Arriving in Niue in the middle of a New Zealand winter feels like Rakiura/Stewart Island except with heat. It has that same small island vibe, mostly forested, with tidy gardens and houses dotted among the bush. Here 1700 residents welcome you the same as they do in Southland. Every passing driver waves, helping out is not a problem and the locals are so proud of their small island paradise they want you to experience the same. Where else in the world would the population increase by 10% every time the AirNZ A320 lands?
Great coffee, fresh tuna and wahoo fish abound, and the few restaurants are an experience in their own right. We are fixated on the Niue Yacht Club where one chef belts out an endless supply of tuna sashimi for $20, wahoo and chips for $16 with Matt Watson’s ice cold Swordfish Mojo beer for $6 a can. The location is stunning, perched on a clifftop with a perfect sunset view. Locals and tourists drop in until well after dark. The fish all comes from the six local fishing charters that fish to order and at same time charges visitors to catch the fish. It’s a total win-win for ocean sustainability.
