OUR ISLAND
Makayla Palms is a fantastic base to explore all that Rarotonga has to offer.
Our island is only a 32km drive to go full circle, so you are never far from anything. There is plenty to discover during your time in Rarotonga, and to start your holiday planning here are a few of the favourites.
THE PUREST, CLEANEST SAND + CRYSTAL WATERS
Our lagoon
Titikaveka lagoon is known for its white sandy beaches, crystal clear lagoons and secluded location. There are plenty of fantastic places for snorkelling, kayaking and paddle boarding.
THE PEARL OF POLYNESIA
History + Culture
Made up of 15 beautiful, tropical islands, the Cook Islands are located in the South Pacific Ocean, with Rarotonga being the largest and most populated. Our country and people have incredibly rich traditions and cultural practices that are based on the influences of various settlers to the island over several centuries.
The south-eastern Islands were initially settled in 800 AD by Polynesians with incredible navigation and sea faring skills, arriving from Tupua’i (now French Polynesia). The first recorded European visit was in the 17th century by a Portuguese captain, Perdo Ferandes de Queirós and it was during the 18th century that Captain Cook passed through and originally named the Islands the “Hervey Islands”.
It is believed that migrations from Rarotonga to New Zealand began as early as the 5th century and Historians have linked closely the language and traditions of the Māori in New Zealand, the Maohi of French Polynesia, the Rapanui of Easter Island and the Kanaka Maoli of Hawaii.
The official language of the Cook Islands is Cook Island Māori, also known as Māori Kūki ‘Āirani or Rarotongan and is spoken widely across the Islands.
The Cook Island culture is an integral part of Cook Islanders day-to-day life and the people here have retained a strong sense of their heritage and traditions. This is best shown through the love and talent for singing, dancing, drumming and all things musical, as well as in their incredible artistic talents shown especially through traditional weaving, carving and Tivaivai (patchwork blankets).
Cook Islanders are relaxed, happy, friendly people with hospitable and generous spirits. You will receive a warm welcome and a huge embrace if you come across someone you know, and laughter and a cheeky sense of humour is never far from any interaction. Strong family bonds, that encompass extended family and good friends, are of high importance here on the Island, as well as a strong collective approach to life within our community.
Here’s a few local greetings to help you blend in:
Kia orāna = Hello
Popongi manea = Good morning
Meitaki ma’ata = Thank you very much
Ka kite = Goodbye
Kia manuia = Good luck / Best wishes
A common saying on the island is:
“You arrive as a tourist, but you leave as a local.”
REDUCING WASTE + PRESERVING OUR FUTURE
OUR ENVIRONMENT
Here at Makayla Palms we are passionately committed to reducing our environmental impact on both the island and surrounding lagoon, so as to retain its natural beauty for generations to come.
In addition, we have committed to further development of our environmental practices and will be implementing more robust sustainability practices over the next few years.
To help keep Rarotonga beautiful, these are our current environmental practices:
- We are constantly evaluating our operations to ensure both efficiency and minimisation of waste.
- We encourage our guests to be mindful of their use of energy and water whilst on the island and inform them of waste management practices.
- We source, purchase and promote a range of products with a lower environmental impact, especially cleaning products.
- Where possible, we use low energy light bulbs and solar energy.
- We have solar panels for heating water in all villas. Timers further reduce energy consumption.
- We recycle all tins, glass, plastic and kitchen waste.
- We compost our wet waste and garden clippings.
- We provide fresh, safe drinking water in the villas, collected from natural water supplies in the mountains which is UV treated, so perfectly safe for our guests.
- We make sure that no grey water is released directly into the lagoon.
- Our villas are designed for optimal natural airflow thereby reducing the need for air conditioning.
- We regularly maintain our electrical appliances (particularly air conditioners) thus keeping them energy efficient.
- We donate linen and goods being replaced to the local RSPCA shop or local fundraisers.
- We ensure that we comply with all applicable Cook Island environmental laws and regulations.