Yeah, I’ve been to Tahiti/Moorea before and loved it. (Nothing like a beautiful wahine speaking in French.)
However, there’s just something about Raro. It's just sooooo laid back and easy.
The Cook Islands are cheaper that French Polynesia, uses the same currency as here (NZ dollars), is only a 4-hour flight from Auckland and isn’t nearly as “touristy” as other islands. The snorkelling and diving is also world class.
Rarotonga and Fiji are the islands that Kiwis tend to travel to the most, because of these reasons. You should check it out sometime!
That said, if you’ve never been to the South Island of New Zealand (where I live), you need to do yourself a favour and come out here for a couple weeks. It’s easily the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.