AITUTAKI, Cook Islands — This tiny spot in the South Pacific was one of the last places William Bligh, captain of the HMS Bounty, visited before the infamous 1789 mutiny.
Bligh, set adrift along with 18 members of his crew shortly after leaving Aitutaki, later reached Timor and successfully returned to England.
Today, this island paradise is visited more by those living in nearby Australia and New Zealand than by Europeans and North Americans, although it's an idyllic vacation spot filled with friendly people and breathtaking scenery.
This remote island that sits in the corner of a glistening lagoon surrounded by a handful of smaller islands called "motus" is a perfect haven for honeymooners and those looking to get away from it all.
The 17 1/2-hour flight from Los Angeles included transfers in Papeete, Tahiti, and Rarotonga, the island that is home to the Cook Islands' capital, Avarua.
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Visitors will want to spend a day at the Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa, which sits on its own little "motu" about 40 feet across a canal.
You must have permission to cross by boat — either to visit the spa or eat at the Beach Bar and Restaurant. The spa is wonderful, with reasonable rates. A 90-minute massage costs about $56 and is a perfect end to a day in the sun.
With pricey beach bungalows that are the only ones on Aitutaki to sit over water, the resort is one of the most beautiful places on the island.
Though the beach equipment is technically reserved for hotel guests, no one bothered me as I relaxed in a hammock.
The prime attraction is the area's access to the lagoon. With sand dunes a short swim from the beach, you can lie in the water or walk across a surprising portion of the lagoon.
Getting around Aitutaki can be difficult since there is no public transportation. There are few cars, and most islanders use motor scooters.
That's where Rino's Rentals comes in (it's just outside the main town of Arutanga — home to the bank, post office and police station). After some paperwork and a fee of $74 for the week, an employee expressed concern about my lack of driving skills. He suggested that I practice a bit and then told me I should consider a bicycle instead.
After some persistence (and a few laps in an adjacent field), I finally persuaded him to let me take the motor scooter. He warned me about the dreaded "island tattoo" — a smattering of bruises on the elbow that many islanders have from wrecks on their scooters.
Finally, I was off, enjoying the freedom of roaming around the island (slowly, of course) and discovering the small villages that dot the tropical landscape.
The weather is almost always mild, averaging about 75 degrees, and the water is always warm.
For about $40, you can spend the day out in the lagoon with Kia Orana Cruises. The boat visits several little "motus," including Honeymoon Island, which was a sand dune 35 years ago, the captain explained.
Snorkeling, you find a rich array of marine life — from puffer and unicorn fish to giant clams that captivate with their rich, neon colors.
On Honeymoon Island, where tradition calls for those recently wed to plant a coconut palm tree, there's a nesting ground for the red-tailed tropical tern. The baby birds were surprisingly friendly and allowed folks to get within a few feet to snap photos.
That night, my last on Aitutaki, I headed to Pacific Resort Aitutaki and "Island Night" at the Rapae Bay Restaurant, where hungry travelers dine in a tiki hut overlooking the water. A three-course, prix-fixe menu for around $40 featured, among other items, barbecue beef skewers on papaya salad with lemon chili dressing, grilled orange roughy with lemon caper butter and chocolate ganache cake.
It was a delicious way to end this visit to the Cook Islands, an immensely scenic and friendly place.
• Information: The Cook Islands Tourism Corp., www.cook-islands.com.
• Air: Air New Zealand offers round-trip tickets to Rarotonga, starting at $896 per person from Los Angeles. After passing through customs, you can catch a flight on Air Rarotonga to Aitutaki. The flight, lasting about 45 minutes, starts at $61 one way.
• When to go: Expect mild temperatures year-round. Cyclone season runs from November to March, which is also the height of the Southern Hemisphere's summer and autumn holiday season. There are good warning systems, shelters and security in place here in the event of the occasional storm, similar to what the U.S. East Coast, South and the Caribbean have in place during hurricane season.
