Visit Niue in the Off-Season!
When is the best time to visit Niue? If the best time for you to visit Niue is in the low season then why not?! Niue receives year-round tropical weather with amazing sights to see no matter what the month is. Visit Niue when accommodation and flights can be at their cheapest. Get the sense of having this already relatively undiscovered island all to yourself… Need we say more? Apparently, if we need to say more, check out the list of reasons to travel in the low season in Niue…
When is the Low Season in Niue?
The low season or “off-season” in Niue is during the middle of the wet season, from mid-January to March, while the shoulder seasons of April to June and September to November are often also considered a quiet time to travel. Learn more about the low and shoulder seasons in The Best Time to Visit Niue.
1. Get a Better Deal on Your Accommodation
Yes, one of the main reasons to travel in the low season is to save money! One aspect of your trip where you can save money is on accommodation, especially if you want to stay at Niue’s one and only resort. The Scenic Matavai Resort advertises cheaper nightly rates during the summer season than in winter. Other accommodations even post deals at cheaper rates on the Niue Tourism website.
(c) Jonathan Irish - Niue Tourism2. Find Flight Discounts Too!
The low season sometimes means cheaper airfares too. Every year during the South Pacific summertime, Air New Zealand, Niue’s one airline servicing the island, does the occasional “islands sale”. It’s best to book a few weeks in advance to make the most of these off-season deals. Find out more about booking better airfares in How to Book a Cheap Flight to Niue.
(c) niuepocketguide.com3. The Weather is Mostly Glorious
There’s a bit of a stigma when it comes to the low season, mainly because it’s also known as the “wet season”. This conjures up images of constant rain that no one would want to escape to the South Pacific Islands for. In reality, the rain is on and off in the wet season, much like it is in the “dry season” just a little more frequent. Niue is an island in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean so the weather changes quickly. Just as soon as it rains you’ll be back to sunny skies in no time. Learn more about the weather in Niue in What is the Weather Like in Niue?
(c) Niue Tourism4. Niue Looks Amazing All Year Round
There’s not a certain time of the year when Niue looks “better”. In the low season, you still have crystal clear waters thanks to the porous limestone make-up of the island filtering any rain that lands on it. So yes, snorkelling and scuba diving in the wet season is still amazing! Niue still has tracts of lush rainforests and dramatic chasms to explore in the low season too. We’d even go as far as to say it feels like an island stuck in time.
(c) niuepocketguide.com5. Feel Like You Get the Whole Island to Yourself
Speaking of visiting Niue’s attractions, how about getting even the most popular hotspots all to yourself? Admittedly, even in the high season, you get many of the east coast attractions, like the Togo Chasm and Anapala Chasm, all to yourself, but that’s usually not the case on the west coast when everyone heads to places like the Limu Pools and Talava Arches for the right tide. In the low season, it feels like you get the WHOLE island to yourself, where it’s not uncommon to find yourself in the island’s major hotspots without another tourist in sight. Now THAT’S paradise.
(c) niuepocketguide.com6. There is Plenty Going On
There’s always something going on in Niue, between the famous Village Show Days to the food and film festivals. In the low season, your trip might coincide with events like the Niue Arts and Culture Festival, NiueKulele, the Rockman race and more. There’s always something going on in Alofi around Christmas and New Year, plus, January is when the occasional film festival is hosted. Check out some of the most popular events on the island in The Top Events & Festivals in Niue.
© Niue Tourism7. Travel More Sustainably
Travelling in the low season puts less strain on infrastructure, making it a more sustainable time to travel to Niue. Since you’re on a roll, see the 30 Ways to Travel More Sustainably in Niue.
© NiuePocketGuide.com8. Have a More Impulsive Trip
Due to the limited accommodation on the island with limited rooms, visitors to Niue need to book their trips WAY in advance if wanting to travel in the high season. The same goes for car rentals, where vehicles are known to run out in the high season. In the low season, you can take it easy. You can easily book a spontaneous trip to Niue, even just turn up at a car rental depot to hire a car if you want to. If you’re the type of traveller who prefers to go with the flow, then travelling to Niue in the low season is ideal.
(c) niuepocketguide.com9. You’re Highly Unlikely to Be Taken Out by a Cyclone
Yes, between November and April is the South Pacific cyclone season, but the risk of a cyclone significantly affecting Niue is still minimal. Sure, Niue has had a history of cyclones affecting the island, the worst happening in 2004 with Cyclone Heta, but this is certainly not a normal weather event! Even if a cyclone were to pass close to Niue, the island is well-prepared for this type of event. See How to Prepare for a Cyclone in Niue for more literature on the subject.
(c) Pixabay10. Visit Niue While it’s Still Undiscovered
How many people have you told about “Niue” and you receive glazed-over eyes like they have no idea what you’re talking about? Niue is a country many haven’t even heard of (and can’t seem to remember the name of, even if they have). So while you still have the privilege to know about this island, while so many people don’t, we recommend visiting Niue while that’s still the case! Visit Niue when it is best for you.
© NiuePocketGuide.comMore About the Low Season in Niue
That’s it for our reasons to travel in the low season in Niue. For more advice on low-season travel, take a look at the following guides:
- The Best Time to Visit Niue: A Month-by-Month Guide
- Niue Weather, Seasons & Climate + Weather by Month
- 10 Amazing Reasons to Visit Niue
Finally, plan your entire trip to Niue from scratch using The Complete Niue Travel Guide.
