Unspoilt Island with Lagoon
Northern Cook Islands, Cook Islands
Picturesque and unspoiled, Rakahanga consists of two major islands encompassing a central lagoon. The atoll is 1,248 kilometres from the Cook Islands capital, Rarotonga and lies 1,111 kilometres from the equator. Its nearest neighbour is Manihiki which is just 44 kilometres away.
There are two main islands and seven motus or islets in the Rakahanga lagoon. On the east these are: Akaro, Motu Ngangle, Huananul, Motu Mahuta and Motu Okakara; while on the southwest side the islet of Te Kainga guards the widest passage in to the lagoon.
The island is just over 4 square kilometres in size and is so low lying that it is in serious danger from rising seas caused by global warming. The land is covered in lush vegetation with breadfruit, coconuts and Pandanus trees lining the village paths.
Background
It has the distinction of being the first of the Cook Islands to have a recorded landing by Europeans. When in March 1606 two ships from Spain, the "Capitana" and "Almiranta", under the command of Pedro Fernandez de Quiros arrived. Their voyage was the last of the great Spanish voyages of exploration.