Things to do in Tokelau

25 things to do in Tokelau

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Swim in the turquoise lagoon of Atafu Atoll

  Float in the warm, crystalline waters of the central lagoon, surrounded by a ring of coral islets and vibrant marine life just beneath the surface.

  Atafu

• Snorkel the pristine coral gardens of Nukunonu

  Don a mask and fins to drift along the outer reef, encountering fusiliers, parrotfish, and the occasional eagle ray.

  Nukunonu

• Attend Sunday choir singing at the Catholic Church in Fakaofo

  Stand among the village congregation as harmonies of a cappella hymns fill the humble coral-built church, a Sunday ritual not to be missed.

  Fakaofo (Fale)

• Kayak to the uninhabited islet of Motuloa in Atafu

  Paddle across the glassy lagoon to a tiny motu where only seabirds and hermit crabs await, offering total solitude.

  Atafu

• Taste fresh raw tuna poke prepared by a local family

  Sit on a woven mat as your host slices just-caught yellowfin tuna into cubes, dressed with coconut cream, lime, and chillies.

  Fakaofo

• Watch a traditional fatele dance performance in Nukunonu

  As drummers beat a rhythm on wooden pātē, dancers in fragrant flower crowns sway and clap in a hypnotic seated storytelling performance.

  Nukunonu

• Visit the sacred marae (stone altar) on Atafu

  Walk to the ancient coral-stone platform once used for ceremonial offerings, a quiet remnant of pre-Christian life on the atoll.

  Atafu

• Learn to weave a coconut-leaf basket at a workshop in Nukunonu

  Sit with village women and follow their nimble fingers as they turn green fronds into sturdy baskets, a skill passed down for generations.

  Nukunonu

• Dive the outer reef wall of Fakaofo for grey reef sharks

  Descend into the blue where the reef plunges into the deep; grey reef sharks and schools of barracuda are common visitors.

  Fakaofo outer reef

• Sunrise stroll on the eastern reef of Fakaofo

  Wake early to walk the coral rubble reef as the sun rises over endless Pacific, with only terns and noddies for company.

  Fakaofo

• Participate in an inati community fish sharing ceremony

  Witness the village assemble on the malae as the day's catch is divided equally among all families according to ancient custom.

  Atafu

• Photograph the sunset silhouette of coconut palms on Nukunonu

  As the sun sinks into the lagoon, the iconic palm silhouettes against a fiery sky create the quintessential atoll image.

  Nukunonu

• Join a local fisherman trolling for wahoo outside the lagoon

  Head out a narrow pass in an aluminium skiff, hand line in tow, and feel the thrilling strike of a pelagic predator.

  Atafu pass

• Visit the Falekilima guest house to see traditional architecture

  Step inside a modern falekilima building whose design mimics the open-sided, thatched-roof meeting houses of old Tokelau.

  Atafu

• Marvel at the starry sky and Milky Way from the pitch-dark atoll

  With zero light pollution, the heavens become a glittering dome; the Southern Cross and Magellanic Clouds seem within reach.

  Fakaofo

• Try fresh toddy tapped from a coconut palm on Nukunonu

  Watch a climber scale a towering palm to collect sweet sap, then taste the mildly fermented drink—a refreshing local treat.

  Nukunonu

• Witness the launch of a traditional outrigger canoe from the beach

  See a vaka carved from a single log pushed through the shallows, paddlers synchronising as they head into the lagoon.

  Atafu

• Walk the length of Fale village, the most populous settlement

  Stroll the single sandy path past colourful houses with raised graves, pig pens, and children playing under breadfruit trees.

  Fakaofo (Fale)

• Collect and sip fresh drinking coconuts straight from the tree

  Have a local youth scamper up a palm and machete open a green nut; the water is the purest thirst-quencher on the atoll.

  Nukunonu

• Spot nesting green sea turtles on the beaches of Nukunonu

  During nesting season, walk quietly at night to see females haul out and lay eggs on the sandy fringes of this remote atoll.

  Nukunonu

• Visit the local school and interact with children in Atafu

  Drop by the brightly painted classrooms where students in uniforms greet you with songs and eager questions about the outside world.

  Atafu

• See the old coral-built St. Joseph's Church in Nukunonu

  This sturdy, white-washed coral-block church stands as a testament to the atoll’s deep Catholic faith and history.

  Nukunonu

• Snorkel the giant clam sanctuary in the Fakaofo lagoon

  Fin over a protected area where endangered giant clams with iridescent mantles rest in the shallows, a conservation success story.

  Fakaofo lagoon

• Learn about Tokelau’s solar energy project at the power station on Fakaofo

  See how this nation runs almost entirely on solar power, with batteries storing energy to light the islands at night.

  Fakaofo (Fale)

• Explore the mangrove stands on the inner shores of Atafu

  Wade among stilt-rooted mangroves teeming with juvenile fish and crabs, an unexpected green fringe inside the coral atoll.

  Atafu