Plizio Visual Lab

Palmerston Settlement

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

village

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Practical info — Palmerston Settlement

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🌤 Weather — 5 days

📍 Nearby

Sights nearby

💡 Tips

Access is only by boat; there is no airstrip, so plan for a multi-day sea voyage from Rarotonga.
There are no hotels; visitors stay with local families, arranged in advance through the island council.
Bring all necessary supplies, including cash, as there are no shops or banks on the island.
Respect local customs by asking permission before exploring the different family sections of the island.
The island relies on solar power and rainwater, so be mindful of your resource consumption.

🍽 Food

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Freshly caught parrotfish

Enjoy it grilled at your host family's home.

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Bosun bird / Tropicbird

A traditional local delicacy occasionally prepared for special guests.

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Coconut crab

Often caught by locals and served with coconut cream.

🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots

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Locally carved wooden artifacts

Ask your hosts if any family members have items for sale.

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Woven coconut leaf baskets

Handmade by residents, excellent for small souvenirs.

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Palmerston Beach

Walk along the pristine, isolated white sand beaches.

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The original Marsters homestead site

A quiet spot to reflect on the unique history of the island.

Palmerston is a remote coral atoll in the Cook Islands with a unique social history that sets it apart from any other place in the world. Its modern settlement began in 1863 when an Englishman named William Marsters leased the atoll and moved there with his three Polynesian wives. Today, the population consists almost entirely of his descendants, organized into three distinct family branches, each originating from one of the three wives. This unusual heritage has resulted in the preservation of a distinct English dialect that retains 19th-century idioms. Life on Palmerston is defined by its extreme isolation; there is no airstrip, and supply ships visit only a few times a year. The residents are largely self-sufficient, relying on fishing, particularly the export of parrotfish, for their livelihood. Palmerston remains a fascinating example of a resilient, close-knit community that has maintained its traditional social order and deep maritime connection despite being thousands of miles from the mainland.