Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Day 28 Alofi, Niue

What a fantastic day….  I went ashore on the first tender with Ed, Becky, Robert & Bronwyn.  We rented a car and began exploring Niue.  This is a very special island.  The people are very friendly and the island incredibly beautiful.    We left the car rental and first made a stop at the market before heading out of town.  We left Alofi and headed north for a clockwise trip around the island.  Our first stop was Peniamina’s grave who brought Christianity to the island.  The we went to our first cave at Palaha Cave, beautiful place after a steep and slippery climb.  Next up was the spectacular Avaiki Cave.  This coral island has a very rugged coastline filled with caves, chasms, pools and all manner of beautiful scenery.  Then we headed to the Limu pools where the clarity and color of the water was amazing.  What a great place for snorkeling.  After exploring the pools, we went to the Matapa Chasm.  Again, the beauty here was amazing….  We continued traveling around the island stopping here and there.  The most bizarre place was the Hikulagi Sculpture Park where sculptures were maded with everyday items that were headed for the trash…  The day was fabulous jut too short. Out day in port was short, from 7:00 am until 1:30 pm.  I would love to come back with a longer stay.  This island has a lot to offer and I would love to explore it more.  The only thing I saw that was a bit unsettling was the huge number of abandoned homes that were in a serious state of decade.  The reason, I guess, was the huge population drop that Niue has had over the years.  Great Day!!!!

 

 

 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're right, what a special island it seems to be! So nice that you and your friends were adventuresome to drive, hike, and seek out some of those unique sites. Enjoyed the cave and scenery pics. What a lovely day!

Michelle

Michelle and Rudy van der Goot said...

Not to be confused with the other Michelle who comments on your blog.....
Looks like a great place. Loved the Pig sign. Makes the mind wonder.

Unknown said...

Thank you for visitng our beautiful Rock. Really happy that you soaked in the beauty and magic of the place. The abandoned house are due to the outflow of locals abroad for work and education. The houses are left there to mark show ownership of land during the absence of the family that owns the property by heritage.

I hope you enjoy the tranquility of the Rock in your next visit. Togo is a must on your net visit....

All the best
Oala

Advisor said...

I love your photos!
And I love your appreciation for the islands, especially Niue.

Michelle and Rudy, the haircutting and ear piercing on the sign are special festivities. Oala could tell us all about them.

Vihe said...

Must thanks you for posting shots revealing just a touch of Niue's beauty...be assured that there are more secrets nestled there.
Sharing our heritage and special coral pearl is what we all about in the pacific.. see you next time around..happy travels.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for drawing attention to the charms of Niue.

Unknown said...

Great Photos !...

Ciao from Italy
=^.^=

Cherry Pie Designs said...

G'day Jeff. Finally got to read your Blog. Had to come to Carol's to be shown how to access blog. Spent last couple of hours catching up. Also learned of your cruise cancellations. You are no doubt aware we won't be back next year? We are workinbg on special Tai Chi cruises with Cruise Specialists.