Rakahanga

Rakahanga Atoll, part of the Cook Islands in the central-southern Pacific Ocean, is a paradise not yet spoilt by tourism and it is a long way from civilisation, being 1000 kilometres from Rarotonga]. The most recent claim to fame is that pearls can now be successfully grown in the lagoon. Previously the lagoon was inert. What does this mean for this tiny paradise? Twenty five miles south of Rakahanga is Manihiki, a sister island with a thriving pearl industry and a few millionaires to add. The pearl industry will most certainly bring employment for the locals as well as a viable economic base.