Tonga Activities
Whale Watching
Each year the Southern Humpback Whales migrate from Antarctica to the warm tropical waters of Tonga to give birth to their young. Those fortunate enough to book a trip with a government licensed whale watch operator can have the opportunity to snorkel alongside these giant 40 ton leviathans and their inquisitive playful offspring.
In these warm, crystal clear waters, the mothers must nurse their calves until they are both ready to leave Tonga and begin their remarkable journey back to Antarctica to feed on the abundant krill that makes up their sole diet. Then as the southern winter approaches they migrate once again to the warm Tongan waters and the cycle begins anew.
Whether viewing from a boat, as these magnificent mammals breach the surface, or actually swimming with them, a whale encounter is an experience that can’t help but leave people moved and often speechless. Or conversely so blown away, they can’t stop describing it.
Kayaking
One of the most popular ocean activities in Tonga, particularly in the northern groups of Ha’apai and Vava’u, sea kayaking is enjoyed by people of all ages and levels of fitness.
Tours range from 6 to 11 days and combine kayaking, snorkelling and possible sightings of Spinner Dolphins or migrating Humpback Whales which are common in these waters.
Explore pristine coral atolls surrounded by coral reefs and turquoise lagoons, dramatic sea caves, local villages and camp in the evenings on deserted islands, enjoying a relaxed and exhilarating holiday as off the beaten track as it gets.
Sailing
Sailing has been a part of Tonga’s history and heritage from ancient times, when Tonga was a powerful maritime empire. Tongans navigated their huge double-hulled vessels throughout Polynesia and the Pacific, trading, waring and exchanging culture and language with their Polynesian neighbors. These unique ancient navigation skills enabled them to confidently travel great distances and return home.
Today, this ancient knowledge still remains in only one island of the Vava’u Group. In the past for Tongans living in an archipelago of 171 islands, sailing was fundamental to maintaining their way of life. Today sailing in Tonga is all about enjoying life to the fullest.
With a real archipelago of over 170 islands stretching over an area of approx. 748 sq. kilometres including protective coral reefs, pristine tropical lagoons, deserted islands, reliable breezes and safe secluded anchorages that make Tonga a true paradise for cruising.
Every year Vava’u is visited by an ever increasing number of large cruise ships and super-yachts. Neiafu Harbor can easily accommodate large cruise ships and their passengers can disembark and enjoy a true Polynesian island port with all its trappings.
Super yachts from all over the world are also regular visitors to Tonga and are a common sight sailing or anchored in Tonga’s deep sheltered anchorages. These yachts take advantage of Tonga’s professional yacht companies who pride themselves in being able to cater for their every need.
Tonga is a ‘must visit’ for anyone cruising the Pacific. Today experiencing a sailing holiday in Tonga has never been easier. Whatever level of expertise, from a complete novice to an experienced sailor, yacht charter companies can provide you with everything you need. From a crewed vessel or self charter, a mono or multihull, these companies have vast experience in catering for all your needs. Self-chartered yachts have all modern facilities, including GPS navigation and they can be provisioned to your specifications.
Diving
All the major island groups of Tonga boast world class diving. Experienced dive operators can provide you with a diving experience you’ll find hard to match anywhere in the world.
There is an abundance of marine life that includes turtles, manta rays, tuna, marlin, wahoo, giant whalesharks and migrating humpbacks.
The waters around Tonga are warm year round and unaffected by pollution. They remain crystal clear with visibility always around 30 meters (99 ft.) making Tonga a paradise for underwater photographers.
Tonga boasts a number of great wreck dives from large cargo ships to the remains of 19th century sailing ships. Throughout history a large number of vessels have come to grief on Tonga’s unforgiving reefs and many still remain undiscovered to this day.
Diving Vavau
Vava’u offers divers spectacular cave dives with huge dramatic archways to drift through in the leisurely currents. There is fish life in abundance from the small and colorful to the gigantic humpbacks that breed in the protected lagoons. Snorkellers can swim with these giant leviathans and their calves for an aquatic experience of a lifetime.
Or you may even be fortunate enough to experience the sheer thrill of swimming with schools of yellowfin tuna feeding on a bait fish meatball or snorkelling alongside a giant plankton eating whaleshark, an occasional visitor to Tongan waters.
For wreck enthusiasts the copra steamer, The Clan McWilliam, lies upright and intact and is an impressive dive with its resident school of giant trevally.
Diving Haapai
The coral reefs of Ha’apai, undoubtedly some of the best in the Kingdom, are very healthy and possess a high degree of bio-diversity. The sea mounts, passes and fringing reefs characteristic of the area, feature dynamic topography boasting drop-offs, swim-throughs, caves, arches, tunnels, walls and overhangs making each dive markedly different from the last.
Many of the diving reefs fringe the main islands of Uoleva, Lifuka, Foa and Ha’ano with exciting sea mounts lying further off shore for experienced divers. Ha’apai reefs boast a wide variety of marine life and on any dive you may encounter a huge array of Pacific fish life. With hundreds of fish species and the backdrop of hard and soft corals, sponges, gorgonians and encrusting life the diving is vibrant and captivating.
Diving Tongatapu and Eua
Picturesque lagoon dives, volcanic cave or festooned ocean pinnacles, Tongatapu boasts world class diving just a short distance from the bustling waterfront of Nuku’alofa.
Soft corals, hydroid and hard corals create havens for teeming populations of reef fish and encounters with large pelagics like tuna, mahi mahi, giant trevally, reef sharks and turtles are common on most dives.
Tongatapu also has its share of old shipwreck sites, one of which features a huge anchor from one of Captain Cook’s ships. Like the outer island groups the waters around Tongatapu are clear and warm all year round making diving a real pleasure.
Just a few kilometers from Tongatapu lies the garden island of ‘Eua. ‘Eua boasts the largest underwater caves in the South Pacific. A dive in these cave systems is a spectacular and unforgettable experience.
From drift dives to sheer 25 meter (83 ft.) cliff dives accompanied by grouper, sharks and turtles, ‘Eua offers a very different dive adventure experience.
Snorkeling
Snorkelling is a popular activity with visitors of all ages and ability. There are an enormous variety of snorkelling sites with beautiful coral gardens, white sand seabeds, azure blue water and prolific fish life.
When swimming with humpback whales, only snorkelling is permitted, thus enabling even novices to experience swimming with these magnificent creatures.
Fishing
The northern group of Vava’u has the enviable reputation of being the premium game fishing location in the Pacific. With depths of over 1000 meters (3300 ft.) of water less than a mile off shore, it is easy to see why. These depths coupled with numbers of seamounts bring large pelagics into areas that can be easily accessed with minimum travel time.
The big fish are literally on Vava’u’s doorstep and fishermen travel from all over the world to have the chance to land the big one. The most common fish caught are blue, black and striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, sailfish and giant trevally.
Game fishing is excellent throughout all of Tonga because of the close proximity of the Tonga Trench and fishing charter companies from both Ha’apai and Tongatapu operate where fish aggregation devices are employed to attract these large pelagics. Tonga’s game fishing is spectacular year round.
Adventure Sports
Jet Kayaking
A new activity introduced in Vava’u is one man Jet Kayaks. Fitted with a compact but powerful jet unit, these craft carry you through the azure blue waters and coral reefs at an exhilarating 30 kms per hour (20 mph).
Safe and easy to drive these jet-powered kayaks are a unique and fun way to experience Vava’u’s amazing islands and coral reefs.
Kiteboarding
Shallow, warm, uncrowded lagoons coupled with steady, dependable trade winds make Tonga a paradise for the exhilarating sport of kiteboarding. Most kiteboarding activities are based in the northern group of Vava’u, where professional operators offer kite holidays, lessons, equipment sales and everything a novice or pro kiter needs.
Kart Safaris
In Vava’u thrill seekers can experience their own ‘rumble in the jungle’ on a fun filled Kart Safari. Enjoy a rollicking back road adventure along jungle trails, spectacular cliff tops and deserted beaches.
Ride safely in your own Kart or a double quad Kart with an experienced guide showing you the way. Enjoyed by people of all ages, Karting is an experience like no other.
Surfing
The steady east-southeast offshore trade winds create surf conditions that are perfect. The months from April to October are the most dependable.
Like many activities in Tonga, surfing is not allowed on Sundays. The other two main island groups of Ha’apai and Vava’u also boast great surfing. However much of this is only accessible by boat with specialist charter vessels available.
Trekking and Camping
The southern Island of ‘Eua and the northern Vava’u Group both have beautiful national parks with marked hiking trails. ‘Eua National Park offers hikers some of the best guided treks in Polynesia.
Journey through the lush pristine rainforest, along dramatic cliff tops, through volcanic caves and along unspoilt beaches with the opportunity to see and hear the ‘Koki’, ‘Eua’s indigenous red-breasted parrot. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route or rest and cool off with a swim under a waterfall. Fortunately there are no dangerous or poisonous creatures in Tonga however it is best to cover up or use mosquito repellent.
Companies that specialise in camping tours in Vava’u and the Ha’apai Group offer camping adventures to volcanoes and kayaking/camping adventures to pristine uninhabited coral islands.
Handicrafts
Genuine quality handicrafts are available throughout Tonga either in the main produce and craft markets or from specialist handicraft shops and cultural centers. Tongan handicrafts include bone and wood carving, basket making, mat weaving and the most famous of all, the making of beautiful Tongan Tapa.
These large and elaborately decorated cloths are made from the beaten stem of the Mulberry tree. Tapa cloth can be up to 6 metres (20 feet) in length and can take many months to create. While large Tapa cloth is still sold in some markets, today smaller versions are more popular with visitors looking for a genuine souvenir of their visit to Tonga.
Mat weaving is another craft that is an important part of Tongan life. Beautiful and intricate mats for ‘ta’ovala’ (woven waist mats) and floor coverings are woven to very high standards much as they have been for centuries.
The Tongan Woman’s Handicraft Centre in downtown Nuku’alofa has an extensive range of handicrafts as does the Nuku’alofa main market and the market in the port town of Neiafu in Vava’u.
Birding
In the Vava’u Group, special charters can be booked to the outer island of Mananita where vast numbers of sea birds nest. Bird specialist, Dr Dick Watling, has worked with local enthusiasts to rid this ancient forested coral atoll from vermin and he believes this island is now one of the most important and unfortunately rare, sea bird breeding environments in the Pacific. Uninhabited, Mananita’s bird life is still largely unaffected by human influences and remains approachable and easy to view.
Further north in the island of Nuiafo’ou, the rare endemic Tongan Megapode incubates its eggs in the volcanic heated earth. On the island of ‘Eua, the ancient rain forest echos with the call of the beautiful red-breasted Koki musk parrot.
Other varieties endemic to Tonga include the rare Pacific Swallow, Tongan Whistler, Pacific Pigeon, and the Polynesian Triller. Such are some of the rare and unusual birds found in Tonga.
