Day 5 to 7 - The sites along the western side of the island

Day 5 to 7 - Biking, Vaikona Chasm, Liku Coastal Walk, Uga hunting, Togo Chasm, Anapala Chasm

We stayed the rest of our time on the island at the Tahiono Retreat in Liku village. It was a very different experience staying away from all the other tourists for a more authentic niuean experience. I have especially enjoyed eating fresh coconut every day with my favourites being the half ripe ones with soft flesh and fizzy zingy water.



We borrowed bikes from Mark and Ahi and did the Huvalu Forest loop mountain bike track

Taro fields alongside the road

Some old forest within the Huvalu Forest conservation area


Mark took us for a big walk along the Liku coast.  We were dropped off at Vaikona Chasm and walked back along the reef to Liku Village.


Coastal forest getting out to the Viakona Chasm

Vaikona Chasm - it was really tricky and dangerous to get down into but really beautiful

Trying to follow the overgrown path to the reef

The waves were hammering the reef

Hermit Crab

From the reef there is a steep cliff which somehow crabs (hermit crabs and coconut crabs) can climb

Every so often a large wave would surge right up over the reef

Liku coast

There were areas where the flat reef turned into steep surge pools and every time a large wave crashed onto the cliff it would splash up into the pools

Looking back over where we had walked


Like the rest of the island we went to the wash away cafe for a couple of beers and burgers in Avatele





I was told if you go out into the coastal forest at night you could see Uga (coconut crabs) and I was not dissapointed.  The crabs were everywhere some big and some small.  They had some really sharp claws on them that im sure they could take a finger off with.



Anapala Chasm -  we followed a path through the forest and down into this freshwater chasm.  The used to be the source of freshwater on the island where the locals would have to come and collect water in coconut shells.

A fish in the pool at the bottom

I went for a swim but was not tempted to go too far into the dark depths of the chasm


Looking out to sea from the canoe landing site at Anapala

This information signs were found throughout the island


The sharp rouged rocks on the way down to Togo Chasm


Togo Chasm was very different to the other ones. We had to climb down a steep ladder to a sandy bottom with scattered coconut trees and a small stagnant freshwater pool

From the chasm there was a small entrance to where the sea was surging into a small cave