Cook Islands
Travel Destination –Cook Islands
With no traffic lights, or buildings taller than a coconut tree, the Cook Islands is a paradise for adventurous travellers and nature lovers. Consisting of fifteen islands scattered across two million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean, Rarotonga is the largest and most visited. The islands are covered by thick evergreen bush and fringed by stunning picturesque lagoons. Cook Islanders value respect and tradition and warmly welcome visitors.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to the Cook Islands, it’s a good idea to speak with a travel doctor about your plans. Whether you're heading to a resort, visiting remote villages, or spending time in the water, your doctor can prepare a personalised health plan based on your activities and itinerary. They’ll review your vaccination history, recommend any additional immunisations, and ensure you have prescriptions for any preventive or standby medications you might need. Aim to book your consultation at least six to eight weeks before departure, especially if multiple vaccine doses are required. Even if you're leaving soon, it’s still worth arranging an appointment - some vaccines can be given on an accelerated schedule, and essential advice and medications can still be provided.
Insect avoidance
In the Cook Islands, mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever and Zika virus are present in some areas. While the risk varies depending on location and season, avoiding mosquito bites remains the most effective way to prevent these infections. Stay in air-conditioned accommodation or rooms with intact fly screens. If these aren't available, use a permethrin-treated mosquito net while sleeping. When outdoors wear long sleeves and pants, and apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) to exposed skin.
Food and water hygiene
The Cook Islands offers plenty of opportunities to sample fresh, local food - but it’s worth taking a few precautions to avoid gastroenteritis. Before eating, make sure to wash your hands or use hand sanitiser, especially when travelling in areas with limited facilities. Opt for meals that are cooked to order and served hot, and be cautious with anything raw or reheated. If you’re buying from food stalls or roadside vendors, look for busy spots where the food turnover is high. Stick to fruits you can peel yourself, like pawpaw or bananas, and avoid salads that may have been washed in tap water. To stay safe, drink bottled or boiled water and skip the ice unless you’re sure it’s from a treated source.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have a special interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for the Cook Islands
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver, typically spread through contaminated food or water. While it often causes a short-term illness, in some cases it can be severe and even life-threatening. Although hepatitis A is rare in Australia, it remains more common in many Pacific nations, including the Cook Islands. Travellers who haven’t completed a two-dose course of the hepatitis A vaccine are generally advised to get immunised before their trip, and the vaccine offers long-lasting protection against this preventable illness.
Typhoid
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Typhoid is a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella Typhi or Paratyphi, usually spread through contaminated food or water. It can cause high fevers, fatigue, abdominal pain, headaches, and digestive symptoms. While the risk is lower in resort areas, travellers spending extended time in the Cook Islands or visiting rural villages are at higher risk. A typhoid vaccine is available and provides protection for up to three years. Your travel doctor may recommend it depending on your itinerary and planned activities.
Hepatitis B
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Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can lead to long-term liver damage and is spread through contact with blood or bodily fluids -for example, through unprotected sex, tattooing, or sharing personal items like razors. The severity of infection can vary, and some cases may require long-term antiviral treatment. While hepatitis B vaccine is now part of the routine immunisation schedule for babies, this wasn't always the case. Adults who didn’t receive it growing up should consider vaccination before travelling to the Cook Islands, especially if they plan to stay for an extended period or will be making frequent visits in the future.
Routine vaccinations
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In Australia, widespread routine immunisation has kept many common infections - like measles, varicella, and polio - at very low levels. However, in countries such as the Cook Islands, these diseases can be more common, and outbreaks still occur. Before travelling, it’s a good opportunity to review your routine vaccinations and update any that may be due. This may include boosters for influenza, COVID-19, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus, varicella, and polio. Staying up to date helps protect both you and the community you come home to.
Cook Islands
Other health risks in the Cook Islands
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis or traveller's diarrhoea is usually caused by bacteria ingested in contaminated food or water. Bacteria commonly responsible include campylobacter, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and salmonella. In cases of bacterial infection, symptoms typically begin within 24 to 72 hours and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
The most important aspect of treatment is maintenance of adequate hydration.This can be achieved with oral rehydration solutions which replaces fluid and salts. Antibiotics are usually reserved for severe or pronged infections or instances where someone is at risk of complications.
The illness usually resolves on its own in one to three days. Medical attention is required when symptoms are not typical, when they are prolonged or severe, or at any time when it is not possible to replace fluids faster than they are being lost. Prevention revolves around good hand hygiene before eating and avoidance of high-risk foods and drinks.
Dengue
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Dengue fever is one of the most frequently reported mosquito-borne illnesses among Australians travelling to tropical destinations. It is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which are most active during daylight hours and are commonly found in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms typically include high fever, fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, and rash. Most people recover fully within one to two weeks, especially during a first infection. However, repeat infections can lead to more serious forms of the illness, which may involve internal bleeding and dangerously low blood pressure - potentially life-threatening without proper care. As there is no specific antiviral treatment or widely available vaccine for travellers, preventing mosquito bites remains the most effective way to protect yourself.
Non-infectious conditions
Deep vein thrombosis
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Prolonged air and road travel, particularly journeys over four hours, carry with them the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT occurs when blood flow slows due to prolonged immobility, allowing a clot to form in a deep vein, usually in the leg. To help reduce the risk, it’s important to stay well hydrated, avoid sitting still for long periods, and get up to stretch or walk regularly during your journey. For those with additional risk factors, such as a history of clotting or recent surgery, wearing below-knee compression stockings may also be recommended. If DVT does occur, treatment typically involves the use of blood-thinning medications.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Trying new activities is one of the best parts of travelling to the Cook Islands but it’s important to understand the risks and take sensible precautions. If you're considering riding a motorbike, make sure you have the right skills and licence, understand local road rules, and always wear a properly fitted helmet. When using other road transport, choose vehicles with functioning seatbelts.
The Cook Islands offers plenty of opportunities for diving, boating, and fishing. Check to make sure your travel insurance covers these activities. If you're new to any of these, choose a reputable provider with trained staff and a strong focus on safety. For hiking or exploring inland areas, wear well-fitted boots that are already broken in, apply sunscreen and insect repellent, carry water, and don’t push beyond your physical limits - especially in hot or humid conditions. Follow the advice of locals when it comes to choosing safe swimming and water sports areas.
Whatever your plans, comprehensive travel insurance that includes medical evacuation is strongly recommended in case of unexpected illness or injury.