Just as everyone has said, the cabanas were very nice, the staff was wonderful and the location was idyllic. However...the mosquitoes were horrible! My husband and I stayed in several different places on the island during our stay there and even came back to Etu Moana a couple of times for various reasons. Each time the mosquitoes were easily 3 or 4x worse there then anywhere else. The only possible explanation we could come up with was that Etu Moana has much more lush vegetation than the other hotels and thus had less of a breeze going through it. I enjoy 'roughing it' during vacation but having to vigilantly and immediately close the door and screen every time I entered the cabana then try to kill the half dozen who slipped in with me was really annoying.

In addition there were birds that patrol around during breakfast everyday. If you get up to go back to the buffet for more fruit or whatever, they will jump on your table and ruin whatever you have left. Not a big deal, but something to be aware of.

Firstly a big thank you to everyone who has placed entries on this site. You were all right of course. Etu Moana has a big reputation now which it lives up to. We celebrated 25 years of mostly married bliss on the beautiful island of Aitutaki. It was so nice to see Roger and Hayley our fellow West Country Brits tie the knot. A special place to do so. Sadly during our 3 week stay in The Cook Islands we were only able to stay at Etu for 5 nights. Ours was a late booking and we did well to get that. I will not add to the comments of others regarding standards at Etu other than to endorse them entirely. I particularly enjoyed chatting to David the gardener who is a walking storehouse of Aitutakian history. Both human and natural.
What were the other highlights.
1) The people of Aitutaki. They are extremely friendly to say the least. We were unable to walk anywhere without being offered a lift or advice. And no they did not try to sell us anything. We remember Reverand Puna who gave us an impromptu tour of his lovely island. Mostly we remember the endless waves from people who maybe did not know that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid day sun.
2) Church. We broke the usual trend and went to the Free Church and were welcomed by the local congregation. A joy to see both old and young paticipate wholeheartedly in the service. They certainly know how to sing and dance.
3)Getting a reasonable meal out is not hard. Our favourite and not much mentioned was Kukus cafe. A fishburger with huge yellow fin tuna fillets to die for. Cheaper to eat here than buy from a shop and all freshly made. We ate in many places and this was by far the best value.
4) A Beau Geste style walk along the beach to the Boat shed. Even a marriage made in heaven can be strained under certain conditions.
5) Of couse The Lagoon. Just how many shades of blue or was it green are there. It must be one of the natural worlds wonders. The motus are beautiful. Honeymoon Island and its red tailed tropic birds was a highlight. We had motu kitiu the most remote island to ourselves for 4 hours where I snorkelled and saw the clams.

The only discordant note is of course the curse of the tropics, our old friend Mr Mossie. David calls them the Aitutaki army and they can be formidable. The South of the island around the Marae is a stronghold and on Motu Kitiu they had the cheek to bite through my shirt. We didn't suffer too much as we took precautions. Lots of repellent and using a net at night gives peace of mind.

Don't let that put you off, just plan for it and it wont be too big a problem. Aitutaki and its people are well worth the effort of getting too. The final view from the plane as you depart takes the breath away. Aitutaki weaves its spell. I never go back to the same place, but there are always exceptions to the rule.

Bob and Bev Salter

Bratton, Wiltshire, England.

You’ve read the reports; you’ve seen the photographs. But none of these can prepare you when you see Etu Moana for the first time.
The whole complex is truly astonishing!
We have just returned from 16 days, yes 16 days at Etu Moana and were married on One Foot Island on May 7th 2008.
This was a dream trip come true for us. After 2 years of planning, everything slotted into place just perfectly.
Owners and Managers, Jo-Anne & Jim are the nicest people one could ever meet. Over the months they had communicated with us via email, helping us in every way possible to make our stay at Etu Moana perfect.
When we finally met them it was as if they were family!

Jo-Anne and Lovey greeted us initially at Aitutaki Airport. She is a receptionist at Etu Moana and like all the staff at the hotel, nothing is too much trouble. Then it was off to Etu Moana.
Jim & Jo-Ann have transformed what was a wild plot of land with Goats everywhere to an oasis that defies the imagination. Every conceivable aspect of the resort is geared for the enjoyment of the guest.
All 8 Villas are exactly the same, with Villas 1 and 3 being at the front on the beach. We were in Villa 3 and without a doubt had the edge on Villa 1, due to the total privacy being created by an adjacent Palm Tree and it’s location being slightly more towards the lagoon.
The rooms were spectacular with clever use of louvered vents allowing air to flow through the Villa keeping it nicely cool. The large Queen bed was nicely firm and very comfortable.
Every need was catered for if you decided to eat in, ranging from all of the cooking utensils to an array of glassware and crockery.
But the main attraction had to be the gorgeous gardens surrounding all of the villas and the large swimming pool and reception area. The different varieties of plants and fauna were countless.
David, the grounds man kept these gardens in pristine condition, but his other talents are far more ranging. He is an artist and a wood carver as well and carved a lovely God of Fertility for us, which was so unique. This now stands proud on our mantelshelf at home. His paintings are also dotted around the Villas and are fabulous.

The beach is swept daily and beyond that is the stunning lagoon. There are hundreds of Coral Heads, with loads of fish present. The water is barely waste deep for some way out, so swimming was difficult, unless you waded out much more towards the breakers of the Reef. The presence of Sea Cucumbers was not on any epidemic proportions. There were lots, but not so many that it made walking between them any hardship. These are, after all, an important animal for keeping the lagoon clean.
Anyway, we did most of our cooling off in the freshwater pool. Of the 16 days we were on Aitutaki, it only rained for a day and a half!

Our wedding on One Foot Island was the most perfect place on this earth you could ever get married on. With the help of Jo-Anne, Jim and all the staff at Etu Moana, it made it even more special.
Thanks to you all.

The popularity of this fabulous resort echoes when one learns that one has to book months in advance to secure some of the Villas . That says it all.

We stayed at Etu Moana for 4 nights to celebrate my 50th birthday in March. I can't add anything new to the glowing reviews this place has already received, except to say that Etu Moana and Aitutaki are paradise on earth. Go there if you can. You won't be sorry.