The Best Niue Reef Walks
That’s right, you don’t even need to get your whole body in the water to enjoy the amazing tropical marine life of Niue. Niue has some fantastic reef walks where you only need to don your reef shoes and look down to watch fish, crabs and colourful coral through the crystal clear waters of Niue’s reefs. Niue has some superb reefs to explore on foot, which we go through in this list of the best reef walks in Niue.
Tip #1: Be careful not to stand on juvenile coral (i.e. if you see something that doesn’t look like a rock, try not to stand on it).
Tip #2: All of Niue’s reef walks are best done at low tide, but watch what the swell is doing before you go.
Tip #3: Make sure you wear some decent reef shoes for reef walking – we have some recommendations in the 10 Best Reef Shoes for Niue
For more walks on the island, check out The Guide to Walks in Niue.
1. Tamakautoga Beach
A popular spot for reef walking in Niue, Tamakautoga Beach, accessed on the Togulu Sea Track, is a quaint coral beach leading out to a stunning reef. While the reef is best explored on foot at low tide, there is a pool that you can swim in too. Again, this is best explored at low tide. See more beaches in Niue here.
Location: Tamakautoga, accessed beside the war memorial on the village green
(c) niuepocketguide.com2. Utuko Reef
Accessible from the heart of Alofi, Utuko Reef is a small sandy cove ideal for a reef walking and swimming depending on what the tide is doing. The reef is best to explore at low to mid incoming tide, but keep an eye on the swell size before heading out. When you’re done, pop up to the Crazy Uga Cafe for a drink, which is located right above the cove. Check out more walks on the west coast in the 10 Best Sea Tracks on the West Coast of Niue.
Location: Alofi, opposite the Police Station in the main town
(c) Niue Tourism3. Avaiki Cave to Palaha Cave
Avaiki Cave and Palaha Cave are two iconic attractions near the village of Makefu. While it takes only 30 seconds to drive between the two, it is possible to walk along the reef between the two caves instead. Needless to say, this is best done at low tide, but the swell can make this a challenging reef walk and have you walking in waist-deep water. It’s best done when the swell is calm. Be mindful of juvenile coral growing in this area.
Location: Makefu, start from either Avaiki Cave or Palaha Cave
(c) niuepocketguide.com4. Tautu Reef
A stunning reef on the east coast, Tautu Reef is accessible down such a steep unsealed road that you might want to consider walking the extra 20 minutes down the road instead. The sea track access is easy to miss, located in the northeast corner of Liku village green. The sea track itself is only about 500m (550 yards) through an archway onto the reef. This is a stunning spot to come to watch the sunrise. The reef is best walked at low tide. Check out more walks on the east coast in the 7 Best Sea Tracks on the East Coast of Niue.
Location: Liku, access road is from the northeast corner of the village green left of the white house
(c) Niue Tourism5. Puluhiki Reef
Another rough unsealed road takes you this time from Lakepa to the Puluhiki Sea Track and an excellent reef walk at low tide. The sea track is a set of concrete steps down to the reef below where you’ll get stunning vistas across the reef – an ideal photo spot!
Location: Lakepa, signposted from the left (northern) side of the village green
(c) niuepocketguide.com6. Motu Sea Track
Finally, another good place for a reef walk on the east coast is accessible from the Motu Sea Track. The track is signposted between Liku and Lakepa, taking you down a narrow and flat unsealed road for 1.4km (0.9 miles). You’ll reach a rocky sea track through the forest and over exposed cliffs until you reach a ladder taking you down onto the reef. The reef is best explored at low tide.
Location: Signposted between Liku and Lakepa on the coastal side of the road. The Motu Sea Track is a little closer to Lakepa than to Liku
(c) niuepocketguide.comMore Reef Walks in Niue
- 8 Best Sea Tracks & Places to Swim in Niue for Kids
- 6 Best Sea Tracks in Alofi
- 10 Best Sea Tracks in Niue
That’s it for the best reef walks in Niue. Remember to bookmark the 101 Things to Do in Niue: The Ultimate List for more amazing experiences.
