On Island Transport
It is advisable to hire a vehicle before arriving in Niue as there are no
public transport options. Cars, motor bikes and bicycles are all
available for hire. The island is bigger than most people imagine, over
60km around the ring road, it takes around 1½ - 2 hours to drive right around
the island.
Scenic Matavai Resort, Studio Apartments and Villa are around 9kms from Alofi
(the main town) and therefore you will need transport to access local
town supplies. Driver’s licenses can be obtained from Niue Police for
$22.50. You can pick up your rental car at the resort or airport without
one, and go down to town Monday to get your license. Vehicle insurance will
also need to be purchased if renting a car.
Complimentary Airport Shuttle: Scenic Matavai Resort & Apartments will
transfer you to and from the airport. The shuttle is also available to
transfer Apartment guests to the Resort (guests must contact the resort to
arrange pickup).
Duty free
You can purchase duty free either in NZ or here at the Bond store in Alofi
(the main town).
Money
Niue uses NZ currency and has a Kiwi bank, though no ATM’s. Most stores and
restaurants will only take cash, a couple of businesses on the island
take NZ eftpos and some credit cards. We recommend bringing cash with
you, especially if you are travelling from any country other than NZ as
some machines will not take overseas credit cards.
Travel Insurance
As Niue only has two flights out per week and there are limited on island medical facilities, we strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance with provision for medical evacution by air, before travelling to Niue. If you intend to hire a vehicle, Included vehicle insurance is also required.
Personal items / Medical
We advise bringing sun hats and sun block, and insect repellent any pharmacy
medications. Niue does not have a pharmacy/chemist – all medication must
be arranged by seeing a doctor at the hospital.
Phones
Niue has Telecom Niue. Vodafone and NZ Telecom global roaming don’t work here.
You will need to purchase a sim card from Telecom Niue to be able to use
your phone.
Internet
WiFi is available in most areas of the island. To use this you will need to
visit RockET Internet cafe in Alofi who will charge you $25 to register
your WiFi device for 1 area (1 suburb) in Niue. Scenic Matavai Resort has
satellite WiFi internet available with various guest plans. Higher speed
additional in Matavai Studio Apartments and Villa has access to national WiFi
for the Tamakautoga area.
Please note: Internet speed across the island using any of these options can
be slow and unreliable due to the satellite signal being impacted by
bad weather.
Food
If you are staying at self contained accommodation you may wish to bring some
food with you. You can bring in all food except honey. There are a range
of small grocery stores and one supermarket (think well supplied
provincial Four Square in NZ) on the island where you can purchase most
items, though do be aware that the plane gets in at 2pm and after getting
through customs, picking up a vehicle and checking into your
accommodation you may wish to have breakfast on hand already for the next
day.
Clothing / Footware
There are many great walking tracks, most leading to the ocean so it is worth
bringing a good pair of walking shoes. Niue is surrounded by a coral reef
shelf so most swimming spots require the use of reef shoes. Year round it
is worth bringing a light raincoat.
Activities
It is strongly recommended that you pre-book any fishing, diving, snorkelling
or dolphin/whale watching trips before arriving in Niue as these book out
especially during peak seasons. Other tours and activities can be booked
on arrival. You can hire snorkelling gear on the island, though it is limited
so if you have the space you may choose to bring your own.
Markets
The local markets are located on the main road in Alofi from 5am – 9am on
Friday and Tuesday mornings. You can purchase fruit, some vegetables and
local craft. Most fruit/vegetables are sold between 5 – 6.30am.