Vaikona Chasm

Vaikona on Niue's eastern side is the most demanding of the island's chasms: an hour or so out across broken coral to a hole in the ground, then a scramble down through boulders into a system of caves and pools, with a swim through a dark passage to reach the far chamber if you want the whole thing. Torches are needed. It is the one Niueans warn visitors about.

What you actually see

• The coral track - the rough walk out across broken rock.
• The scramble down - the descent through boulders into the chasm.
• The pools and caves - the chambers at the bottom of the system.
• The dark passage - the swim through to the far chamber.

When to go

May to October is the dry season and the practical window. Rain makes the rock lethal. Cyclone season runs November to April.

Honest expectations

This is genuinely hard and people have been injured on it; a guide is strongly advised and it should not be done alone. Torches are essential and the swim-through is in complete darkness. There is no phone signal and no rescue capability.

Nearby

Liku is west, and Togo Chasm is south.