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tonga map

Our comprehensive tonga islands travel guide was last visited in September 2006. Researched by Ian Osborn (Rough Guide to Fiji author), it includes a detailed island by island travel guide PLUS detailed tonga accommodation reviews, sightseeing holidays, honeymoon and wedding venues, backpacking and adventure travel.

Tonga Travel Snapshot
Country Facts Total islands: 170 Total land mass: 748 km² Capital: Nuku'alofa Main Island: Tongatapu Int'l Airport: Tongatapu Population: 112,000 Language: Tongan, English Tourists: 45,000 per year Accommodations: 25 Money: T$ (pa'aga)	Travel Highlights 1) Coral Islands of Tongatapu 2) Exploring Vavau Waterways 3) Whale Watching 4) Trilithon, Tongatapu 5) Laid back Ha'apai 6) Sailing Charter 7) Snorkelling, Vavau 8) King's Palace, Nukualofa 9) Ha'atafu Beach, Tongatapu 10) Hiking on Eua
tapa cloth nukualofa	islands vavau

Tonga Islands Travel Overview
Tonga travel is extremely low key with just a handful of beach resorts around the islands. However, lack of commercial tourism makes this one of the hidden jewels of the South Pacific where the charm of the people and the down-to-earth charachter of the resorts play an integral part in making your holiday special. Apart from the glorious beaches and small islands, Tonga is an excellent destination for sailing, game fishing or exploring by water. This is the only South Pacific country not to have been colonized by Europeans and remains the only monarchy in the region. The Tongan Kings once ruled most of its neighbouring islands wielding enormous power throughout Polynesia. Today, the islands retain its proud and rich culture and offer tourists a remarkable array of attractions.


Tonga Travel Guide

Tonga Accommodation Guide


Tongatapu is the main island, with its capital Nukualofa sitting on reclaimed land overlooking the lagoon. It is a large coral island, completely flat and covered in agricultural plantations. It faces a large lagoon, within which lie smaller truly enchanting coral islands with gorgeous beaches. Most of these islands are uninhabited and only a couple offer tourist accommodation. Tongatapu boasts some splendid coastline, notably its blowholes and has the largest standing ancient Polynesian structure.

The timeless Ha'apai group are a tourist backwater, even for Tonga's minimalist tourist approach. These are great islands to explore and interact with the local people.

Further north is Vava'u, the main tourist attraction. Here is one of the great sailing destinations in the world with a maze of deep water channels and tiny coral islands. It also offers the best place in the south pacific to watch humpback whales when they come to the calm protected waters to calve between June and October.

beaches

archaeology

islands

humpback whales

If ever a traveller wanted to really get away from the world, the remote island of Niuatoptapu is that persons dream. Utterly isolated and boasting just one deluxe accommodation, Niuatoputapu offers stunning beaches, volcanic landscapes and a very traditional lifestyle.

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