Tonga is the best place in the South Pacific to watch humpback whales. The Humpback whales visit Vava'u every year between June and October, using the deep protected bays to give birth to their calves and to mate. The height of the whale watching season is from July to September when up to twenty whales can be playing in and around the bay at any one tiome. Whale watching tours by boat are available during this time and any charter must follow strict guidelines set out by the Ministry of Fisheries and include a 100m exclusion zone and no direct or rear approach. Scuba Diving is banned around whales, although it is possible to swim or snorkel within 30 metres and listen to the exquisite songs of the humpback whales which reverberate in the water for miles. In some cases, Humpback whales approach boats out of curiosity, especially younger calves.

For those who dislike this sort of commercial approach to whale watching, the whales are best spotted from land from the raised limestone cliffs from Toafa Lookout on west Vava'u. Humpback whales can also be spotted throughout the Ha'apai Group during their migration and also from the cliffs of north western 'Eua Island (south of Tongatapu) on their way up to and returning from the Vava'u Group.

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Our top 10 Tonga tours, not to be missed, are:


1) - Waterways of Vava'u Islands
cruise and snorkel around these limestone islands

2) - Humpback Whale Watching, Vavau
watch these spectacular mammals in the waterways of Vavau

3) - Island Hopping off Tongatapu
visit the tiny coral uninhabited islands off Nukualofa

4) - Blowholes of Tongatapu
series of spectacular blowholes on Tongatapu

5) - Trilithon on Tongatapu
learn about the intriguing history of Tongas past

6) - Attend a Traditional Feast
indulge in traditional food cooked underground

7) - Visit An Active Volcano, Haapai Group
visit the sleepy villages of Haapai

8) - Hike the Coastal Cliffs of Eua Island
spectacular cliffs and forest trails

9) - Aerial Sightseeing
view the coral islands from above

10) - Visit Nukualofa Market
browse the handcraft stalls and vegetable markets


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Readers may also be interested in the following destinations:

Fiji Tours - Top 10 Attractions
Cook Islands Tours - Top 10 Attractions
Samoa Tours - Top 10 Attractions
Tahiti Tours - Top 10 Attractions
Hawaii Tours - Top 10 Attractions

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Recommended Websites: South Pacific Pictures fiji pictures ; cook islands pictures ; samoa pictures ; tonga pictures ; tahiti pictures ; hawaii pictures