Niue + Cook Islands Escape

I'm running a wild Papua New Guinea expedition, into the highlands, to see the Skeleton Tribes amongst others (there are 14 of us, 2 spots left if you want to join!). So since I'm in the region, I'm using it as an excuse to visit my last 2 countries on my list of 216 countries in the world, Niue (population 1,600!) and The Cook Islands (population 17,000!). And I'd love to share it with some people, to see a place on our planet that most people have never heard of, let alone visited.

Without being a weirdo, train-spotter about 'what is a country' (I am absolutely that by the way), there are 197 countries in the world. I then added another 19 kindof-almost countries to that. Places like Tibet, Greenland, Hong Kong etc that if you want to claim to have visited EVERY country, then you really ought to visit those too. So that list is 216. I'm on 214. Niue and Cook Islands will finally, 9 years later, close that loop for me

So, because I don't want to be a loner, I am opening up this trip to anyone who wants to join. It's not cheap, as these are weird, small islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. But they are BEAUTIFUL, with one place in the Cook Islands often claiming to be THE most beautiful place on earth (Aitutaki - more on that below).

**Did you know? Over 60 nations recognise the Cook Islands diplomatically, and 29 for Niue? And both nations have actual embassies overseas!

So, let's have a look and you can consider if you want to visit some of the least visited places on earth with me.

Well, aside from me personally finishing my weird list, Niue is one of the least visited countries on earth that’s actually easy, safe, and beautiful to explore. It feels like stepping back in time, with dramatic cliffs, insane snorkeling, and barely any tourists.

Then the Cook Islands give you that perfect contrast, tropical, polished, but still authentic. Think crystal lagoons, great food, and proper island vibes without the crowds of Fiji or Bali. Together, they hit a sweet spot. Raw adventure in Niue, relaxed luxury in Rarotonga. It’s the kind of trip that still feels like you discovered something, not just followed the crowd.

Is Niue a country?

Yes and no. Niue is a self governing state in free association with New Zealand. It has its own government but relies on New Zealand for defence and citizenship.

Are the Cook Islands a country?

Yes and no, similar setup. The Cook Islands are self governing in free association with New Zealand, functioning like a country but not fully independent.

What do you call people from Niue and Cook Islands?

People from Niue are called Niueans. People from the Cook Islands are called Cook Islanders.

Do they have their own passports?

No. Both Niueans and Cook Islanders use New Zealand passports, as they are in free association with New Zealand and are New Zealand citizens.

What’s the accommodation like?

A mix of comfortable hotels and simple island stays. Always clean and well located, but this isn’t ultra luxury throughout.

Is this a good trip for solo travellers?

Yes, perfect for it. Most people join solo and the group dynamic is always strong.

What’s the population of Niue, and What’s the population of Cook Islands?

Niue has a population of around 1,600 people, while the Cook Islands have approximately 17,000 residents.

May 8th. Very simple start folks. We will meet in our hotel for dinner and drinks, it's nearby the airport as the flight leaves early the next day.

I recommend coming a few days earlier, or staying longer at the end of the trip, as New Zealand is spectacular. As you probably already know. This tour doesn't involve any sightseeing in NZ, but we use it as a base to access the obscure destinations elsewhere!

Time travel to Niue time! We leave New Zealand on the morning of the 9th, but we land a few hours late in Niue on the 8TH! Thats's because we cross the International Date Line. How cool is that?!

Niue is one of the least visited 'countries' on earth with less than 10,000 visitors per year! The fact that it's so obscure (weird?), and so unvisited is a HUGE DRAW for me. I CANNOT wait to explore this little island. We land around midday. Check into our hotel and breatheeeeee

You're in paradise. We can kick off our shoes, hop in the ocean from our resort, and drink Pina Coladas until dark. This isn't like my normal tours. No war zones, no haram alcohol bans, enjoy it folks!

Alright, this is why we came.

Full day exploring Niue. And when I say explore, I mean PROPER explore. This place is tiny, but it’s packed with wild stuff. Think dramatic limestone cliffs, hidden sea caves, natural pools, and some of the best snorkeling you’ve ever done in your life.

We’ll drive the whole island, stopping at the best spots. Swimming with reef fish, maybe dolphins if we’re lucky, jumping into insane natural pools, and checking out the caves Niue is famous for. No crowds. No queues. Just us! This is raw, untouched island life. Exactly what travel should feel like.

Relaxation mode ON. Bit more of a chilled today, we don't want to run around 100mph all the time. You can either take the day slow, sleep in, swim, snorkel, drink coffee staring at the ocean… or go again.

Optional stuff today could be:

• diving (Niue is world-class for it)

• more cave exploring if you didn’t get enough yesterday

Or honestly, just do nothing. That’s kind of the point of Niue too. Reset a bit before we move again.

(FLIGHT INCLUDED) Back to reality… kind of. Another time travel day. We leave Niue on the 11th and land back in Auckland on the 12th. Same weird date line magic.

Short flight, back to our airport hotel, easy evening. Grab some food, chill out, decent sleep. Tomorrow we go again.

Back on the De Lorean folks. We fly to Cook Islands today, the 13th May, and once again we go back in time 22 horus and actually land in the Cook Islands on the 12TH MAY! We have 3 nights in one of the most beautiful spots on earth.

Today is an easy one after airport-fly-airport. So it's to the hotel, and sunset drinks and dinner by the beach. 

Prepare to have your MIND BLOWN. If you have never heard of Aitutaki, google it RIGHT NOW. Today we hop on a small plane from Rarotonga to Aitutaki. This is one of those places that doesn’t look real.

We will do a very fancy Aitutaki day trip today, James Bond style. Wake up in Rarotonga, hope on a plane to Aitutaki. When we land, we'll go straight into a tour of perhaps the most beautiful spot on earth. Straight into a lagoon tour, turquoise water, tiny motus (islands), and the famous One Foot Island.

We’ll cruise the lagoon, snorkel in ridiculous water, eat fresh food on the beach, and just soak it all in. It’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. No exaggeration. Then we hop back on our plane, and we're having dinner in our resort in Rarotonga that night. PERFECT DAY.

*PLEASE NOTE: We may switch the day we visit Aitutaki due to flight availability.

Full Rarotonga exploration tour day. We’ll get around the island, beaches, viewpoints, local spots, waterfalls, food markets, the works.

Rarotonga is that perfect balance. Beautiful, easy, but still feels authentic. No mega resorts everywhere, Just good vibes.

And that’s a wrap. Flights back to Auckland today (not included), or easy connections onwards. There are cheap options to Sydney with Jetstar too, that’s what I’ll be doing. Or by all means stay in the Cook Islands a little longer. More time on Rarotonga, or hop to some of the other islands. Or go further afield in the Pacific Islands - Nauru, Tonga, Samoa etc I can help too if you need.

For us though? Trip done. Weird countries ticked. Paradise experienced. Time travel completed. Not bad.

*Remember, here it is May 15th. But in Australia/New Zealand, it's actually May 16th.