It’s been a bumper humpback whale season for Niue already, but the so-called Rock of the Pacific is also welcoming a number of other wildlife visitors, says Niue Tourism’s Sarah Porter.
Fresh back from a quick Niue trip, Porter says the whale bell is sounding regularly at Niue Island Scenic Matavai Resort, during the annual whale season which sees the island sell out annually for Aug and Sep.
On her own encounter with the gentle giants, Porter spent an incredible afternoon swimming with the migrating humpback whales. “It had been over a decade since I had experienced a whale swim, so I needed my Niue fix, and I certainly got it—unbelievable encounters with three different pairs of humpback whales,” she gushes, still in awe of the experience. “In our gin-clear water it was just awesome to watch these amazing creatures interact with each other…and a curious glance to us now and then too!”
. . . High Demand
Niue Island has tight restrictions around whale swim encounters with the wellbeing of the mammals being at the forefront.
Only six guests are allowed in the water with the guide, and there are only two operators in Niue with licenses to run whale swims. For this reason, Porter reminds agents to prebook their client’s whale swims well ahead of time “Start looking at 2027 now,” Porter suggests.
However, as Niue is a raised coral atoll and the reef runs around the island, the whales hug the coastline and visitors can watch them breach, fluke and tail slap easily from the shore. “There are great binoculars all around the island at key whale watching sites, but most of the time you don’t even need to use them as the whales are so close to land”, adds Porter (inset).
Experienced guides from both Explore Niue and Niue Blue, who operate the whale encounters, also dedicate a lot of time to research, adds Porter. Visitors to Niue can contribute through local not-for-profit initiatives such as Niue Ocean Wide and Oma Tafua, adding to the island nation’s ethical and sustainable approach to whale watching.
. . . There’s More
In addition to whales and the usual wildlife, Porter says there’s also been some unique visitors to Niue recently. “A seal was spotted in the tide, as well as a barn owl…both species not typically found on Niue Island. “We had a duck visit Niue once, and there’s now a children’s book written about that. So perhaps there might be potential for a book series now with these recent visitors,” Porter quips. See more HERE.
