Niue is one of the largest coral islands in the world. Rennell Island in the Solomons is much bigger; 692 square kilometers! Niue has a total landarea of 259 square kilometers. Niue is a little-known island. It is one of the world's smallest self-governing states (in association with New Zealand). The name comes from 'niu' (coconut tree) and 'e' (behold). Still the island is covered for one-fifth with undisturbed primary forest.

Flag of Niue

There are about 2.500 people on Niue. 2.000 of them live in the capital of Niue; Alofi. Another 12.000 Niueans reside in New Zealand (all Niueans are New Zealand citizens), and every yeear more people leave "the Rock of Polynesia" to seek employment and opportunity abroad. "The Rock of Polynesia' is Niue's nickname because of the unique shape of the island, and mostly the shape of the coast-line. There are 20-meter cliffs that virtually surround the island. A fringing reef borders much of the coast, but at places the ocean breakers smash directly into the precepitous cliffs. Faulting during the island's uplifting has created the chasms ands crevices.

We are going to 'discover' Niue at a particular manner. We are going with DAISY. DAISY is a DUKW, she has been in her container during the whole journey. Niue is the perfect island to use this special vehicle. The DUKW is able to sail and to drive, it is an amphibious vehicle.

Click the picture, if you want to know more about DIASY. DAISY is prepared for departure.

We leave the UN Seahorse behind and sail with DAISY to Alofi. From there we drive and sail aroud the island. Commander Bud is on the wheel/ helm of our DAISY.

We are going to take a look at one of the most famous places, where the ocean breakers have made a beautiful sigth of the mass of rocks.
But first we take a dive into one of the lagoons near Alofi. When the tide is coming in, it can be dangerous, in no time hughe waves fill the lagoon. These waves have enormous strength. After our first dive for today we are on our way to the first stop; the Tono Chasm.

It is a stiff ride and it will cost more then an hour to arrive there, but we will not get bored. We sail along the coast-line, and it offers us beautiful sights. We are also able to look at the bottom of the ocean, the water here is as bright as possible. Everywhere are colorful fish.There are also many varieties of sea snakes - though poisonous, their mouths are too tiny to bite.

One of the mass of rocks.

Togo Chasm.

We have reached the Togo Chasm. When we are going on shore we have to be carefull, the rocks are sharp and slippery. Once in the chasm, we are standing between coconut trees growing on the sandy bottom. A path leads up out of the chasm, there you reach a wasteland of coral pinnacles much like the interior of Nauru Island. From here you have a beautiful view into the chasm. We are going ahead in northern direction. We sail along another chasm, but we are not going to take a look. This one is to dangerous for unexperienced hikers. We are not going to take the risk to get lost so, we move on to our next stop.

We go on shore at the Arches of Talava. It is difficult to get there from out of the sea. So first we sail in a circle around one of the arches and look where we can go to shore. By foot we go down, and we enter through a cave. A great series of stone arches above the sea complement side caves with red and green stalactites and stlagmites in fantastic fliowing formations. The constant roar of the surf adds to the overwhelming impression the place makes.

Arches of Talava.

Cave in Talava.

Mapata Chasm.

By the road we are going to the next stop: Mapata Chasm. DAISY is not very fast so we have plenty of time to look around, and see all the beauty. Butterflies are everywhere, as are orchids, hibiscus, frangipani, and bougainvillea. The birdlife is rich; white long-tailed terns, weka, swamp hens, and parakeets abound. Eventually we reach the Mapata Chasm. It is a wide, sunken chasm that was once the bathing place of Niuean royalty. This is our last stop. We drive with DAISY on the road, the locals look suprised to see DAISY. Probably they have never seen a vehicle like this. We drive till Namukulu, nearby there is a little beach where we dive into the water with the DUKW.

Rare, little beach.

So we arrive Alofi in the early evening. We take a good meal on a terrace from a little snug restaurant. And that is just what we need after a day like today.
DAISY is across the road and attracts a great deal of notice from curious kids.

Niue is perhaps the most unspoiled island in the Pacific. The island is not attractive to the mass of tourists who require beach resorts, nightlife, shopping centers, etc., Niue does not dispose that. But it is an island of adventure.

A brief history of Niue.

Niue was colonized by Samoans in the 9th or 10th century A.D. In the 16th century the Tongans invaded Niue. The Niuean language is realted to both.
The islanders had always excluded European out of fear for diseases. Their reputation for ferocity had always kept the whalers away. Even Captain Cook made three landings in 1774, but did not go on shore. He got a hostile reception from warriors with red-painted teeth! Cook called the island Savage Island (as opposed to the Friendly Islands, Tonga).
In 1830 came, eventually, the first European on Niue.
They brought with them Christianity, in 1846 almost the whole population of Niue was religious. In 1861 the first missionary came to Niue.
In 1860 the first Niuean men left the island voluntarily to mine phosphate for years on a distant island. From that moment on the population on the island dropped, and it still is dropping.
In 1900 the king of Niue; Fataaiki, appealed to Britain for protection. Niue was taken over by the United Kingdom, and a year later transferred to New Zealand.
In 1974 Niue became a self-governing state, in association with New Zealand.

A short summary: Native period: before 1830 British period: 1900-1901 New Zealand period: 1901-1974 The State of Niue: after 1974

James Cook