HONOLULU, Hawaii (17 Sep 2002) -- Tired of over-crowded and over-priced dive destinations where once pristine reefs have disappeared under throngs of scuba diving tourists lining up for a snapshot with Barney, the hand-fed barracuda? Aloha Airlines has announced it will begin twice-weekly non-stop service between Honolulu and the remote South Pacific island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands starting December 9, 2002. From May through September, Aloha plans to reduce service to one flight a week to meet off-season demand. Glenn R. Zander, Aloha's President and Chief Executive Officer, told CDNN the new service would offer more options to Aloha customers in North America and New Zealand. "Like Hawaii, Rarotonga is a popular destination for travelers from Vancouver and Southern California, which are markets we already serve," Zander said. "This new service will offer more options for travelers from North America and from New Zealand to reach Rarotonga, Hawaii and other Pacific points." Halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, the unspoiled and sparsely populated Cook Islands offer spectacular diving and snorkeling on undiscovered, pristine reefs teeming with huge pelagics and tropicals. Of the 15 islands and atolls that comprise the Cook Islands, only Rarotonga and Aitutaki offer diving services, including daily boat diving trips to outer reefs where visibility ranges from 30-meters (100-feet) to 60-meters (200-feet). | | Rarotonga "The Cook Islands resemble Hawaii before mass tourism, Palau without the crowds, Tahiti at half the price," said Carmen Sanchez, director of Cyber Diver Society's expedition dive travel program. "It's really one of the very few tropical island dive destinations that has not been overrun and ruined by travel industry developers and franchisers." © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORKSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
