Niue | Arrive as a Visitor, Leave as a Friend

by Sarah Porter - previous resident, and biggest fan of Niue Island.

Niue gets under your skin… right into your heart and soul… and it’s a destination that will leave you wanting to return… again and again. I was fortunate enough to call Niue home for three and a half years. Niue was our home, and it was truly the best years of our lives and an immense privilege to raise our young family there. And when we gave our kids the choice to go to Disneyland or Niue for a family holiday, they chose to return to their island home.

It's not hard to get to know Niue – hire a car and drive around for a day or two and you’ve probably travelled on most of the roads and waved to much of the population. But it’s the hidden tracks and gems that will make you fall in love with the country, and the people.

• Pop into the Alofi ladies weaving group that’s held weekly in the village hall – not only will you get to buy some incredible craft, but you’ll also share a laugh, plenty of gossip and no doubt a big hug with some of the most delightful women on the island.

• Join an island church service on a Sunday morning – it doesn’t matter which one, or the fact that it will all be spoken in Niuean, it will fill your bucket, and the singing will never leave you.

• Time your trip to Niue with the various village ‘Show Days’ – think of them like old fashioned school fete/gala days but with the most colourful and vibrant cultural displays of dancing, singing and even traditional games and competitions. And the food… from raw fish to takihi to plates of food cooked in the traditional umu oven… you will get to try the most amazing delicacies cooked with love and tradition. You will leave with your both your belly and your shopping basket filled to the brim!

• Dive deep into the gin clear waters beyond Niue’s reef. Whether you pop on scuba gear or just a snorkel and mask there will be plenty to see, with an average of 75 metre visibility and an abundance of marine life. If you time it right, you may also get the chance to swim alongside humpback whales as they migrate south through Niue’s warm waters.

• Have a roll up at the Niue Bowls Club or join the locals on a Saturday at the Golf Club… then stay on for a beer and some of the best impromptu ukulele playing and storytelling from a myriad of fabulous locals.

• Catch a fish, but make sure you eat it too. The deep-sea fishing in Niue is world class, and on a good day you can even circumnavigate the country by boat, returning with wahoo, tuna, and mahimahi.

• Just wander… there are so many amazing sea tracks in Niue. Check the tides and explore the reef at low tide to find hidden caves and rock pools filled with sea life.

I haven’t met anyone that has not fallen in love with Niue, and it was always a delight to welcome tourists back to Niue for second, third… or even annual holidays. These tourists now have an island filled with friends.

by Sarah Porter

---

Interested in this experience? Click here to connect with one of our experts.