Niue Disney Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

Many vacation destinations are called hidden getaways, but in the case of Niue, it's appropriate. The island's most distinctive sights truly are hidden—they're underground and underwater—and include buried grottoes, pools and caverns that can be explored by scuba divers, swimmers and explorers afoot.

For those who prize such features, Niue (pronounced NEW-ay) is unbeatable, but those looking for a more typical South Pacific experience should be aware that Niue lacks the white-sand beaches and languid blue lagoons found elsewhere. It's an uplifted coral atoll—one of the world's largest—which means cliffs and caverns, but few beaches.

The island is also hidden away in a rather remote corner of the Pacific, several hundred miles/kilometers from its nearest neighbors. It's visited by only a small number of flights each week.

Geography

Niue lies 350 mi/565 km south of Samoa in the South Pacific and about the same distance east of Tonga and west of the Cook Islands. The island is about 11 mi/18 km wide, surrounded by a coral reef and by waters that are extremely deep and clear (visibility up to 300 ft/90 m). The reef doesn't protect the island's eastern coast, however, where pounding waves lash at the rocks. On the island's central plateau is a rain forest filled with ebony and other hardwoods.

History

The first Niueans were Samoan migrants who sailed across the Pacific and landed on the island around AD 1000, bringing livestock and domesticated plants with them. The next visitors were Tongan warriors, who conquered the island in the 16th century. Then came the British, led by Captain Cook, who called it Savage Island after he received a rather unfriendly welcome. Britain didn't take formal control until 1900 and then quickly passed it over to New Zealand the following year. Niue became fully self-governing in 1974, but it remains politically associated with its former overseer. Niueans are New Zealand citizens, and more than five times as many Niueans live in New Zealand as on their home island. The most earthshaking event in recent memory was Hurricane Heta, which leveled the southwest corner of Niue in January 2004. Much of the damage has since been repaired.

Snapshot

The chief attractions of Niue are snorkeling, scuba diving, spelunking, hiking, rock climbing, crab catching, fishing, friendly people, small secluded beaches and total relaxation.

The island will appeal to travelers who enjoy scuba diving and cave adventures and who want a peaceful, totally unhurried Polynesian atmosphere. Don't go expecting deluxe accommodations, strong adherence to schedules, large private beaches or varied shopping.

Potpourri

Continuing a trend that began in the 1800s, Niue's tiny population continues to decline—from 2,300 in the mid-1990s to around 2,100 today. Most islanders relocate to New Zealand. Many villages on the east coast resemble ghost towns.

A television station, paid for by the Australian government, began the first broadcasts on the island in 1993. It's on the air daily 6-11 pm.

Many of the package tours to Niue are handled by large tour operators in New Zealand.

The spears you see tossed about are called Tika spears.