Exploring Tonga
Tours are the best way to experience the history, ecology, culture and food of the Kingdom of Tonga, all delivered by gentle and unassuming local guides.
Hike through villages and up Mt Talau for brilliant island views, or join a guided kayaking trip to explore the outer islands of the Vava’u and Ha’apai island groups.
Spend the night in sleepily authentic island villages before another day’s kayak-powered exploration. On the main island of Tongatapu, explore the spectacular Mapu’a a Vaea blowholes, dubbed by locals as the ‘Chief’s Whistles’. Come along on a windy day with a big ocean swell for the most spectacular display. Delve into ancient Tongan history at the Ha’amonga ‘a Maui trilithon, and local handicrafts at the Talamahu market in Nuku’alofa.
Further north in the Vava’u group, explore the family-owned ‘Ene’io Botanical Garden in Tu’anekivale village, before bedding down in a local homestay. Garden tours come complete with stories of Tonga’s culture and history, and homestay dinners are often Tongan feasts complete with dancing, fresh seafood, and one very tasty roast suckling pig.
