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Country Guide > Australia and South Pacific > Niue | |
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Sport & Activities Watersports Surrounded on all sides by the crystal clear and unpolluted waters of the Pacific Ocean, Niue is an ideal destination for swimming, scuba diving and snorkelling. The island’s position on top of an undersea mountain and the absence of a fringing lagoon mean that dives are into the open Pacific. Coupled with the lack of rivers or streams on the island, these conditions help to create exceptional visibility (usually a minimum of 50m/164ft). Even in winter, water temperature stays around 25°C/78°F. Snorkellers and divers have the opportunity to encounter humpback whales and dolphins in Niuean waters. For further information as well as bookings of twin-hulled dive boats, scuba and snorkelling gear and PADI certification courses, contact Niue Dive, PO Box 140, Alofi, Niue (tel: 4311; fax: 4360; e-mail: niuedive@dive.nu; website: www.dive.nu). Below is a selection of the best diving sites in Niue: Limu (Ana Mahaga): A twin cavern system connected by a tunnel situated approximately a 20-minute boat ride from Alofi wharf. Depth ranges from 8-28m and sightings of lion fish, ribbon eels, white tip reef shark, trevally and midnight sea perch are common. The Dome: Adventurous divers can swim 30m into a cave system lying under the island before surfacing in a large air filled chamber which has the start of some stalactites and usually a few small uga (coconutcrabs). Once out of the cave system, there are a series of interesting swim-throughs and gullies to explore. The Chimney: Divers can descend a near vertical shaft into the 'fireplace' - a medium sized cavern with an exit out at the seabed (around 28m) There is a side chamber in the fireplace usually with several painted crayfish inside. Divers pass the wreck of a jeep left there by Cyclone Heta as they exit the cavern. Bubble Cave: A shallow cave system where sea snakes go to lay their eggs in breeding season. Divers can surface in a small air-filled chamber and see stalactites and possibly small sea snakes. Egypt: Divers can swim past a series of large columns (like the ruins of temples in Egypt). Turtles, parrotfish and white tipped reef sharks often feature on this dive. Overhang: A dive over pristine hard coral reef beginning around 5m below the surface, with healthy plate corals extending down to 40m and beyond. False Beach: Another dive over pristine hard coral reef with a beautiful bommie (large head of coral) covered in fish life. A good selection of reef fish on this dive including lion fish, surgeons and butterflies. Tamakautoga Drift: A gentle swim over endless coral gardens along the coast at Tamakautoga village. Sightings of dolphins and whales have been known on these dives. Snake Gully: Generally the most popular of the dive sites, Snake Gully gets its name from the large concentration of sea snakes found in the area. It also features a cave and cavern - one filled with large painted crayfish, the other has streams of light coming in through the many openings to the surface. Marine life often seen here includes maori wrasse, schools of barracuda, white tip reef sharks, ribbon eels and lion fish. Because of the sheer drops from reefs into deep ocean, land-based game fishing is a unique experience here. Red bass, wahoo (also known locally as paala), tuna, sailfish and marlin abound. Traditional outrigger canoes and motor boats can be arranged for line-fishing expeditions. Yachting There are currently four moorings available at a fee of NZ$5 per day but there are plans to increase this number to 14. A departure fee of NZ$25 per person is also payable to Customs. Visitors travelling to Niue by yacht should avoid arriving at weekends as entry clearance services provided by the Immigration and Port authorities are closed. On arrival, contact ZKN Niue Radio on VHF16; they will contact customs and arrange clearance, which must be gained before coming ashore, and arrange for mooring allocation. There are 18 moorings available which can be hired for NZ$5 per day. For further information, contact the Niue Yacht Club, PO Box 129, Alofi, Niue (e-mail: yachtclub@niue.nu; website: www.niueyachtclub.com). Other There are excellent opportunities in Niue’s numerous caves, notably at Talava - The Arches, and several companies offer caving trips (see also Resorts & Excursions section). At Niue Sport Club, there is a 9-hole golf course, with balls, clubs and trundlers for hire, and two tennis courts. Traditional Niuean cricket is the most popular spectator sport and can be seen in any village when in season. Niue’s scenic rainforest areas, particularly around Hakupu and Kikutavake Hill in the east, are popular destinations for walking trips. Cycling is a good way to see the island along the 170km (106 miles) of bush tracks through scrub and rain forest. A number of companies rent out bicycles, scooters and motorbikes. For further information, contact the Niue Tourism Office or the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (see Contact Addresses section). |