer being at a resort had worn off and people were saying hi to the highly conspicuous honkey boy from Christchurch as if I'd lived there all my life.

View from Are Manuiri- Home for 3 days

The island itself consists almost entirely of a raised coral reef, that at some point was shunted up out of the sea by tectonic activity. This exposed fossilised landscape is locally known as the makatea, and I tell you what you wouldn't want to walk on it barefoot, or fall over, you would easily do serious damage- and given Atiu is primarily a subsistence economy island with limited infrastructure I suspect you really don't want to bother the health system too much there!

Oneroa Beach, no not the Waikeke one!

The populace all live within 5 'villages' in the centre of the island that really feel like one, which in itself is unique. Each village seems to have its own rugby field, tennis court, and church. The churches are definitely the flashest buildings on the island, without a doubt.

Zion Tapu

No one seems quite sure why they abandoned the coast, but the history of the island is one of fierce warriors and proud folklore, and even cannibalism. No doubt all this was assisted by the impregnable nature of the makatea for any potential invaders. Today this means the 4WD track around the coast is a stunning remote experience walk, with crashing surf over the relatively young coral reef and lagoon, with bountiful fruit and food on display (yes I picked my own pawpaw, bananas and coconuts as is the Atiu way) and a diverse wildlife of pigs, poultry, birds, humpback whales and highly territorial crabs -yes I was chased by a few big ones, including the ubiquitous coconut crab- about the size of a dinner plate!

The Coral Garden

Talk about back to nature. Home on the island was in Areora Village nestled among the locals at a hostel named Are Manuiri. It was laid back and I had company in the form of an ex truckie from the US named Marc, who is on a mission to become a fully-fledged Cook Island resident. Good luck to you my friend and thanks so much for the impromptu Gun N Roses concert!

Anyway thats it for this installment, standby for Atiu Part 2- Cave Birds, Bush Beer and the Ranfurly Shield!