Niue Budget Itinerary: 7 Days / One Week

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Day 1 – Arrive in Niue and Check-in at Your Guesthouse

Your island adventure begins! On arrival at Hanan International Airport, you will go through the airport customs and biosecurity process, as outlined in Everything You Need to Know About Arriving in Niue.

Visit the appropriate kiosk for your chosen car rental company. Alternatively, your chosen accommodation will have a representative with a sign ready to pick you up.

Because Niue is so small (it takes about two hours to drive around the whole island), it’s more convenient to stay in the same accommodation for the whole week.

Budget Accommodation in Niue

• Kumar Enterprise / Guest House
• Turtle Lodge
• Heleni Jessop’s Fatahega
• Kololi’s Motel
• Aleki Guesthouse
• Damiana’s Motel
• Lialagi Units
• Aliutu Guesthouse
• Peleni’s Guesthouse

See the 10 Best Budget Accommodation in Niue for more details on our top recommendations.

Self-catering in Niue

Almost all of the budget accommodation on the island have self-catering facilities. Pick up supplies from Niue’s largest supermarket, Swanson Supermarket, or from one of the smaller grocery stores in Alofi. See Where to Buy Food in Niue for extra advice.

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Day 2 – Explore Alofi

Instead of rushing off to the top attractions, like everyone else, take the time today to get yourself familiar with Alofi. Scout out the services like the gas station, the restaurants, pick up your Niue Driver’s License at the Police Station, get more ideas for your trip at the Visitor Information Centre, and, of course, do some fun free stuff!

Alofi is home to some of its own free sea tracks leading to stunning little nooks and crannies of Niue’s coastline. There’s also an affordable museum, an art gallery, gifts shops, mini golf and more! You could even hire a bike and hit the bike trail starting in Alofi – see The Best Bike Trails in Niue for ideas.

Free/Cheap Things to Do in Alofi

• Walk Alofi’s sea tracks
• Watch whales and dolphins from the lookout at Tomb Point
• Check out historic sites, like Tomb Point and Opaahi
• Play a round of mini golf at the Vaiolama Cafe
• Scout out the cheap eats in Alofi
• Admire the paintings in the Tahiono Art Gallery
• Visit the Niue National Museum – Fale Tau Taoga

For details and more inspiration, check out the 10 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Alofi.

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Day 3 – Church and Avatele Beach

If you arrived in Niue on a Friday, then today is Sunday and a day of sabbath for the locals. An interesting and free cultural experience is going to one of the Sunday church services. The spiritual experience features beautiful harmonious singing and is uplifting, whether you’re religious or not. Check out church recommendations in the 5 Best Churches in Niue to Experience as a Visitor.

After church, make your way to Avatele Beach where the Washaway Cafe is open exclusively on Sundays! Serve yourself drinks at the honesty bar and write down your food order for the cooks to dine on burgers, pizzas, fresh fish focaccia and more! Learn more about it in The 10 Best Restaurants in Niue. While you’re here, there’s good snorkelling at Avatele Beach at mid to low tide.

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Day 4 – Explore the East Coast

Still early into your week away, we suggest exploring Niue’s “quieter” side first (as if it already wasn’t quiet). Hire a car, if you already haven’t already, and hit the road to the rugged east coast! Here are some top attractions to stop by along the way, starting from south to north.

Anapala Chasm

Head to the village of Hakupu and the Anapala Chasm Sea Track (behind the school building). The 15-minute one-way walk takes you through lush rainforest and down some steep steps to the depths of a narrow chasm. If you’re not too spooked, you can swim in the cold freshwater below!

Togo Chasm

Your next chasm fix comes with a 30-45-minute walk to Togo Chasm in the Huvalu Forest Conservation Area. After walking through magnificent tropical rainforest, you’ll emerge on top of the rocky coastline jagged with limestone pinnacles as far as the eye can see! Follow the track down a ladder and into a sandy-bottom chasm with its own little oasis of coconut palms. Scramble over the rockfall at the back of the chasm to watch waves breaking against the rocks. Needless to say, this is as far as you can go so return the same way.

Laufoli Umu Pit

Easy to miss, keep an eye on the east side of the road, a few minutes north of the Togo Chasm, for a quick stop at the historic Laufoli Umu Pit. See the distinct ditch in the ground that was used as an earth oven and learn about the legend as detailed on the interpretation sign.

Hikulagi Sculpture Park

Have a quick browse around this outdoor sculpture park with works of art created out of the rubbish that had washed up onto the island.

Uluvehi Sea Track

Park up on some steep clifftops where you’ll be able to look inside a couple of shallow limestone caves, see fishermen’s vaka (canoes) and enjoy sensational views of the Pacific Ocean.

While the suggested free attractions will keep you busy for the day, there are many more nooks and crannies along the east coast to explore should you be able to fit more in. See the 7 Best Sea Tracks on the East Coast of Niue for more places to visit.

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Day 5 – Check Out Matapa Chasm, Talava Arches and the Limu Pools

There’s so much to see on Niue’s west coast, including snorkelling hotspots that you’ll want to spend more time visiting, that you might want to take your exploration on the west coast a little slower.

First, we suggest heading north to the villages of Hikutavake and Namukulu, which have a whole bunch of amazing coastal attractions accessible by sea tracks. Note that these attractions for snorkelling are tide-dependent, so change the order you visit them according to the appropriate tide.

Matapa Chasm

Providing safe snorkelling at any tide, the Matapa Chasm is a wide chasm harbouring all sorts of tropical fish, crabs and other marine life. Walk down a seven-minute rocky sea track through the forest to emerge at the chasm.

Talava Arches

Although enjoyed at any tide, it’s best to go to the Talava Arches at low tide if you want to be able to walk across the reef and under the arch. To get there is a 30-minute walk through the forest, which leads to a series of limestone caves to navigate following (and using) the guide ropes. You’ll emerge at a stunning view of the coastal archway and have the opportunity to snorkel in the coral-lined channel below. The track to the Talava Arches begins next to the Matapa Chasm track.

Limu Pools

A hotspot for swimming and snorkelling, the Limu Pools is a must-visit at half to incoming full tide! Follow a short sea track down to the main pools, or head down the small side track next to the sail shade to another snorkelling spot with an archway which is generally better to snorkel at low tide.

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Day 6 – Explore Avaiki and Palaha Cave and Do Some Whale Watching

You have more time to make the most of the amazing coastal scenery on the west of the island, this time around the village of Makefu.

Just before low tide, find the Avaiki Cave Sea Track, which leads down to a huge cathedral cave with a crystal clear pool ideal for snorkelling. When you’re done, head back up the sea track and a little further north for about 30 seconds (driving) to the nearby Palaha Cave for more magnificent viewings of a limestone cave. Although you can walk between the two caves on the reef at low tide, it’s not recommended to avoid standing on fragile coral.

To top off your exploration of Makefu, set up camp (not literally, but more like a picnic camp) at the top of the Makefu Sea Track, which is a good place to look out for whales (July to September) and dolphins. Note that the coin-operated binoculars don’t work.

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Day 7 – Free Day

Be sure to set a day aside in your itinerary to either relax at your accommodation or do one of the slightly more expensive activities that we wouldn’t usually include in a “budget” itinerary. After all, you’re only in Niue once (in the unlikely event that you don’t fall in love with the place), so why not treat yourself to swimming with whales, scuba diving in crystal clear waters, or one of the other 10 Must-Dos in Niue?

Alternatively, many accommodations on the island have their own attractions and activities, whether it’s the host offering cultural tours or having access to its own swimming spot (or swimming pool). At some of the budget guesthouses, locals are known to arrange last-minute uga (coconut crab) hunts or umu dinners, so always leave some room for the spontaneous!

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Departure Day

Day 8 is departure day, so say goodbye to your guesthouse hosts who, no doubt, have made you part of the family, and make your way to Hanan Airport to check in your luggage.

The departure process in Niue lengthier than your average international departure and one that’s worth getting to understand in Leaving Niue: The Niue Airport Departure Process. You’ll see that you will need to check in your bags a long time before catching your flight.

When you’ve had one last chance to grab a bite to eat or spent some time relaxing at your favourite beach, head back to the airport to return your rental car by parking it where the “Rental Cars Only” signs are, leaving the keys in the car.

Then it’s goodbye to Niue!