Overview

Tokelau is a part of Polynesia and appears as a group of three separate coral atolls. It is located approximately half way between the county of Hawaii in the United States and the country of New Zealand in the South Pacific region. Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo are the three main regions that together are called Tokelau.

Emigrants who arrived in Polynesia from a number of surrounding island groups were the original settlers of the place. The Tokelau Islands became a British protectorate in 1889. It was later transferred to the government of New Zealand in 1925.

Its small size and lack of resources are reasons why Tokelau has been pushed behind the curtains in the economic front. Owing to the overall isolation of the territory, even agriculture has been restrained and confined to a level of subsistence.

Tokelau is not easily accessible by boat or plane and this often makes it difficult for the small kingdom to find any help they need. The Tokelauans rely heavily on aid from New Zealand just so that the villages can maintain their public services. The primary sources of income in Tokelau are the production of copra, postage stamps, domain names, handicrafts, and souvenir coins. The terrain is extremely isolated and you will be surprised to find that the region has no cars, banks, or even a capital city.

Activities & Attractions

Tokelau enjoys a beautiful tropical climate with trade winds from April to November. There is little the atolls of Tokelau can offer when it comes to tourist attractions. However, visitors can enjoy taking in the sights and experiencing the unblemished beauty of the isolated islands. Anybody who loves nature will appreciate what Tokelau has to offer in terms of its attractions and activities which are pretty off the beaten path. Scuba diving, lagoon diving, snorkeling, fishing, boating, hiking, and nature walking are some of the activities you can indulge yourselves in.

If you have a fascination for handicrafts, Tokelau is one of the best places to shop for them. For those who are interested there are also quite a large number of places where visitors can go and participate in the manufacture of local handicrafts. If you are looking for a quiet getaway with absolutely no charade of opulence, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, then Tokelau is the place to be in.

Lodging

There is only one single commercial hotel available in Tokelau. This hotel, the Luanaliki, is located in the atoll of Nukunonu. In addition to this hotel, the other lodging options available at the place are the Fale Fa resort in Nukunonu and the Feliti Lopa guesthouse in Atafu. You can probably arrange home stays if you contact the Tokelau-Apia Liason Office in Samoa well in advance.

Transportation

It is not quite easy getting to Tokelau, but once you get there it is comparatively easier to move around the place. Distances around the atolls are very short and hence it is easy and best to explore the region by foot. Old-style dugout canoes or dinghies are common modes of transportation here. There are no ports or harbors in Tokelau and the islands offer only offshore anchorage. Even though there are boating services that transport people from island to island, tourists have to be content with the last priority seating. There is no airport in Tokelau though amphibious aircraft can potentially land in Tokelau's lagoons.