Visitors staying longer than 31 days require a passport, onward passage and proof of adequate financial means to stay in the Cook Islands. There are Post Offices which are centrally located in most centres throughout the Cook Islands. They open Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 1.00 pm to 3.30 pm. The island atmosphere makes for informality, though very brief clothing is frowned upon in built up areas. During the day it is also appropriate to wear the pareu, a brightly coloured piece of material worn as a wrap around by both men and women.
Similar materials are available in skirts, dresses and aloha shirts.
Smart casual clothing is the norm when eating out. Some hotels have 110volt AC plugs for shavers. The Cook Islands are just west of the International Dateline, which puts them nine hours behind Greenwich Mean Time and six hours behind New York. While the locals drink it from the tap, visitors might like to boil it or drink bottled water. In rural areas with no taps or treatment facilities, it is advisable to drink boiled or bottled water.