Tonga travel guide

There are plenty of stalactites and stalagmites in Anahulu Cave. Though there some lights in the cave, a guy will follow you with a flashlight (part of the entrance fee). The trail through the cave ends at the cool and crisp pool, where you can have a swim in the dark.

Ha'apai group of islands is very much off the beaten track. Not many visitors come here, even though the beaches are considered to be some of the best on Tonga. Uoleva and Foa islands in Ha'apai have both a couple simple resorts, which lies directly down to beautiful sandy beaches. At the northern tip of Foa Island (pictured), you even have the option to walk to the other side, if the sea is too rough for swimming or snorkelling.

Many are surprised to learn that Tonga isn't really a beach destination. Surely, there are picture-postcard beaches with swaying coconut palms in Tonga, but the truth is sandy beaches are hard to come by, particularly on the Vava'u Islands. The few patches of sand there exist in Vava'u are usually owned by resorts - and even those aren't that great. The best options are the resorts at 'Utungake and Talihau. Just finding access to the sea can seem hard on Vava'u.

Along the northwest "horn" of Tongatapu Island are beach after beach after beach. Besides the spread out and calm villages, there are a handful of smaller resorts and guesthouses. The secluded beaches are mostly wild and untidy with dense vegetation.

This is South Pacific's Stonehenge. Three large stones, each weighing about 40 tons, arrange into a stone gate. It's believed that the trilithon was constructed in the late 12th century. There is of course a lot of myth connected to the place, but it had also been shown that it functioned as a calendar, aligned with winter and summer solstice, just like Stonehenge.

Right next to the Natural Bridge lies this pretty isolated beach. The view from the 4WD track is amazing. We couldn't find a trail down to the beach, so we don't know if it's possible to actually stand on the beach.

As you come down the 4WD track from the main road, you can hear the bridge before you see it - the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs rises through the sinkhole. The vegetation is high and dense, so at first you can't hardly see anything, but there are narrow paths leading to the edge of the sinkhole. Be careful, because there is nothing to stop you from falling in. The natural bridge is spectacular and so is the setting with palms clinging to the side of the sinkhole. The wild and rocky coastline is almost as spectacular as the Natural Bridge, enjoy that as well, when you have made all the effort to come here.

400 years ago the islanders placed a volcanic rock on this pile when the first son was born to represent a new generation. In the beginning it was only the royal family, but common islanders join in later. They stopped the practice about a hundred years ago and have since then used the Rock Wall as a depot for building materials. Today the 50 m long wall still stands, but the height has been strongly reduced to a few layers. The nearby village Makave is named after the wall, as Makave means take-a-stone.

The coastline near the village Houma is sprinkled with blowholes. The jagged rocky shore of coralline limestone has natural terraces with holes, where seawater to get pushed through and send up to 30 meters into the air. It's not just a few blowholes, but blowhole after blowhole as far as the eye can see - apparently more than 5 kilometres. It's a spectacular sight, particularly when the weather conditions are right, when all the blowholes along the coast spurt at once.

Mt Talau (131 m) is the highest mountain on Vava’u Island. There are slippery stairs from the road to the flat forest covered top. From here a trail circle the top with four viewpoints along the way; two man-made platforms (next to the antenna to the right after the stairs) and two natural ones, which are more difficult to reach. Though there are red ribbons here and there to mark the trail, it can be hard to follow - but if you haven't fallen off the top, you are still good. The natural viewpoint over the southern part of Vava'u is tricky to get to. The trail is muddy and steep with ropes to cling to, but the amazing panoramic views is worth the effort. A full circle takes about an hour or so without breaks and it's recommended to do it clockwise (turn left at the top of the stairs), so you end up at the antenna.