Tonga Holidays - Tours & Adventure Travel Guide

PureTravel Says
“Tonga, with its 176 islands ranging from dangerously steep and active volcanoes to the low corals is a great holiday destination. Visitors to the region will get a chance to marvel at wondrous sites like the Royal Palace, Anahulu caves and the Mala’ekula Royal Tombs. Tonga offers a laid back atmosphere and plenty of chilling space on its magnificent beaches. Whale watching and diving are also some of the biggest tourist attractions of the “Friendly Islands”.

Tonga Holiday Highlights

Water Sports - Scuba diving and snorkeling in the Tongan waters will give you a chance to explore the beautiful coral reefs of the region. Visitors can easily hire fully equipped boats as well as the necessary equipment. There are plenty of swimming opportunities throughout the islands in the form of natural and man made pools. The island of Eua features a world standard super surfing beach, which stretches for eleven kilometers. Ha’pai and Vava’u islands are also known for surfing and so is the beautiful Niutoua beach.

Fishing - Visitors will get a chance to take on the Tongan waters full of fish at numerous excellent fishing sites. You will be able to find plenty of variety underwater including tuna, barracuda, sailfish and marlin. Holiday goers can easily find charter boats with guides to direct them to the ideal fishing spot.

Whale Watching - Humpback whales make their way to the Tongan waters in June and stay all the way till November to mate and calf. Not only do the visitors get to watch these magnificent water mammals rather you will even get a chance to hear the male whale sing through special speakers. The Phoenix catamaran at Neiafu offers this unique opportunity to the tourists.

Horseriding - Some of the islands of Tonga still make use of horses as a means of transport. For the visitors however horse riding adds some diversity to the adventure. You can arrange for guided horse tours through your hotel and tour operators.

Visiting the Royal Palace and the Royal Tombs - The list of impressive sites to see in Tonga is exhaustive. Start off with the capital city of Nuku’alofa which is home to the white Victorian Royal Palace situated on the waterfront. This amazing piece of architecture has been standing in its place since 1867. You will find the grounds surrounding the Palace well decorated with shrubs and flowers creating an awe inspiring experience. Along with the Royal Palace is the official burial place for the royalty of Congo known as the Mala’ekula. The region has served as the burial place of the royal since 1893.

Blow Holes - This is a phenomenon totally unique to Tonga and is one its biggest tourist attracting sites. Blow Holes are situated along the coastline of Houma which is situated at a distance of 14.5 km from Nuku’alofa. At this amazing site visitors will get to see the seawater spurting up into the air to a height of up to 60 feet through holes in the coral reef. Popularly known as the Chief’s whistle the spurting of the water is accompanied by a whistling sound creating a spell binding experience.

Weird Wildlife - Kolovai gives visitors a chance to look at some of the most amazing variety of totally unique wildlife. The flying fox and dark brown fruit bans with wings that stretch to a meter long are some of the creatures that dwell here. The area is also known for its wonderful beaches.

Terraced Tombs - For the history buffs the Terraced Tombs will be quite a thrill. This is a site that features huge blocks of stone that rise into terraces of up to 13 feet. They were constructed to honor the spiritual kings of the people of Tonga and date back to 1200AD.

When To Go

Tonga has a tropical climate and is slightly cooler than most other surrounding areas. From December to March the area has heavy rainfall. A good time to plan your trip to Tonga is between May to November. You will also be able to catch the whales in action if you travel to Tonga during this time.

Top Tips

• Check the latest travel advice prior to travel although Tonga is considered to be one of the safest destinations in the South Pacific.
• Pay attention to your belongings.
• Check the weather in Tonga before traveling as tropical cyclones are possible.
• Check flights to Tonga prior to flying in case of change.

Classic Itineraries

• Water sports
• Whale watching
• Terraced Tombs