STYLE | travel 81 CHARMING NIUE Explore the nooks of an island paradise, where the people are welcoming and the raw beauty of the island will delight. Words Bronwyn Hegarty
82 STYLE | travel akaalofa lahi atu” (welcome to “Fbeautiful Niue) was festooned above two smiling women in colourful dresses handing out guidebooks as we arrived at the airport. Ross – our host from Namukulu Cottages, where we would stay for the next 10 days – met us at the airport, and we followed him in the rental car he had organised. As Niue doesn’t have public transport, car is the best way to get around. On the way to the north end of the island, we learned a lot about dodging potholes. We became quite good at it by the end of our holiday. Going slowly is the preferred modus operandi on this tiny island and we soon got into the rhythm, keen to avoid the many sleeping or wandering dogs and hens with their chicks. The potholes tell an interesting story about the social fabric of Niue. Sadly, large empty plastic bitumen ABOVE: As summed up by this serene snapshot near capital Alofi, a trip to Niue encapsulates serenity and escapism. RIGHT: Our friendly canine companion, Ruby, who liked to check out what was on the evening menu. containers are dotted along the edge of most roads as remnants of New Zealand’s past assistance to repair the roads. Now the locals patch up holes in the road with a mix of limestone, easily dissolved in heavy rains, and coconut husks. Niueans take great care to keep the roads safe by cutting the lush grass along the edges. We learned that Niuean officials are welcoming an offer from the Chinese government to fix the roads. A memorandum of understanding for the Belt and Road Initiative has been signed, and this will also include renovations to some wharves. Some people are wary, while others seem to welcome the funding. At the cottages, Ruby, a beautiful Chocolate Lab, was waiting to greet us when we arrived. She kept to herself most of the time, but liked to check out the barbecue smells at teatime. During our time at Namukulu we made great use of the swimming pool, and it was a lovely environment for relaxing. The number of other tourists staying at any one time is just right and each cottage is very private. A bonus was the absence of ‘dawn o’clock’ roosters. So why visit Niue? I was attracted by the unspoilt potential of this island in the Pacific, and I wanted to chill for my birthday. It was the best gift ever. This beautiful tropical island with a very small resident population and few tourists oozes authenticity. Restricted access is helped by the bi-weekly Air New Zealand flights. The experience is not a Robinson Crusoe or Castaway kind of realism but a gradual immersion in the culture. Niue has the gentle respectful air of a people who love their place in the world. We found it easy to meet and chat with the locals, and also other tourists, at cafés, the market, and in the shops and villages. Visitors are welcomed to church services and to assemblies at the local schools. Touring with some of the local guides was the best way, from our perspective, to begin to understand the island and to experience this unique part of the Pacific. A highlight of the trip was the orientation tour we took with Keith from Niue Tours the day after our arrival. Keith’s schoolteacher background quickly became apparent. He knows a lot about the geology and history of the island, and his stories were mesmerising. We found out this small coral atoll is surrounded by cliffs and reefs. While no streams contribute to the lushness, the plentiful rainfall is collected in a giant caldera-shaped rainwater reservoir lined by volcanic rock and limestone, acting as a natural filter. Water is pumped to the surface and considered safe to drink. When the power went out several years ago the island was without water for days, spurring on the New Zealand government to install community rainwater tanks.
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