Arutanga

Arutanga is the main village on Aitutaki and holds the Cook Islands Christian Church built in 1828, the oldest church in the country, a whitewashed coral limestone building with carved beams and a wooden interior that has been repaired repeatedly but is substantially the original. The village has the island's harbour, its market and its administrative offices, and Sunday singing there is the reason many visitors come. A stone marks the landing of the first missionaries beside the church, and the graveyard around it holds burials running back to the earliest years of the mission.

Highlights

• The 1828 church - the oldest in the Cook Islands, in coral limestone.
• The carved interior - the timber work and beams inside the building.
• The harbour - the island's small boat port on the western shore.
• The Sunday singing - the services in Cook Islands Māori.

When to go

May to October is the drier cooler season. Sunday services are the main draw. The village is quiet through the week.

Things to know

Visitors at services are welcome but expected to dress and behave appropriately. The village is small and half a day covers it. Facilities are limited.

Nearby

Maungapu is northeast, and the Aitutaki lagoon is east.

Key facts