Boating
You can rent kayaks at Samade on the Beach (tel. 31-526), on the lagoon north of the Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa, for NZ$10 (US$8/£4) per hour to NZ$20 (US$16/£8) per day. At Ranginui's Retreat, Wet & Wild Adventure Tours (tel. 31-657) rents motor boats for NZ$500 (US$400/£200) a day. It also has water-skiing and wake-boarding. Instead of going south to the resort at the Y intersection, follow the dirt track to the west.
Golf
Golfers who missed hitting the radio antennae and guy wires on the Rarotonga course can try again at the 9-hole course at the Aitutaki Golf Club, on the north end of the island between the airport and the sea. Balls hit onto the runway used to be playable, but broken clubs and increasing air traffic put an end to that. You can rent equipment at the clubhouse. The club has neither a phone nor regular hours, but the hotels and guesthouses can arrange rentals and tee times. Members are more likely to volunteer to mow the greens between May and August than during the wetter summer months.
Fishing
Aitutaki Sea Charters (tel. 31-281; deepsea@aitutaki.net.ck) has half- and full-day trips offshore in search of sailfish, marlin, wahoo, tuna, and mahimahi. Call for reservations and rates.
Hiking
Hikers can take a trail to the top of Mount Maungapu, Aitutaki's highest point, at 124m (407 ft.). It begins across from the Paradise Cove Guest House, about 1 mile north of The Pacific Resort Aitutaki. The trail starts under the power lines and follows them uphill for about a 1.5km (1 mile). The tall grass is sharp and can be soaked after a rain, but the track is usually well tramped and should be easy to follow. Nevertheless, wear trousers. The view from the top includes all of Aitutaki and its lagoon. Sunrise and sunset are the best times.
Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
The lagoon here is too shallow for scuba diving, so the sites are over the edge of the reef. Divers and snorkelers can go with Neil Mitchell of Aitutaki Scuba, P.O. Box 40, Aitutaki (tel. 31-103; fax 31-310; scuba@aitutaki.net.ck), or Onu Hewett of Bubbles Below (tel. 31-537; www.diveaitutaki.com). Both charge about NZ$95 (US$76/£38) per one-tank dive.
The best place to don mask, snorkel, and fins on the mainland is off the north end of the short runway at the airport, near the radio antenna. You can swim right out to the reef's edge here at high tide, but observe the usual cautions.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
