Rarotonga is the largest of the 15 Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Located between Fiji to the west and Tahiti to the east, the tropical island has what you would expect: tranquil lagoons, rain forests, and volcanic mountain.

The island is also easy to get around the perimeter whether by car, bike, scooter, or even walking along 22 miles of coconut tree-lined beaches.

What an island circumnavigation swim it would be. Swim right outside the surrounding reefs and breathe in one direction while staring at a vivid green jungle.

Breathe in the other direction and perhaps you come across a variety of marine life from parrotfish to humpback whales. If a marathon swimming circumnavigation swim is not for you, a relay around the tropical island would be one fascinating group effort.

And if that is too long or arduous for you, try a swim in Aitutaki. Aitutaki’s lagoon is magical with sandbars, coral, and 21 islets called motu. The motu have excellent white sand beaches that offer a much smaller circumnavigation swim goals for open water athletes.

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