Aitutaki

Aitutaki (18.02sq.km/11.17sq.mi) - which is almost an atoll - is a popular holiday island, particularly for day or longer excursions from Rarotonga. It consists of a main island of deeply weathered basalt (area 16.8sq.km/10.41sq.mi), which is surrounded by a wide lagoon. Its highest hill is Maungapu (124m/406ft). The lagoon, which at many points is shallow, is surrounded by a triangular barrier reef marking the outline of the volcano that rises from a depth of 4000m/13120ft below sea level. On the eastern reef are 12 small coral islands (motus) with a total area of 2.2sq.km/1.36sq.mi. The only sand island is on the southwestern reef. Two little basalt islets, Rapota and Moturakau, lie off the reef in the southwest of the lagoon. All 15