Things to do in Tokelau

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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