Welcome to Niue

Niue Welcome Packet

Important Next Steps

Expedition On-Boarding Form

Trip Plan

Accommodation

Packing List

Trip Leader Contact

Preparing for Your Adventure

We can’t wait to share this incredible adventure searching for Humpback Whales in Niue with you. To prepare for our trip, please make sure you have completed these important steps:

Important Next Steps

☐ Apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authorization (NZeTA) and pay your New Zealand tourism fee

☐ Confirm you have booked flights to Niue from Auckland

☐ Fill out the Expedition On-boarding Form with your travel details and insurance information

☐ Accept the Liability Waiver

☐ Let us know if you need rental gear: wetsuit, mask, fins, or snorkel

Trip Plan

  • Modern high-rise hotel building with glass facade, named Hotel Grand Chancellor, with showroom or lobby visible on the ground floor, adjacent to other apartments or condos, with street and trees in front.

    Monday - Arrive into Auckland

    Arrival day.

    We will arrange rooms for you at the Novotel Auckland Airport, conveniently located just steps outside the International terminal in Auckland.

    This day gives you a chance to rest before flying to Niue the next morning.

  • An aerial view of a coastal resort with multiple buildings surrounded by lush green trees, a rugged rocky shoreline, and turquoise ocean water with waves crashing onto the shore.

    Tuesday / Monday - Fly to Niue & Matavai Resort

    Travel to Niue

    Please make sure to book your flights into Niue from Auckland. Let us know if we can help with travel coordination.

    After breakfast at the Novotel Hotel, you can walk directly to the terminal and check in for your flight to Niue.

    We will pick you up from the airport in Niue.

    We will help you check into our rooms at the Matavai Resort, sort gear, do a trip briefing, have dinner, and prepare for our first whale day tomorrow.

  • Tuesday - First Whale Day & Humpback Talk

    Whale Day

    Our first whale day!

    After breakfast at our hotel we will spend the morning searching for Humpback whales.

    In the evening, we will have an optional talk about Humpback whales and the incredible migration they make from their feeding grounds in Antarctica to socialize, mate, and raise their calves in Niue.

  • Two humpback whales swimming underwater close to the surface.

    Wednesday - 2nd Whale Day & Whale Talk

    2nd Whale Day

    After our whale session, we will have another optional talk on the evolution and conservation history of whales.

  • A small inflatable boat with two people, one standing and waving, is docked near a concrete pier. A crane hook hangs above the boat. The background features lush green trees and palm trees along a shoreline under a cloudy sky.

    Thursday - 3rd Whale Day & Snorkel Tour

    3rd Whale Day

    We will do a snorkel tour to explore Niue’s incredible coral reefs and unique attractions like the “Belly of the Whale Cave”. In the afternoon we will go out again to search for Humpbacks.

  • A narrow turquoise water channel between large rocky cliffs with green vegetation, under a cloudy sky.

    Friday - 4th Whale Day & Limu Pools

    4th Whale Day

    In the morning we will swim at the Limu Pools, a set of natural pools on the northern coast with lots of fish, beautiful coral, and cliff jumps. After lunch we will go out in search of Humpbacks.

  • Tall palm trees grow between steep rocky canyon walls, with sunlight peeking through. A small stream flows over rocks at the canyon floor.

    Saturday - 5th Whale Day & Togo Chasm

    5th Whale Day

    In the morning we will go out for our last whale tour of this incredible trip. After lunch we will hike to Togo Chasm, a beautiful slot canyon with a ladder at the end to reach a sandy beach hidden inside.

  • View of a beach seen through a natural rock arch formation, with a smaller rock arch in the background and the ocean, sky, and clouds in the sky.

    Sunday - Avaiki Cave, Matapa Chasm, Tavala Arches

    Land Excursion Day

    There are no water activities on Sunday in Niue, so we will explore some of the most unique and spectacular sights on the island: swimming through the aquamarine waters of Avaiki Cave and Matapa Chasm, and trekking to the Tavala Arches.

  • Tropical beach scene with palm trees, blue ocean, and partly cloudy sky

    Monday / Tuesday - Fly to Auckland & Say Goodbye

    Departure Day

    After breakfast and enjoying our last moments in Niue, we will be taken to the airport to fly back to Auckland. You will arrive back in Auckland at 5:30pm.

An aerial view of a coastal resort with buildings surrounded by trees on a rocky cliff, overlooking a beach and the ocean with waves.

Our Hotel: Scenic Matavai Resort

We will be based at the Scenic Matavai Resort, Niue’s only full-service resort. The hotel is perched on a dramatic clifftop with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. With luck you may even spot humpback whales right from your balcony or the pool.

Resort Name: Scenic Matavai Resort Niue
Address: Tapeu-Porritt Road, Tamakautoga, Niue
Phone: +683 4360 or +683 4368

 

Packing List & Gear

Water

  • Swimsuit

  • 3mm Wetsuit (available to rent if you don't want to bring your own)

  • Mask, snorkel, and fins

  • Weight belt

  • Reef-safe sunscreen

Optional Items

  • GoPro or similar camera

  • Dry bag to keep your personal items dry on the boat

  • Quick drying microfiber towel

  • Motion sickness or seasickness tablets 

  • Reusable water bottle

Land

  • Flip flops or sandals

  • Water shoes

  • Comfortable walking shoes (enough to do 30 min - 1 hr walks)

  • Wind / rain jacket

  • Sun hat, buff/neck gaiter, and sunglasses

  • Umbrella

  • Power adapter for New Zealand style plugs

Expedition On-Boarding Form

Important: Niue On-Boarding Form

We cannot wait to share this amazing experience with you.

To help us finalize logistics, please fill out this expedition on-boarding form accurately and completely. 

Trip Leader

Man sitting on a boat smiling after scuba diving, with a scuba mask and underwater camera, wearing a long-sleeve shirt and floral shorts, in the ocean.

Expedition Guide
Alex Pham
+1 (714) 305 0088
alex@thoughtfulexpeditions.com

Backup Contact in Niue
Jana Barclay
+683 4311
jana@niueblue.com