Niue's small capital on the island's western coast can easily be seen in an hour. The only "sight" is the Fale Fono (Parliament buildings), which has an interesting display of ancient tapa (bark) cloth. But plan a little extra time to chat with the residents, enjoy the scenery along Alofi Bay and browse the various shops and stores. At low tide, the coral reef near the wharf forms tidal pools that are safe to swim in.
Opaahi, a spot on the shore halfway between the hospital and the Fale Fono, is noteworthy because it's the point where Captain Cook landed in 1774. His landing party was chased back onto its ship by the angry islanders.
About 2 mi/3 km north of Alofi is another landmark: the grave of Peniamina. He's revered as the Niuean version of St. Patrick for bringing Christianity to the island in the mid-1800s. He remains highly esteemed by most islanders today.
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