I lived there for eighteen months and love the place. The lagoons in Muri and Titikaveka are a little polluted but are still by far the most beautiful place on the island. I would recommend staying there above anywhere else. The snorkeling and swimming around that area is fine. There are particular species of fish you can't eat, just check with the locals first. I love Rarotonga -- I am very well traveled and would have to say it is my favourite place on Earth.
Hostels in Cook Islands 
Looking for the best hostels in Cook Islands? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Cook Islands with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Cook Islands hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Cook Islands and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Cook Islands
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Cook Islands, across 2 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Cook Islands hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Cook Islands. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Cook Islands
Of all of the islands that you will find that make up the Cook Islands, there are only hostels on two of them, Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Rarotonga is the largest island of the country and you will find that all of the commercial aeroplanes arriving internationally fly into this island. To get out to Aitutaki, you will need to take another flight from Rarotonga on one of the smaller planes.
This country is home to some of the friendliest people that you will ever meet. Make sure that while you are staying here and travelling around that you engage with and talk to the local people and if you can, get involved in their culture. They also have quite a lot of music and dancing that they will present around the islands so make sure that you go and take in a show.
If you don't have a motorcycle licence here, you can take a test at their driver's centre on the day and get a motorbike licence issued from the Cook Islands. If you aren't confident on a motorbike, hire a car for the day and drive around and check out the amazing scenery that is on offer around the island. As the island is surrounded by an atoll, you will find the waves break quite a distance out from the shoreline and that you will have some areas too shallow to swim in and others that are great for snorkelling. There are also some very cool stalls on the side of the road selling local foods and produce that you can stop at and experience along the way. The hostels are mostly in the main town centre on Rarotonga. You can take one of the buses around the island that go very infrequently if you don't want to hire a car and your hostel should be able to help you with this.
Aitutaki is one of the most spectacular islands in the world. The atoll from the sky as you fly in is incredible so make sure that you have your camera ready and try and get a window seat. The whole island is 8 km in length. You can take a day to walk around it and explore or you can hire a motorcycle to get around as it is much easier. They do boat trips out and around the atoll to the many smaller islands surrounding the larger island. On One Foot Island, you can go and visit one of the world's most isolated post offices and get your passport stamped with one of the famous One Foot Island stamps. You can also visit the islands where they filmed the Survivor Cook Islands TV show, have a snorkel around the area, and just marvel at the incredible blue waters here. As the island is so small, you will find much of what you need within walking distance of your hostel. Just ask them where to find it. And if you want a coconut, go get one from the beach and get a local to teach you how to husk it! Nothing tastes sweeter!
Handwritten by local expert for Cook Islands hostels Globetrotter
Travel Tips for Cook Islands - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Cook Islands. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Cook Islands. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Cook Islands
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Cook Islands?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Cook Islands here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Cook Islands safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.