Tokelau OVERVIEW
Far, far away, half the way between Hawaii and New Zealand there is a tiny group of Polynesian atolls called Tokelau. This most isolated place on Earth is a 20 hour-sail from its nearest neighbor, Samoa, and a destination for the most arduous of travelers. But make sure you pre-book a return ticket and contact the village spokesman to ask for permission and explain your reasons to come well before you set sail. Discouraged or teased enough to pack and go?
The three Tokelau atolls of Nukunonu, Atafu and Fakaofo dot the Pacific about 500 kilometers north of Samoa. They consist of ribbons of coral islets called ‘motu', which are not more than 6 kilometers long and up to 200 meters wide, enclosing lagoons of the most turquoise of waters. As the land does not go up more than five meters above the sea level here, Tokelau is a place extremely vulnerable to climate changes and rising sea levels. So if you're one of the resilient globetrotters, steer the right direction before they're swept of the ocean's surface.
Tokelau is a dependent territory relying heavily on aid from New Zealand. Its microscopic size, isolation and skimpy natural resources are fundamental to the lack of development and confined agriculture. With the annual help of about $4 million, which is actually bigger than the country's GDP, and some revenue coming from the sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts, the country is able to maintain public services and subsistence level of life. Tokelau is not haunted by misery, though. Still, don't expect to find tourist-ready facilities, large stores, luxurious hotels or elegant restaurants with delectable menus here. What you will find instead, is Polynesia at its finest - a lagoon of milky coconuts, sun-bleached beaches and small happy population of hardy people with the indigenous culture well-preserved and deeply guarded.
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