Cook Islands Travel Forum

Ok, this is probably a stupid question...but I am going to Aitutaki in a few weeks and I keep seeing posts about bringing reef shoes. So I googles it to find out exactly what they were....but all kinds of stuff comes up. Sandles, reg shoes (I think there is a brand with the name). So I would appreciate if someone could explain and/or give a link to what I will be needing. Or is it just a pair of reg. athletic shoes?

Basically anything that you can walk around in the water with. It is to protect your feet, so sandals, thongs, crocs.

It is best to have a pair of shoes that fasten on properly, rather than thongs/flip flops as they can easily be lost in the sea. You should be able to buy a pair of cheap plastic shoes in a beach-side shop, unless you have some old tennis shoes or athletic shoes you don't mind getting wet and ruining.

Any old shoes that you want to "kill" are fine - lace up's are better.

There is a specific kind of footwear called a reef shoe--it's a slip-on, stretchy shoes with a tough, grippy rubber sole and a mesh upper that you can wear while walking on slippery rocks etc. at the beach. These shoes are really useful and will protect your feet from getting cut up. They're better than sandals.

See http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/CategoryID_983/Context_980/Sort_Stock/DescSort_0/BLRBWK.html?Hit=1

Good quality reef shoes are recommended. You can find them in any good divers shop. They protect your feet (especially your toes) much better than open sandals from hitting against coral heads or pieces, or coral chips getting inside you sandal and cutting the sole of your feet. Flipflops and the like won't do at all. Remember: on Aitutaki you will be wearing them ANY time you go into the water (stonefish!).
Old (sport) shoes could do too, but they are less comfortable: they weigh tons in the water.
I would not save on reef shoes. They are worth the investment. Neither would I on snorkling gear.

First sentence should read:
Good quality reef shoes like the ones shown by travelmad...

Thank you guys so much, you were all such a help!! I really appreciate it : )

Go Beach Culture shops in the domestic and international airports in australia. they have them!

Definately wear reaf shoes !! When I stayed at Muri Beach on Rarotonga in October 2006 there was a guy who actually stepped on a stonefish !!!
Luckely he had reef shoes on, luckely they took him quickly to the hospital, but he suffered from enormous pains, hallucinated and couldnt walk for quite a while. He had to stay a few weeks more on the island just to recover.