“Niue has the clearest waters that I have seen” – so said one of the divers we met. The visibility is simply stunning. One of the reasons is that there are no rivers on Niue, it is just one giant rock that the water seeps through and is held in the rock. Perfect for snorkelling, diving, watching whales and swimming with whales.
My girlfriend Cynthia and I decided we needed a winter break from NZ, and having read the article by Charmaine and Tanya on this blog, we were inspired.
Niue is a small South Pacific Island, just 3 hours or so flight from Auckland, only 1500 people on the island and one plane of visitors a week. It promised to be the opposite of a Club Med experience, so just the kind of thing we enjoyed. Warm unfussy hospitality, gorgeous environment, and the chance to meet a whale or two.
This is a real picture, though I did not take it!
It seems that once you land on Niue you are no longer a stranger. Arriving at Niue airport we knew no one, and wondered anxiously if Neil was there from Kololi Motel to pick us up. One of the immigration people asked where we were staying and turned around and pointed to Neil. Easy. Everyone knows each other.
And everyone waves. in New Zealand it is like Coromandel was 30 years ago or Great Barrier Island – we are on the island together, and everyone it seems is a friend.
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