Honeymoon - Need Cook Islands info - or alternate option

Pat Riley wrote:
> Im getting married in November, and right now we are looking at the Cook
> Islands, or possibly Tahiti as a honeymoon.

Congratulations! I recommend the Princess 10-day Cook Island
cruise that departs from Papeete, Tahiti, goes to the Cook Islands,
and back.

>
> Has any one here spent any time in the Cook Islands? Have any
> recommendations or things to avoid?

I am sure chilly will tell you here land based experience there,
in Rarotonga. Diving in the Cook Island route is not nearly as
good as a couple of other itineraries.

>
> Anyone been someplace equivilent that we should consider?
>
> I will be diving some, but its mostly a honeymoon. Any suggestions are
> appreciated.

I would HIGHLY recommend any of the Princess Tahitian cruises.
I've been on FIVE different itineraries -- all have FANTASTIC
diving -- one or two tanks at each island.

Below is my report on the Marquasus itinerary, but has much
general info about diving the French Polynesia:

http://tinyurl.com/buh53

-- Bob.

"Pat Riley" <plrxx196@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1123196280.c0758b4185b77c41643460a133184908@t eranews...
> Im getting married in November, and right now we are looking at the Cook
> Islands, or possibly Tahiti as a honeymoon.
>
> Has any one here spent any time in the Cook Islands? Have any
> recommendations or things to avoid?
>
> Anyone been someplace equivilent that we should consider?
>
> I will be diving some, but its mostly a honeymoon. Any suggestions are
> appreciated.

I haven't been to Tahiti, but I think the Cook Islands are fab.

What kind of accommodations are you considering?

chilly wrote:
> "Pat Riley" <plrxx196@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1123196280.c0758b4185b77c41643460a133184908@t eranews...
> > Im getting married in November, and right now we are looking at the Cook
> > Islands, or possibly Tahiti as a honeymoon.
> >
> > Has any one here spent any time in the Cook Islands? Have any
> > recommendations or things to avoid?
> >
> > Anyone been someplace equivilent that we should consider?
> >
> > I will be diving some, but its mostly a honeymoon. Any suggestions are
> > appreciated.
>
> I haven't been to Tahiti, but I think the Cook Islands are fab.
>
> What kind of accommodations are you considering?

I predicted you would be here, 3 minutes before your post appeared.


-- Bob.

On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:58:00 -0600, Pat Riley <plrxx196@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Im getting married in November, and right now we are looking at the Cook
>Islands, or possibly Tahiti as a honeymoon.
>
>Has any one here spent any time in the Cook Islands? Have any
>recommendations or things to avoid?

Wife has been (without me!!!).

1. Bugs. Bring Deet. Lots.
2. Beware loose dogs - one ran out and caught my wife on her hired
motorbike one dark night, she came a right purler.
3. Aitutaki is stunningly beautiful, allegedly.

Mike
--
http://www.corestore.org
'As I walk along these shores
I am the history within'

Mike Ross wrote:
> On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:58:00 -0600, Pat Riley <plrxx196@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Im getting married in November, and right now we are looking at the Cook
> >Islands, or possibly Tahiti as a honeymoon.
> >
> >Has any one here spent any time in the Cook Islands? Have any
> >recommendations or things to avoid?
>
> Wife has been (without me!!!).
>
> 1. Bugs. Bring Deet. Lots.
> 2. Beware loose dogs - one ran out and caught my wife on her hired
> motorbike one dark night, she came a right purler.

Two more reasons to take a Princess Cook Islands cruise.


> 3. Aitutaki is stunningly beautiful, allegedly.

http://www.islands.com/borabora/

Bora Bora has long claimed the title of the most beautiful island
in the world, courtesy of James Michener.

http://www.south-seas-adventures.com.../Bora-Bora.php

The Cook Island cruise itinerary:

http://tinyurl.com/bnnds

The ports of call having EXCELLENT diving include:
Huahine, Rorotonga, Raiatea, Bora Bora (two days), and Moorea.

Been there. Done that. Several times in Huahine (who-a-hin-ny),
Raiatea (ray-a-tay-a), Bora Bora, and Moorea (mo-oh-re-ah).

In French Polynesian names, you pronounce every vowel.
Try saying the "airport Faa in Papeete". :)

Good night, y'all!

Hope I dream of diving in the French Polynesian islands. Look
forward to another day of lively SCUBA discussion ... here.

-- Bob.

Reef Fish wrote:

> Mike Ross wrote:
> > On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:58:00 -0600, Pat Riley <plrxx196@hotmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >Im getting married in November, and right now we are looking at the Cook
> > >Islands, or possibly Tahiti as a honeymoon.

Cook Island or Tahiti....very overrated... Bora Bora is beautiful but awfully
muggy, ditto the Cooks...

let's see ...how about....somewhere up in the Coral Sea...

now what is the name of the resort North of Cairns? Lizard Island (something
or other). November would be nice there, not too muggy.

And when you're tired of screwing your guts out....you can always take a short
ride out to the Cod hole and frolic with the big groupers and leave the wify
back in the room for a few hours.

Daniel Kessler wrote:
> Reef Fish wrote:
>
> > Mike Ross wrote:
> > > On Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:58:00 -0600, Pat Riley <plrxx196@hotmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > >Im getting married in November, and right now we are looking at the Cook
> > > >Islands, or possibly Tahiti as a honeymoon.
>
> Cook Island or Tahiti....very overrated...

That much I agree. Diving in Tahiti (Pepeete) actually sucks,
compared to most of the other islands in the Colony Islands,
let alone the rest of French Polynesia, INCORRECTLY named by
the clueless as "Tahiti".

> Bora Bora is beautiful but awfully
> muggy, ditto the Cooks...

Cooks perhaps. Bora Bora IS beautiful, above and below water!
It may be James Michener's hyperbole to call it the "most
beautiful" in the world, but that's only poetic license. It
is unquestionably beautiful, by any standards.

>
> let's see ...how about....somewhere up in the Coral Sea...

Beautiful, but overrated.
>
> now what is the name of the resort North of Cairns? Lizard Island (something
> or other). November would be nice there, not too muggy.

It must have made a great impression on you, eh? That you
couldn't even remember its name! LOL.

Diving in Cairns AND its reachable north via liveaboards from
Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef, are GROSSLY over-rated.


> And when you're tired of screwing your guts out....you can always take a short
> ride out to the Cod hole and frolic with the big groupers and leave the wify
> back in the room for a few hours.

Cod Hole, the Kingdom of Doom, and the rest of the legendary
sites ... Been there. Done that. GROSSLY overrated! Terribe
vis, virtually devastated corals (by nature, rather than by men),
etc. My cousins the Tater Cods are friendly and awesome
critters though, but I've seen their cousins the Jewfish

http://images.google.com/images?q=je...=ii&oi=imagest

in the Caribbean and the Bahamas that are as awesomely large.

Australia (the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Seas) are best
seen in IMAX 3-D movies and videos. Even THOSE showed the
muckiness of the water. Nothing prestine or even having vis
over 100 feet, as are commonly found in OTHER dive locations
throughout the world, including the French Polynesia!

-- Bob.

"Reef Fish" <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1123249646.936557.19860@z14g2000cwz.googlegro ups.com...

> That much I agree. Diving in Tahiti (Pepeete) actually sucks,
> compared to most of the other islands in the Colony Islands,
> let alone the rest of French Polynesia, INCORRECTLY named by
> the clueless as "Tahiti".

I've never been to the Colony Islands, wherever they are. The Society
Islands are nice, however.

Greg Mossman wrote:
> "Reef Fish" <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1123249646.936557.19860@z14g2000cwz.googlegro ups.com...
>
> > That much I agree. Diving in Tahiti (Pepeete) actually sucks,
> > compared to most of the other islands in the Colony Islands,
> > let alone the rest of French Polynesia, INCORRECTLY named by
> > the clueless as "Tahiti".
>
> I've never been to the Colony Islands, wherever they are. The Society
> Islands are nice, however.

I just KNEW, sooner or later, my dive discussions would go beyond
Greg's limited experience, and he would have to resort to being
a Spelling Cop.

Even YOU knew where that was, and guessed correctly.

-- Bob.

Most likely a cottage on the beach or over the water. Diving some would
be a bonus, but not the reason for the trip. What do you recommend in
the cooks?

chilly wrote:
> "Pat Riley" <plrxx196@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1123196280.c0758b4185b77c41643460a133184908@t eranews...
>
>>Im getting married in November, and right now we are looking at the Cook
>>Islands, or possibly Tahiti as a honeymoon.
>>
>>Has any one here spent any time in the Cook Islands? Have any
>>recommendations or things to avoid?
>>
>>Anyone been someplace equivilent that we should consider?
>>
>>I will be diving some, but its mostly a honeymoon. Any suggestions are
>>appreciated.
>
>
> I haven't been to Tahiti, but I think the Cook Islands are fab.
>
> What kind of accommodations are you considering?
>
>