Tonga is a country of many parts, many of them relaxed, beautiful and enjoyable. Get caught up in a resort complete with swim-up bar, or island-hop by plane, ferry or yacht. Along with the top line, there’s plenty for budget travellers, with seaside backpackers along with cheaper inland finds. Above all though, you’ll enjoy having a beer with locals down the pub, or sharing a meal with families in village communities.

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Tonga can be found north east of New Zealand, between Fiji to the west and Niue to the east, with the Cook Islands beyond that. Wallis and Fortuna; American Samoa; Tuvalu and Tokelau are to the north.

Tonga is an island nation, with over 170 friendly islands stretching over miles of wild ocean. Tonga has been slow to encourage tourism so peace and simple beauty wait on the beaches, although amenities can be a little rough and ready at times.

Island focus: ‘Eua

Just minutes by plane or hours by ferry from the main island of Tongatapu, lies ‘Eua: a relatively large but sparsely populated island with little in the way of tourism-industry luxury. It’s exactly the lack of big-budget vacation packages that makes ‘Eua so charming and worthwhile for the independent traveller. The natural beauty of beaches, cliffs and forest make for the best hiking in the Pacific Islands, while community life in the villages is friendly and welcoming, without being commercial.

A part of ‘Eua’s appeal lies in the fact it’s geologically distinct from the rest of Tonga. In fact, it’s 30,000 years older than the other islands. This gives it a distinct look and feel — with low-lying beaches on one side, and high cliffs (with good climbing opportunities) on the other.

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Getting to and from Tonga

Most people will arrive by plane from Auckland, New Zealand or the east coast of Australia. Airlines currently flying to Tonga are Air New Zealand, Pacific Blue, Polynesian Airlines and Air Pacific, which all arrive and depart from the international airport at Tongatapu. Flights arriving from other Pacific Islands including Samoa, American Samoa, Fiji and Hawaii.

Make sure you save some money for the departure fee, payable on departure. When we last visited in 2009 it was T$25.

Cruise ships tour the waters from the Pacific Islands and New Zealand, and out towards Easter Island, although there are fewer large cruise ships than you might expect.

Getting around the Kingdom of Tonga

With over 170 islands, Tonga takes some getting around! Each island has different options available, so you’ll need to dig deeper researching your destinations. The section below is focussed on Tongatapu, since that is likely to be most visitors’ landing place and might make up the bulk of your time in Tonga.

Bus

Local bus travel on Tongatapu is safe and regular, but finding any up-to-date information is next to impossible. Asking locals, and even bus drivers, can be counterproductive, so look for signs on the busses pointing in your direction.

There are no public buses we know of running on other Tongan islands, with the exception of the daily run from Lifuka to Foa island in the Ha’apai region.

Plane

Scheduled flights between islands run as often as daily to some destinations, but — thanks to break downs and other, more mystical, reasons — are not very reliable. You are best to check a few days before your flight and confirm things in the morning of your flight. Charter flights also run to various destinations from Tongatapu.

Car and camper rental

Car rental is easy enough on most Tongan islands, with agencies available on major islands, and word-of-mouth garnering you a 4×4 for the day, or at least a lift on the smaller islands. Agencies like Avis operate on Tongatapu, with bases at the airport and the capital Nuku’alofa.

We don’t know of any camper van hire in Tonga. If you do, contact us.

Cycling and hiking

Cycling is moderately easy in the parts of Tonga with paved roads; the relative flatness of the islands make it less work, even on a hot day. Biking is an especially good way to get around on Tongatapu, and bike hire is available from various places; ask your accommodation for the best bike hire place near you.

Cruise and Sail

Although charter yacht hire in Tonga is expensive, it’s a great way for experienced sailors to explore. The northern islands of Vava’u are a sailor’s heaven, with deep harbours and beautiful seas – opportunities to fish, dive and snorkel are plentiful.

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Top 10 things to do in Tonga

• Watch the whale migration. Humpback whales migrate through Tonga’s waters from June to October, with the best whale-watching experiences from July to September. While they can be spotted from the cliffs of ‘Eua, Vava’u is the place to be, with daily boat tours available. Watching them migrate from Ha’apai is also possible.
• Surf off the coast of Tongatapu. Some days it’s a as calm as calm can be, but with the right winds, you can catch some great waves here.
• See where time began. The Trilithon, a large stone henge found on Tongatapu, is reputably the point where time began … since Tonga is the first country to see each new day, they might have a point.
• Eat from the Umu. The underground oven, or umu, is a delicious way to have your pork, cassava and taro roasted. Most umus are prepared by and for a reasonably large section of the community, so there is a good chance to socialise.
• Hike the national park in ‘Eua. As noted above, ‘Eua has some of the best hiking in all the Pacific Islands, with rainforest, clifftops, and an amazing lack of adequate maps or signage.
• Dive or snorkel one of the maritime reserves … or anywhere else. It wouldn’t be a Pacific Island holiday if you didn’t don your snorkling mask or dive kit and hit the waters. Kayak rental is also available to help you get out from the shore, should you feel the need.
• Go to church. Even if you’re not a Christian, most of Tonga is. You’ll find little else to do on Sunday but go to church, and the choir will make you glad you got out of bed no matter what your faith.
• Relax under the stars. With so little light polution in much of Tonga, there’s the perfect chance to spot the southern constellations at play.
• Fish your heart out. ‘Nuff said. But please respect the maritime reserves, a concept that hasn’t caught on amongst many Tongans.
• Do Tony’s tour. Tony, or Toni as his name is spelt in Tongan, is a bittersweet Englishman who’s ironic expat take on Tongatapu has made him a legend in backpacking circles. Easily the most enjoyable tour commentary I’ve ever had, and a great way to easily and affordably see all the main sights on the island.

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