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The South Pacific
Destination Guides:
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Tonga - Exploring Tongatapu
Tonga’s main island is nearly always the first sight that greets visitors to the kingdom, with the exception of an occasional flight that lands on Vava’u. Tongatapu is a wonderful place to explore for a number of reasons. First of all, its natural beauty is spectacular and most visitors are awed by the picture-perfect scenery found on this pristine island. Secondly, there are a number of ancient archeological sites that allow visitors to explore the history of the kingdom of Tonga. Lastly, the locals are extremely friendly and cordial, adding yet another pleasant aspect to your Tongan holiday.
Nuku’alofa
You’ll quickly realize that most tourist attractions, accommodations, restaurants, and other businesses are located in the capital city of Nuku’alofa, population about 25,000. Guests shouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to leave the town and venture out into the countryside, as there’s plenty to keep visitors busy in this pretty city.
A good first stop is The Tongan National Culture Center, just a mile or so south of the town center. A visit here will help guests better understand the history of the kingdom and the ways of the Tongan people. A very modest admission price also allows you to attend fascinating demonstrations of weaving, cooking, dancing, and much more. Guests can also book reservations for fabulous dinner shows, held a few evenings each week.
The other must-see in the capital city is the magnificent Royal Palace, once home to Tonga’s monarchy but now used for official business only. The palace has stood in its current location since 1867.
There are a few churches of note here in town that are certainly worth a visit. You can join with the royal family on Sunday morning at the Centenary Church, a Free Wesleyan Church where the service is conducted in the Tongan language. Nuku’alofa is also home to the first Roman Catholic basilica in the South Pacific, Saint Anthony of Padua.
This is also the place to do your shopping and you’ll find many locals selling unique handicrafts in stores along the main street.
The West Coast
The Western coast of Tonga is the “natural” coast – with a handful of interesting natural spectacles for visitors to enjoy. You’ll want to allow for at least 3 or 4 hours for exploring this part of Tongatapu.
No doubt, locals will direct you towards the “blowholes”. While these aren’t unusual in the South Pacific, most will agree that those in Tonga are the best. High-sprouting geysers are produced when sea water shoots through holes in the coral. Here, hundreds of these geysers occur at one time, producing a surreal mist that can be seen for miles.
The other thing visitors will want to be on the lookout for is one of Tonga’s unusual animals, found in abundance in some areas of the western coast of Tongatapu. Flying foxes (actually bats) can be found hanging in the trees and, though other South Pacific islanders eat these fruit bats, Tongans consider them to be sacred. Don’t be scared. They eat fruit, not blood!
East Coast
While the eastern coast also boasts great beauty and a number of excellent views, it is better known for its archaeological sites, historic areas, and quaint villages.
Head first to the village of Mu’a, where you’ll find a monument marking the landing place of Captain James Cook in 1777.
Another village, Lapaha, was – for more than 6 centuries – the location for the royal compound. The more than two dozen tombs found here and in Mu’a are considered to be the most revered archaeological sites in Tonga, but sacred tradition has kept them from being excavated.
However, the most visited site on the East Coast is what many consider the “Stonehenge of the South Pacific.” The Ha’amonga Trilithon is an 11th century stone arch, thought to weigh about 35 tons and supposedly constructed by the eleventh Tui Tonga (king of Tonga). Like Stonehenge, for centuries experts have wondered how anyone was strong enough to lift the massive lintel stone on top of its two supporting columns, some 20 feet off the ground, without benefit of machinery of some sort. Definitely worth a visit!