There are limited options for exchanging foreign cash on the island. The Island's Executive Officer Mr. Vano strongly advises visitors to make sure they have enough New Zealand Dollars (NZD) on hand to cover all fees and charges as well as other costs on the island.
Omoka has a bank which is briefly open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and does not exchange currencies. There is no ATM at either of the two villages.
Locals may be able to exchange money for you - USD, EURO, or AUD, but it is a real struggle for them as they have to wait for a flight to Rarotonga just to convert the money and flights can be few and far between.
Last updated: June 2025
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Penrhyn remains a wonderful place to visit. In 2024 they are definately still a standard entry port for the Cooks, so yes you are expected to do your Advance Notice of Arrival via the main customs Web site. It is a simple one page form. Dont expect local cudtomsnto actually have it though! Absolutely bring NZ dollars. Cash only. Bank does not allow exchange. Locals will only privately offer 1:1 USD or maybe Euro. You will need about $250NZD, customs fee $60, Public Health $20, Biosecurity $20, Harbour Fee $20 plus $2.50 per day. If departing from here Cook Islands immigration departure Tax $80 per person payable to customs on departure. And $20 to Vodafone for wireless if needed.
Nothing to buy here though, shop is tiny, diesel and gasoline is precious to them as they only get a supply ship every 3 months, and will be rationing it in the last few weeks. Best not to ask, as they will feel obliged to help.
Puna the local government executive officer remains helpful and friendly. If you arrive cashless the will accept a SWIFT code transfer for your harbour fees but not customs fees.
Best anchorage is TeTauTua on the west side of lagoon. Clear waters 4m sand. Rio will greet you.
The NW pass and Omoka area is exceptionally and recently well charted. There is a recommended route on the electronic charts to follow to Gudgeon Bay Omoka if the light is bad. But for the remainder of the lagoon, the chart bears little resemblance to reality, so good light navigation only. Omoka is quite windy and there is a lot of coral. Best anchorage is 200m north of the Wharf, in 12m, off the modern 2 story white building that is the Govt Office and Cyclone Shelter. The single story old blue building on the shoreline adjacent is customs and bank.
For those coming from French Polynesia Penrhyn will offer a lovely break from the yachtie crowds. For those arriving from the north its your last chance at solitude before merging with the Coconut Milk Run.
Dean
SV Run to Paradise
We arrived in Penrhyn (Tongreva) early May, 2023, came through the easy, short pass named Taruia, on the NW side and picked our way through the bommies in good sunlight and anchored in front of Omoka village. (Recommended spot 8.58,700S
158.3,100 W). The checkin people (customs, immigration, bio security, health and agriculture) came out to us within an hour and were super friendly organized and professional. For our 43’ monohull and two people the cost was $150NZ plus $2.50NZ per day. We did not have to check in beforehand with the central government in Rarotonga as Penrhyn has removed themselves from that process, nor did we need to inform Penrhyn of our planned arrival date, just show up. Sundays are for church so there is no checkin or work of any kind and Saturday atyou may or may not get checked in. Presently there is no ATM so you have to bring foreign currency in cash. We had $US which they would only trade 1:1 as it is difficult for them to get rid of the $US themselves.
There are WiFi hotspots and you can buy vouchers with a password to get you connected. The Vodaphone guy is a mile or two out of town but you should be able to catch a motorbike ride down to him pretty easily.
Presently there are 189 people living in Penrhyn with 28 of them living across the lagoon in Tetautua. We are the first cruising sailboat to stay awhile in 3 years (there was a guy, Tom Robinson, who is rowing his way across the Pacific, who stayed 4 months and had left before we arrived) and we have found this place to be very special. Maybe because there is so little tourism (15 sailboats visit in a “busy” year) we have found the people to be so open and enthusiastically welcoming. The lagoon is vibrant with life (great spearfishing) and the NW pass, the only one we have dove here so far, has some of the best marine life that we have seen in the Pacific although most of the coral in the pass was dead. And lots of sharks of course.
We sailed across to Tetautua and anchored in the very calm sandy waters in front (you are only allowed to anchor in front of the two villages but you may possibly ask permission to anchor somewhere else). They love it when kid boats show up and all the children can interact. Unfortunately they are not so enthusiastic about dogs as they are not allowed on the island anywhere.
There is no pearl farming or pearl diving happening here these days and we have not really done much trading with anybody.
There is a yacht book that sailors have been signing for 40 years that is interesting to read through.
This is my second time across the Pacific but first time to Penrhyn, and I have to say it is our favourite island (and we loved French Polynesia, especially the Marquesas). It is not on the straight line path towards Tonga if you are coming from French Polynesia but it is so well worth the few days north to get here, it really is.
Ian and Ann
SV Afrikii
Thank you for this wonderful feedback Ian and Ann – we are making this into a report for the site so that more of our users can find the information.