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Where in the World is Niue?
By Deborah Johansen
That’s exactly what we wanted to know when we found out that we could visit Niue and swim with the wild humpback whales in the beautiful waters of the South Pacific. I had never heard of Niue (pronounced New-aay) and if I had to guess, you probably haven’t heard of it either!
Niue, the Rock of Polynesia, is a relatively undiscovered and unspoiled raised, rocky atoll located 19˚ south of the equator in the South Pacific Ocean. Niue’s closest neighbors are Tonga to the southwest and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands to the east. Our adventure to swim with the whales first took us to New Zealand where we were able to catch a three hour “once-a-week” flight northeast to Niue.
Translated, Niue literally means “Behold! The Coconut!” The island is appropriately named because its rocky, tropical terrain supports the growth of the coconut palm. The Rock, as the island is affectionately called by Niueans, was originally settled my migrating Samoans, Tongans and Cook Islanders. While most Niueans now live in New Zealand, Niue is still home to 1,500 people who live in 14 villages. Each village, by the way, hosts an annual village festival called a Show-day. If you are lucky enough to be visiting Niue when one is held, I highly recommend that you attend. We were fortunate to experience the traditional dance, food, arts, crafts and sports of the Niuean culture.
When we arrived in Niue we felt as though we had stepped back in time. There’s no hustle, no bustle, no crowds, no litter, no traffic lights, no stress. The Niuean people are warm and welcoming and everyone is fluent in both Niuean and English. Visitors can kick back and enjoy snorkeling, fishing, diving, exploring caves, forest and reefs, take a boat out to swim with the whales and dolphins, or just spend time relaxing. One note however, being a raised atoll, there are no natural beaches on the island.
We stayed at the Matavai Resort which is located on a cliff top. The Matavai has 22 rooms with balconies, swimming pools, a restaurant, a conference room, gift shop, bar, 180 degree ocean views and free bikes.
A variety of Polynesian and European food is available in Niue. We found our meals at the Matavai to be very satisfying. If you plan to eat out, there are just less than a dozen restaurants on the island. At times, there are more whales visiting Niue than people, so not all restaurants can afford to be open on a regular schedule so reservations are essential.
Traditional local foods such as coconut crab ‘uga’ and taro ‘talo’ can be purchased at the local market every Tuesday and Friday morning in central Alofi. The currency in Niue is New Zealand dollars and there are no ATM machines. Some businesses do accept credit cards but it’s best to plan on using cash. There is one bank on the island and they will advance you cash against your credit card if you are in need.
So what was it like swimming with the humpback whales of Niue? “Overwhelming” comes to mind. What magnificent, beautiful, gentle creatures they are. How grateful were we that the whales allowed us to swim so closely with them. It was a life changing experience that we will never forget - much like our visit to Niue!
Deborah Johansen
Please feel free to contact Deborah Johansen at (877) 850-8240.
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