Beaches in Niue

One raised coral island of 260 square kilometres with around two thousand people, self-governing in free association with New Zealand, and there is almost no sand on it: the coast is limestone terrace, chasm and sea track leading down to rock pools, and the swimming is done from ledges. The water is exceptionally clear because there are no rivers and no runoff at all — visibility of fifty metres and more is normal — and humpback whales come close inshore between July and October, close enough that swimming with them is licensed here. The island is one uplifted atoll, so its caves and chasms are the old reef, and the tracks down to them cut through it. In 2020 Niue became the first country certified as an International Dark Sky Place in its entirety. Practically: one flight a week from Auckland, occasionally two, and no alternative — a cancelled flight is a week. There is no public transport and a hire car is effectively necessary, with a local licence issued at the police station. Reef shoes matter here more than anywhere else in the register. Land is held under customary title and sea tracks cross private ground, so the tracks that are open are marked and the rest are not.