How to Travel to Niue
You’ve seen that a tiny dot on the map of the South Pacific exists and that there actually are some amazing things to see and do there, now all you need to know is how to get there…
Niue can be accessed from overseas via flights, cruises and sailing, but all of these ways of getting to Niue are limited. There are limited flights per week with one airline, less than five cruise companies offering cruises there, and only 17 spots for mooring. Nevertheless, those who make the journey will be rewarded with visiting one of the most unique islands in the South Pacific. So, find out how to get to Niue in this guide.
Tips for Getting to Niue
- Niue only has direct flights from Auckland, New Zealand – check out some of the best airports around the world for connecting flights to Niue in How Long Does it Take to Fly to Niue?
- Niue has a 24-hour time difference from New Zealand, so bear this in mind when you take a 3h30mins flight and arrive a day later
- Cruises with Niue on the itinerary depart from Auckland, Tahiti and Fiji
- Note that shore days on Niue are often cancelled in bad weather due to its unforgiving coastline
- Those sailing to Niue need to contact customs and the Niue Yacht Club on the radio from Alofi Bay – you will get advice for mooring from there.
(c) niuepocketguide.comFlying to Niue
Direct flights between Auckland, New Zealand and Niue happen on a limited weekly schedule with Auckland Airport having hundreds of connecting flights. The flight between Auckland and Niue takes approximately 210 minutes (3h30mins). An important thing to note is that New Zealand and Niue have a 24 hours time difference, so when you depart Auckland on a Saturday morning, you arrive in Niue on a Friday afternoon.
The sole airline servicing Niue is Air New Zealand, which offers four fare types for its Niue flights: Seat, Seat + Bag, The Works and The Works Deluxe. For more information on the fare types, see Which Airlines Fly to Niue?
Flights arrive at Niue at Hanan International Airport, approximately a five-minute drive from Alofi. Arriving passengers will go through an Immigration, Customs and Biosecurity process as outlined in Airport Arrival in Niue & Hanan Airport: Step-by-Step. The departure process for Hanan Airport is a little unusual in that you can’t go through airport security until at least an hour after you have checked in. See Leaving Niue: The Niue Airport Departure Process for more details.
(c) PixabayCruises to Niue
For a quick visit to Niue, an alternative way to get to the island is on a South Pacific cruise. Less than five cruise companies offer cruises to Niue, including Windstar Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Holland America Line and Noble Caledonia. The port of call is Alofi, the island’s capital.
Cruises to Niue depart from either Auckland (New Zealand), Papeete (Tahiti) or Lautoka (Fiji). Most cruises are small-ship cruises with less than 200 passengers. All of the cruises use Zodiac boats to get between the ship and Alofi’s wharf. Due to the rocky nature of the island, cruise passengers can only disembark at Niue if the weather and the swell are safe enough. Often visits to Niue are cancelled in bad weather.
Learn more about cruising to Niue in The Guide to Taking a Cruise to Niue.
(c) Niue TourismSailing to Niue
Just about the only other way you can get to Niue is by sailing in your own yacht. A few processes need to be handled on arrival to Niue in relation to Customs and mooring on Niue’s unforgiving coastline.
Visiting yachts to Niue must stop at Alofi Bay and call Niue Radio on VHF Channel 16 in order to arrange customs clearance. Follow the instructions given. Then radio the Niue Yacht Club on VHF Channel 10 for mooring allocation and advice for mooring.
Niue has just 17 moorings available.
Learn more about sailing to Niue in The Guide to Sailing to Niue.
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