NEARLY A CENTURY AFTER CHARLES LINDBERGH made travelers feel confident flying in airplanes, much of the world is well trod. The places that remain unique and different and unspoiled are few. The Cook Islands is one such place!

A paradise of 15 iconic Pacific Islands, it’s off the beaten track in the heart of the South Pacific. Here, you can still go to a beach without putting your towel a few feet from someone else’s. In fact, here there are many beaches where you can choose to be alone!

The Cook Islands have long been the quiet achievers of South Pacific travel. While Tahiti continues to be the by-word for “tropical paradise,” and Fiji extends its warm “bula” welcome to countless tourists each year, the Cooks offer all the beauty, hospitality and relaxation of the South Pacific in one beautiful, laid-back package.

The Cook Islands has all of the natural beauty and none of the excess — no brand-name hotels, no fast-food chains, no stop lights, no buildings taller than a coconut tree. Yet accommodation is available for every kind of traveler, from beachside bungalows to luxurious resorts with private bars and beaches and everything in between. There are spas and fine restaurants and fancy drinks you only consider indulging in when you’re on a tropical holiday. You can spend your days in your resort, cooling off with cocktails from a swim-up bar, or you can feel comfortable exploring because the islands are small and the people so easy to meet and become friends with.

Most paradises like this are either hard to get to or hard to stay in. The Cook Islands is neither. Every Saturday evening, Air New Zealand operates a non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Rarotonga, the country’s main island. Just one flight per week? Yes, in a world of “over-tourism,” the Cook Islands is one of few remaining “under-tourism” destinations within easy reach from the United States.

Best of all, if you are planning to visit New Zealand and/or Australia, the Cook Islands is so easy to add into an itinerary as part of Air New Zealand’s network. Here’s how:

• Depart Los Angeles on Saturday evening and fly non-stop on Air New Zealand’s overnight flight to Rarotonga, on the same time zone as Hawai’i. Ensure you spend time on iconic Aitutaki, now widely regarded as the world’s most beautiful island by journalists, the travel trade and discerning travelers like yourself.

• Decide how long you wish to stay, rejuvenate in the Cook Islands, then choose from daily flights to cross the international dateline to Auckland, New Zealand. Or you may wish to take a non-stop flight from Rarotonga to Sydney in Australia.

• When you are ready to come home, Air New Zealand offers a wide range of direct flights from Auckland into the United States — Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Houston.

Here, it’s impossible not to be at peace, grateful for the breathtaking beauty that exists in the world. We love watching your faces when you tell us our place has captured your heart. This kind of feedback makes us proud.

That’s why we’re letting you in on a little secret: Come see us before the rest of the world does.