Sunset Happy Hours

The majority of our nights in the Cook Islands were spent sitting on the beach, sipping cocktails and enjoying desserts while watching sunset. We found it relaxing to unplug, unwind, and just sit back with our feet in the sand admiring nature’s true beauty while the sky was painted shades of yellow and orange and purple. Elise and I both love finding sunrises and sunsets when we travel and if you are on the west side of the Cook Islands, you are promised some spectacular views at sunset. The best way to enjoy sunset is at Happy Hour.

Waterline

Waterline was our favorite place for Happy Hour on the Island and we came a couple different times. We also came for Dinner one night and they special made us a Chocolate Brownie Sundae to enjoy as we watched the sunset. Visit Waterline’s Website here.

Wilson’s Beach Bar @ Castaway Resort

Wilson’s Beach Bar was a fun and different Happy Hour we enjoyed one evening. It was much more lively than Waterline and Castaway themed like the Movie. They’re famous for their Coconut drinks, Kahuna and Kahuna Jr. This Excited Will. Visit Castaway’s Website here.

Island Nights

One night, for something slightly different, we decided to attend an island show. We chose to attend the performance by Akirata’s Cultural Dance Troupe at the Crown Beach and Spa. The cost is typically NZ$55 and includes a buffet meal.  Since we didn’t decide on this until the day of the show, the buffet was sold out, but we were able to purchase a ticket for just the show for NZ$25. Because of this, we had time to view another sunset before heading over to the show at Ocean’s Restaurant.

The show featured dancing and music which portrayed traditional and modern history of the islands. The performers were dressed in vibrant costumes which were inspired by the colors of the pacific. All costumes were made from natural fibers.

At the end of the show, guests were invited on stage to dance with the group. Elise and Will pointed at me a few times and before I knew it, I was on stage dancing with the crew! This is not something I would have normally done, but once on stage I found myself enjoying learning the dance moves.

The Milky Way

After the island show was over, we began our drive back to the Airbnb when it occurred to us that the sky was clear and that we should check out the stars. We stopped at our favorite snorkeling beach and walked out toward the ocean. The pitch black sky was glistening with stars and it only took one head turn to realize that we were staring right up at the Milky Way. This was my first time seeing the Milky Way in person and I was literally “star stuck”. I felt so small in a world so big. We laid around on the beach just looking up when we caught a few shooting stars. It’s amazing what you can see even in the dark. The Cook Islands evenings did not disappoint us.