Paradise on a stick—and the perfect way to end a great escape.
Nautilus Resort Rarotonga
Muri Rarotonga, Cook Island 5 star resort
Arriving in Rarotonga from Tahiti on a small plane for a quick stopover nighter before heading back home to Oz Brisbane, I had no idea what to expect. My travel buddy—wildlife TV producer Lin Sutherland—had arranged for us to stay at the Nautilus Resort, which is owned by her long-time friend, Paul Person.
Paul met us at the airport to pick us up and drove us to his resort, where he welcomed us warmly, told us to leave our bags in the car as it’s so safe, and immediately took us on a tour of the stunning grounds and detailed everything he has grown and built.
Needless to say, I felt like I had stepped straight into paradise. Walking through lush garden pathways, through out the private beach houses to all the lay out in all the corridor pathways that leads directly to the beach.
Since 2015, Australian couple Paul and Jane Pearson have been operating this award-winning, luxury boutique resort. What they have developed here is spectacular, and they aren’t even finished yet—there are more extensions and brilliant ideas on the horizon. I was completely captivated by Paul’s stories of how he built this place, and his wonderful his attitude toward life-business balance.
The afternoon brought a bit of overcast weather, but that didn’t stop us from sipping cocktails overlooking the crystals waters, taking a gorgeous beach walk, and getting completely lost in the surroundings and nature.
Our private beach villa was unreal. Spacious enough to fit a family, it came complete with its own private pool and deck and huge bathrooms. Looking around, all I could think was: I don’t want to go home!
That evening, Lin and I were spoiled with a 5-star farewell dinner that absolute cemented our vow to return. The vibe and energy of the restaurant were beautiful, and the food was to die for. For our mains, we had a fish dish that we both agreed was the absolute best meal we’d tasted in our entire two weeks of travel. Then came dessert—a Piña Colada Cheesecake that sent us straight to heaven.
Paul mentioned that his head chef is an award-winning culinary master cook from India, and it certainly confirmed in every bite we had.
After a sound night’s sleep and an early morning beach walk, it was time to head to the airport. Once again, the amazing Paul drove me to airport which is not too far away in the township. My departure coincided with the launch of Jetstar’s very first flight into the destination. There was a massive celebration welcoming the incoming passengers, and I was lucky enough to be on the very first return flight back to Australia, which made the departure feel incredibly special.
Rarotonga is an absolute happy place and there is plenty to do.
The fact that you can fly here directly from Brisbane in just six hours and find some great deals popping up on Jetstar and packages which will no doubt be one hot destination. Even better, they operate in New Zealand dollars, so Aussies get a lot more bang for their buck!
Going home is never the fun part, but this trip left me inspired. I made wonderful new contacts, and my travels reminded me that making time to escape is just so good for the soul and this Island can fill your cup indeed!
Thank you, Paul—you are a magnificent host and your resort is a triumph. A special thank you to the all wonderful staff, and to my travel sister Lin for the unforgettable adventure we had in our travels.
As Arnie would say I be back! Folks I might add that this is also very popular for weddings and they come from all over globe as it has the perfect settings to create such wonderful event in life. There is a wonderful Spa that adds to all your needs that makes this blissful stay.
