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.
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
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance before travelling to Niue. Included vehicle insurance is wise if you intend to hire a vehicle.
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
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.
Personal items
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.