Anapala Chasm

 It took us a while to find the road to Anapala Chasm and the reason is simple: From the village of Hakupu on the South East side of the Island is where the gravel road starts, and it starts at the side of the church. The problem was when we were there the grass around the church was too high, so we couldn't see the access. Anyway, if you drive over the grass at the right side of the church you'll find the gravel road. Also, the grass on the central part of the gravel road was a bit tall and was brushing the chassis of the car. The distance is short and you have two options. The first, is to drive all the way to the reef flat in Tuhia-atua, or you can stop 100 metres before in a grassy and shady parking area to get on the track to Anapala Chasm. Both are nice.

  Tuhia-atua has a small open car park and from there, a short trail leads to the reef flats. This part of the Island is constantly washed by big swells and the spectacle of waves crashing against the rocks is amazing to watch. These rocks have pools inside filled with water from the waves and it is beautiful to see many small waterfalls flowing out of the polls when the waves retrieve. The reef flats can be walked on during low tide and with clam seas but even so, one must take lots of care and keep one eye on the tide and another on the waves. It is a very nice place which gives you a sensation of total isolation.

 The track to Anapala Chasm is not too long, i'm taking about 20 minutes or so. It is a very easy track, mostly inside bushes with some corals around. Than you reach an end with very steep stairs going down between very narrow walls which is the chasm. Yes, the concrete stairs arent very wide and my feet couldn't fit in them sadly. Anyway, the track has a chained guard rail which you can grab for more security while going down. I don't recall how many steps till the bottom, but there are many, probably 60 or more.

It is a long way down the chasm, in a king of Voyage to the centre of the Earth. In wet days care must be taken due slippery and mouldy surface, but don't worry, the chain is there for this. The deeper you get, the less light can penetrate in the narrow walls. Afternoon is better for light but there is one short moment that the light penetrates and illuminate the fresh water pool at the bottom of the chasm. Thankfully, there is a pool to refresh down there, with cold water.

The bottom is dark and narrow but soon your eyes adapt to the darkness and you can see the famous light at the end of the tunnel. The pool also is between narrow walls and at first scary to enter, just because you are still kind of blind. The water is crystal clear, but again it takes a while to discover that. Note in this photo, we are already standing in the pool which appears dark at the bottom of the photo. Making your way a little ahead of this tunnel you'll end up in a larger and deeper section where you can bath. After that, there is nothing else to do except go all the way back up again. Looking up to the top of the chasm, the vegetation and the environment is so beautiful that the way up doesn't seems too tough. In reality we felt the way up easier than the way down. Anapala Chasm is another great place to explore in Niue.