🇨🇰Cook Islands

Use appropriately qualified local dive operators with current certifications, safe boat procedures, first aid, emergency oxygen, radio/phone communications and a documented rescue/evacuation plan. Never snorkel or freedive unattended in passes; current may be hazardous even when the beach looks placid. For Rarotonga turtle tours, the Cook Islands Tourism operator MOU specifies trained guides, a maximum four guests per guide, weekday-only commercial tours, and a no-touch policy. Maintain at least 3 m from turtles where possible. Stay within training limits for deep walls, wrecks, swim-throughs and any overhead environment. DAN advises at least 12 hours before flying after a single no-decompression scuba dive and at least 18 hours after repetitive or multiple-day no-decompression diving; more conservative planning may be warranted. Suspected diving injury needs immediate medical assessment rather than self-transport to an unverified chamber. Freedivers need rescue-capable buddies and must never hyperventilate.

Rarotonga Hospital is the main care facility, and Aitutaki has a smaller hospital/clinic. Cook Islands Te Marae Ora lists the main emergency number as 999, Rarotonga Hospital at +682 22664 and Aitutaki at +682 31002. The Australian government advises no local hyperbaric or recompression chamber, with potential evacuation to Tahiti or New Zealand. Outer-island response can be slow and weather restricted. Buy insurance that specifically covers scuba depth, freediving if relevant, treatment, air evacuation, flight delays and repatriation. Carry the insurer's 24-hour contact, a dive log and medication information offline. DAN can be contacted for dive-medicine coordination, but first activate local emergency care.

Marae Moana is a nationwide multiple-use marine-management system. The Marae Moana Act restricts large-scale fishing and seabed minerals activities in marine protected areas extending 50 nautical miles around each island. This legal boundary is stated in nautical miles by the authority and must not be converted using an unsupported token. Local customary ra'ui can temporarily or permanently restrict harvest or access. Check current boundaries with community leaders and operators. No touching, standing on or collecting coral; do not feed turtles, fish or giant clams. Rarotonga turtle-tour partners follow specific conduct rules, and Aitutaki coral-restoration zones require care. Whale watching from shore is a good low-impact choice. Following the August 2026 Aitutaki whale-calf incident, authorities were working on marine wildlife response and tourism guidance; ask the relevant authorities for current in-water permits rather than relying on an operator advertisement.