DAY 8 to 10 - Motu, Taro, Humpback Whales, Diving, Reef Sharks

DAY 8 to 10 -  Motu, Taro, Humpback Whales, Diving, Reef Sharks

With a rare westerly wind blowing for the last few days and diving having to be cancelled we were happy when it switched direction so I could get in the water snorkelling and kayaking again and do the slast dives. 
I did my first night dive which was a bit of an experience with the inflorescene when we turned our torches off, we also did a deep dive in front of the matavai resort and then to the catacombs where we saw a turtle, and crayfish in the caves.

 Also went out for one last kayak and fish in the north of the island and came across several curious sharks and some wahoo that we saw jumping out of the water probably trying to get away from them.

I wanted to go out on a fishing charter as I hadnt been able to catch any tuna or wahoo in the kayak but they were fully booked so will have to wait until next time.

Overall this was a wicked place to travel to with plenty of exciting things to do so we will be back for sure.




Hikulagi Sculpture Park

Taro and shellfish - the taro was amazing but I will leave the shellfish to the locals

Ahi baked us up some coconut and it was surprisingly good.  We tried

We got on another bike trail through the forest and biked to Motu

The flat vegetation on the coast at Motu

Step ladder down to the coral reef

We had a look around the caves at Motu but could not find the entrance into the main cavern below us.

I went down to the Liku sea track to hang out and spotted a humpback whale spouting.  This was the first whale sited by anyone in over a week.  We jumped in the car and went down the coast in the hope to catch it but were only able to spot it at a distance through the binoculars.

Snorkelling off the outer reef at Liku we saw a white tipped reef shark

New coconut sprouting

The Vaihoko sea track was the most overgrown track we had been to.

Fossilied coral





We went back to talava arches and I popped the question to Karen under one of the arches




We celebrated by going to the Matavai Resort buffet dinner and fire dance night



Tahiono Retreat in Liku Village

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