Unmissable Guided and Self-Guided Road Trips in Niue
It’s no secret that Niue is a small island. But with so much to see and do in every hidden nook and cranny of the world’s largest raised coral atoll, you’ll find that you’ll need entire days to make the most of its attractions. So, what are the best day trips in Niue?
Rent a car (or even an electric bike) and hit the pot-holed roads to discover the island’s rugged corners of sea tracks, swimming holes, caves, a resort and even the island’s cool little capital town. We go through it all in this guide to self-drive day trips, as well as guided trips, in Niue.
How to Do These Day Trips in Niue
These day trips in Niue have you exploring the island independently unless you choose to take one of the guided tours we’ve also listed. To get around, you will either need to rent a car, motorcycle or a bicycle/e-bike. Tips on where to hire vehicles and bikes can be found in the following guides:
- What You Need to Hire a Car in Niue
- Motorcycle Hire in Niue: Where to Rent, Cost & More
- Cycle Niue: Where to Rent Bikes in Niue
For more transport options, check out our Niue Transport Guide: 11 Ways to Get Around Niue.
© NiuePocketGuide.com1. A Self-Guided West Coast Road Trip
Distance: 23 km (14.2 mi) round trip
Drive time: 30 minutes round trip.
With an abundance of rental vehicles available to make up for the lack of guided tours, Niue is best explored on a self-guided island tour. Typically, travellers split their day trips between exploring the west coast and the east coast. First, let’s start with the west coast. See the full itinerary in A Self-Guided Tour of Niue’s West Coast.
Day Trip Overview
- Avatele to Tamakautoga
Distance: 2.6 km (1.6 mi), Drive time: 3 minutes
Attractions: Avatele Beach, Washaway Cafe, Pofitu Sea Track, Scenic Matavai Resort and Togulu Sea Track - Tamakautoga to Alofi
Distance: 8.6 km (5.3 mi), Drive time: 13 minutes
Attractions: Anaana Burial Cave, Ana’ana Point, Amanau Sea Track, Vaiolama Cafe, Fale Tau Taoga Niue Museum and Alofi’s Commercial Centre - Alofi to Makefu
Distance: 6.3 km (3.9 mi), Drive time: 7 minutes
Attractions: Togalupo Sea Track, Vaila Cave Sea Track, Peniamina’s Grave Memorial and Makefu Sea Track - Makefu to Hikutavake
Distance: 5.5 km (3.4 mi), Drive time: 7 minutes
Attractions: Avaiki Cave, Palaha Cave, Hio Cafe, Hio Beach, Limu Pools, Hikutavake Sea Track, Matapa Chasm and Talava Arches.
Get the full details on this day trip in Niue in A Self-Guided Day Trip in Niue: West Coast Itinerary.
© NiuePocketGuide.com2. A Self-Guided East Coast Road Trip
Distance: 34 km (21.1 mi) round trip
Drive time: 56 minutes round trip.
In the same vein as mentioned above, a self-guided island tour of the east coast is an excellent use of a rental car to do an independent island tour. This itinerary takes you to Niue’s less-populated, less-visited and more rugged side. And, yes, it is possible to get more rugged! See the full itinerary in A Self-Guided Tour of Niue’s East Coast. Otherwise, see a quick overview below.
Day Trip Overview
- Avatele to Hakupu
Distance: 8.8 km (5.5 mi), Drive time: 15 minutes
Attractions: Ebony Rainforest Tour and Anapala Chasm - Hakupu to Liku
Distance: 11.8 km (7.3 mi), Drive time: 15 minutes
Attractions: Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, Togo Chasm, Laufoli Umu Pit, Hikulagi Sculpture Park and Tautu Reef - Liku to Lakepa
Distance: 6.1 km (3.8 mi), Drive time: 12 minutes
Attractions: Motu Sea Track and Puluhiki Sea Track - Lakepa to Mutulau
Distance: 7.3 km (4.5 mi), Drive time: 14 minutes
Attractions: Taue i Fupiu Fort, Uluvehi Sea Track and A5 Tours.
Again, get the full details on this day trip in Niue in A Self-Guided Day Trip in Niue: East Coast Itinerary.
© NiuePocketGuide.com3. A Guided West Coast Tour with Explore Niue
An excellent guided experience for those without a vehicle or those wanting to get orientated with the island soon after arrival, Explore Niue is a half-day island tour worth considering.
Explore Niue offers an insightful introductory tour to Niue with plenty of sightseeing along the way. Visit different iconic Niue sights on the west coast of the island, including Anaana Point, Alofi Wharf, Matapa Chasm and more!
The 4-hour tour is a small-group tour of up to eight people only. Tours take place in the mornings after plane days. The tour also includes refreshments, as well as a tide chart and sea track information to know the right times to visit.
See more tours like this in The Best Guided Tours in Niue.
© NiuePocketGuide.com4. A Guided East Coast Tour with Explore Niue
Another excellent guided island tour is available with Explore Niue. The East Coast Tour is less of an orientation tour but more of a sightseeing tour, typically exclusively for your group so it’s best to book if you’re four people or more.
This half-day tour explores the east coast of Niue. The first stop is the village of Hakupu on your way to the Anapala Chasm. After visiting the chasm, you delve into the Huvalu Forest Conservation Area to the iconic Togo Chasm for a tropical rainforest walk. Then it’s to the Hikulagi Sculpture Park before making your way across the island to Alofi and your accommodation.
© NiuePocketGuide.com5. A Guided Pacific Ocean Tour
Most boat trips depart from Alofi.
We know this isn’t exactly a road trip but we can’t wrap up this list of day trips in Niue without mentioning a day on the water. Top activities on the crystal clear waters surrounding the island include fishing charters to catch huge game species, dolphin-swimming excursions, whale swimming (available July to September), scuba diving and snorkelling tours.
If you need more inspiration, check out the 10 Amazing Water Activities in Niue.
More About Day Trips in Niue
That’s it for our list of the best day trips in Niue. If these Niue road trips aren’t quite speaking to you, however, check out these alternative tours and things to do while in Niue:
Finally, get back to the basics of planning a getaway to the islands using The Complete Travel Guide to Niue: Plan a Trip the Easy Way.
