Tongareva Airport- PYE

Tongareva Airport is a public-use airport found on the western side of the Penrhyn Island, Cook Islands. The airport’s construction dates back to 1942 when about a thousand US servicemen built an airstrip on the islet of Moananui, which spans to 10,000 feet in length. The airport then served as a strategic point during World War II and served the American military until 1946. It was used to transport materials and men during this era. Tongareva Airport is recognized by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) location identifier of PYE and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) location identifier of NCPY.

Best Time to Visit

The airport resides at an elevation of three meters above the mean sea level. Its only runway now covers a length of 2,295 meters. There have been no scheduled flights to Tongareva Airport since May 2019, although Air Rarotonga, the airline of the Cook Islands, provides occasional flights to the airfield. While in Cook Islands, make sure to visit the Penrhyn Island, a coral atoll found on the northern end of the island country.

What to Do & Area Attractions

Although Penrhyn Island is the perfect island getaway, there are currently no available accommodations on the island itself. However, you can always fly to the nearby Rarotonga Island, which is found to the south of Tongareva. There are plenty of hotel accommodations here, some of which are beachfront accommodations like the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort and Spa, and the 5-star Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, all located in the beautiful Bora Bora.