
PLEASE CONTACT US TO
CHECK CURRENT BORDER AND HEALTH RESTRICTIONS FOR THESE
ISLANDS.
Full advisory can be accessed here and any queries may
be directed to Gaylene.Tasmania@mail.gov.nu
Click HERE for a map of Niue
Niue is affectionately known as the
'Rock of the Pacific' and is believed to be the largest coral atoll
in the world. The island is located in the centre of a triangle
bounded by the Cook Islands to the south-east, Samoa in the north
and Tonga to the south-west. Captain Cook landed on the island in
1774, and was met by a hostile reception, so he and his men beat a
hasty retreat. As a result of the experience, he named the island
the 'Savage Island', which could not be further from the truth, as
you will find the people are lovely, very friendly and
welcoming.
The island is honeycombed with
caves, ringed by the azure blue waters of the Pacific,
and covered by a tropical rainforest where an abundance of
unique wildlife, birds and plants are to be found. Some
wonderful nature treks can be taken on the island. The
island has no rivers or streams so there is no silt run off into
the ocean, which results in some of the clearest water in the
world, with underwater visibility often more than 100 feet.
Because of the coral nature of the island, there are many intimate
swimming coves that will be just yours for the day! However,
as a result of this geology, there are no beaches, and water is a
scarce resource, so use wisely during your stay.
Nuie is not a place that we would
recommend for beach lovers, but it is an amazing location for
Scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing and for those people
looking for a quiet experience. We would certainly recommend
you add it to your list of places to visit on your South Pacific
oddessy.
For a small island, the
infrastructure is fairly good, having been influenced quite heavily
by New Zealand. The New Zealand dollar is the local
currency. Roads are good condition, hiking trails and scenic
attractions are well marked (though guides are available if
required), supermarkets and stores are well-stocked and with prices
comparable with those in Auckland. There are a number of
bakeries, for freshly baked bread, cakes and pastries, and fresh
fruit and vegetables are grown locally, sometimes grown in local
residents' gardens!
There are several restaurants and
bars on the island, including an indian restaurant, and fish and
chips, for those times when you don't want to cook.
The only problem with a visit to
Niue is it's current lack of access with its
neighbouring Pacific Island nations. As of July 2017,
there is only one flight a week from and to Auckland, so any
planned visit will have to be in multiple's of seven nights.
Flights depart Auckland Sunday morning, crosses the date line and
arrives in Niue on Saturday afternoon - so you arrive before you
left! Going back, unfortunately, you leave on Saturday
afternoon and arrive back in Auckland on Sunday evening.
Most of the properties are small,
family guest houses or bed & breakfasts, but there are a couple
of hotels available. In total there are less than 100 rooms
on Niue, so this island is never crowded - sometimes the visiting
whales outnumber the visiting humans!
Currently, there are no locally
based cruise companies offering cruse itineraries around
Niue. There are a few major cruise companies operating the
large luxury liners, who offer itineraries across and
around the Pacific that will visit some of these islands, but they
are not frequent or on a regular basis.
Please note: We are
constantly updating the prices shown on this website, but due to
volatility of the currency exchange markets at the moment with the
UK Sterling rates, prices may vary from those shown. If you
wish to confirm any prices shown here, please contact us
directly.
There's no British
representation on the island of Niue. You should contact the New
Zealand High Commission if you need consular assistance on Niue.
Click HERE to see further
information via the New Zealand information page.