NIUE A Time Warp

Traveling in time usually brings to mind future. However, traveling to Niue is actually traveling into the past. Niue preserved the days gone by. Its scenery is unusual and dramatic; the caves, chasms and coral gardens are unique.

Niue is built of coral and has the most unusual coral forests covered by lush vegetation. The landscape on some parts of the island is almost moonlike. The climate is tropical so the rain forest has a selection of stunning plants and flowers. Quite a few of those are eatable. Luku is a tasty green veg and can be served like spinach, sauté with onion and garlic.

Forest walks are the obvious attraction especially when uga – the coconut crab can be spotted. There are additional surprises at the end of each walking track. It can be a sandy beach with palms – Togo Chasm, fresh water pool – Anapala Chasm, coral arches – Talava Arches or one of many caves. Most caves have pools of coral where snorkeling is spectacular. 

The population of Niue is 1200 and that includes the visitors. There is only one flight a week arriving on Niue. If there is a problem with a generator and power supply becomes limited one must wait for a flight to bring a spare part and most likely somebody that knows how to install it. We had a power cut from 6 am – 12 noon. That meant that there is no water as well since an electric pump does not work at that time. None of the visitors to the island did mind, they just started they day early. If the power cut was scheduled for an evening it just meant a romantic candle light dinner cooked with the help of a small, resort generator.  The visitors were from far away – Finland, Brazil and not so far away – New Zealand. They all had one thing in common – the unusual charm and beauty of Niue fascinated them. They did not mind small and unimportant inconveniences.

Niue is not for everybody. It is a destination that attracts only the adventurous type of traveler. And those come from far away. The accommodation does not offer every comfort. It is just pleasant and clean. The restaurant choice is limited. Jenny’s is opened only on Tuesdays – delicious seafood buffet. Washaway Café in Avatele serves delicious fish foccacia with salad only on Sundays. Matavai Resort prepares the evening menu at 5 pm to start ordering at 6 pm. If you are booked for the Discover Uga evening Tour that departs at 6 pm you missed out on dinning. None of that matters though. Niue’s special charm and amazing experiences of swimming with dolphins and whales, diving or snorkeling on coral and reef walking make one forget and forgive small imperfections that many tourists expect. Do not have any expectations. Just enjoy the beauty and unique charm of Niue. And remember you are traveling into the past. There is an Internet service available on the island, obviously only when the power is on. Even then it is so slow that it would be a shame to waste the valuable time of being in Niue in front of a computer. Travel light, bring your snorkel and leave the computer behind. Everything about Niue is special, different and unimaginable until you see it.  There are no sandy beaches, so do not be disappointed. But there are the most stunning swimming pools around the island.

Niue is a world apart from any destination. Its beauty can be explored for free. There are no entry fees to the stunning attractions the Island has to offer. Hiking, swimming and snorkeling are all free. There are guided bush walks were one can learn about the flora and fauna of Niue and site a rare uga, there are also diving trips but both are very reasonably priced.

The locals are friendly and it is fun to join them swimming at Matapa Chasm, at Matavi Resort to watch the sunset or at Washaway Café to keep a lookout for passing whales and dolphins. It is easy to develop friendships and get invited to local celebrations and become part of the island population. Most visitors pledge to return to the island and it is not surprising. There are very few places left in this world that offer unrestricted freedom of exploring the magnificent sites and allow for true one on one experience with nature.