Tongatapu

A coral island surrounded by coral reefs. The capital, Nuku'alofa, on the north coast, has a relaxed air, despite the troubles of a few years ago (see article on Tonga). There are some interesting places to visit and some nice beaches with good snorkelling and Tongatapu provides a good opportunity to view a unique culture. Most of the interesting places are outside Nuku’alofa but most of the places to stay are in the capital. There is a good bus network and car rental is possible.

Nuku'alofa is small enough to walk around and taxis are available. (You can take a bus from around the terminal, but the bus is unreliable, taxi is a better option.) You can go by boat to the small islands around Nuku'alofa from the pier.

Tongatapu can just about be seen in one day by car or motorbike. You can rent cars and motor scooters. A Tongan driver's licence for T$25 is available and can be obtained at the police department with your home licence.There are few road signs on Tongatapu so you'll need a good map if you're touring in a car. The speed limit on most of the island is 50 km/h (31 mph) and this is stuck to by the local drivers. The police have radar guns to check. The roads are good in and around Nuku'alofa but deteriorate the further from the town and the further south you travel.You can hire a car from the Friend's Tourist Centre (near the main post office) for about T$50 and a tour of the island is about 120 km.

Many cars on the island are in a terrible state, maintained on a budget and held together by a combination of Western Union stickers and prayer. The low speed limit helps to keep accidents down. However, there have been a lot of imports of reconditioned Japanese cars and the general quality of vehicles is improving. Available cars for rent are good.

Teta Tours and Toni's guest house offer day tours of all the main tourist sights (T$40-80 depending on how many are on the tour).

Buses to various points on Tongatapu run from the bus concourse on the seafront in Nuku'alofa although there are no timetables posted and local sources say that they are not reliable after about 15:30 on most days. With few bus stops you just stand on the side of the road and flag the driver down (do not wave, they will wave back and keep driving). The most popular buses in Tonga are generally the loudest, so when you want to get off a reasonably loud "stop" will do it (again, just anywhere you want them to stop). If you don't like kids or crowds avoid the buses at the end-of-school time, they get packed out and the only limit on how many people in a bus is how many can fit in. The general cost of getting from Nuku`alofa to the surfing destination of Ha`atafu on the western peninsula is roughly T$2.20.

Tongan is the official language but English is very widely spoken.

• Nuku’alofa. This is the capital of Tonga and the largest city of Tongatapu.
• 🌍 Royal Palace. The crumbling wooden Royal Palace was built in 1867 and is the official residence of the King. Until its death in 1966 the palace grounds housed a tortoise given to the then King by Captain Cook. No admission allowed into the grounds of the Royal Palace. (updated Oct 2021)
• 🌍 Ha’amonga ‘a Maui (Burden of Maui) (near the village of Niutōua, in the northeast corner of the island). This is a trilithon made out of coral, limestone rock. The name means ‘Maui’s burden’, referring to the Polynesian God Maui, who according to legend formed the Kingdom of Tonga by fishing the islands from the depths of the sea. The Ha’amonga ‘a Maui is thought to have been built around 1200 AD. There are several theories regarding its purpose. One is that the King, fearing his two sons would quarrel on his death, erected it as a symbol of brotherhood. Each son was represented by a stone pillar, and united by the lintel. A more likely explanation is that it was the gateway to the King’s palace at his new capital. This capital did not last long, hence the present-day isolation of the trilithon. (updated Dec 2019)

• 🌍 Mu’a. This town, on the eastern edge of the lagoon, was the home of the Tu’i Tonga line of kings and was for centuries the capital of the island. It is notable for many tombs of the kings that can still be seen. When a Tuʻi Tonga king died he was buried in a langi, a big, artificial hill surrounded by huge slabs of coral rock, usually in three or more layers. This rock was quarried from along the coast of Tongatapu or from nearby islands. The accuracy by which the slabs were cut so that they fit each other with little space between is considered remarkable. (updated Oct 2021)
• 🌍 Mapu a Vaea (Whistle of the Noble). These blowholes are near the village of Houma to the southwest of the island. When waves crash into the reef, natural channels in the volcanic rock allow water to be pushed through and forced up into the air. Best to view at high tide. (updated Oct 2021)
• 🌍 Flying foxes (they are found in trees at Kolovai, to the west of the island). The Pacific Flying Foxes are a species of fruit bat. They are considered to be sacred, so only the King is allowed to hunt them, hence these undisturbed colonies. (updated Dec 2019)

• 🌍 Captain Cook Landing Site (along the Taufa'ahau Road between Holonga and Alaki villages). A historical landmark where Captain Cook reached land in Tonga. Free. (updated Dec 2019)
• 🌍 Abel Tasman Landing Site, Hihifo Rd, Ha'atafu (drive north until you reach the end of the Hihifo Rd). The first landing of Europeans in Tonga. It preceded Captain Cook's landing by more than 100 years. Free. (updated Dec 2019)

Take a day trip to Pangaimotu or one of the outer islands. A trip to Pangaimotu Island costs about T$20 return. The small island, the closest one to Nuku`alofa has a half sunken ship wreck to snorkel around. However, beware of jumping off as the bottom is shallow on some sides and the rusted ship is sharp. The ship also attracts sea snakes. The island takes about an hour to meander around and has a restaurant which serves good food and hires snorkeling gear (costly). Good idea to go on Sunday when most other things are closed.

Consider buying some interesting stamps at 🌍 Tonga Post and mail yourself or loved ones a letter with heart-shaped, watermelon-shaped or even banana-shaped stamps!

• 🌍 Ancient Tonga, Tamakautonga Rd, Nuku'alofa, ☏ +676 25-510, info@ancienttonga.com. M-F 10:00-16:00. Experience Tonga's culture. Buffet and cultural show offered every Friday (pre-registration required). From T$45. (updated Dec 2019)
• Kolomotu'a (Nuku'alofa). (updated Sep 2022)

• 🌍 Talamahu Market, Salote Road, Nuku'alofa (next to the Central Police Station), ☏ +676 24146. Talamahu is the main market in Tongatapu where all the local farmers bring their fresh produce and sell. You can find all types of seasonal fruits, fresh vegetables and root vegetables such as yams, kumara, taro, manioke on the ground floor. Upstairs you will find local handicrafts, clothing, shoes, carvings and jewellery of all types for souvenirs. (updated Dec 2019)

For a small town, Nuku'alofa offers a decent range of restaurants and bars. Expect to pay T$15-40 for a main course in a restaurant and about T$5 for a takeaway at one of the roadside sellers. Seafood is usually good.

The Oholei Beach Dinner and Show is set in Hina cave on the beach on the south-east side of Tongatapu, near the airport. It includes a Tongan dinner and a traditional show (inside a limestone cave). The cost is about T$30 each and can be booked from the Tonga Visitors Center. Transport is extra. Make sure you understand the travel arrangements when you make the booking, e.g. where and when to be picked up.

• 🌍 Friend's Cafe, Taufa'ahua Road, Nuku'alofa, ☏ +676 22-390. The main place for tourists on Tongatapu. Serves coffee, tea, and excellent breakfast. Try the vanilla French toast. The milk shakes are also very good. There is an adjacent souvenir shop, information desk, and computers for internet access. 
• Pot Luck Training Restaurant, corner of Salote and Vaiomok Roads, Nuku'alofa, ☏ +676 25091. Every second and last Mondays of each month, you can enjoy a two- or three-course meal for around T$30. The students are really dedicated, and the food and the entertainment are well worth the money. A great opportunity to enjoy first class cuisine for a bargain while supporting local education. 
• 🌍 Tavana Restaurant, Navy Road and Taufa'ahau Road, ☏ +676 22-702. Affordable, local Tongan dishes can be found here. Dishes to try are fried fish fillet, sweet potato, Lu and Ota. Ota is T$16. (updated Jul 2020)

Most restaurants and eateries are closed on Sunday but there are a couple of Chinese restaurants which are open Sunday.

🌍 Vaiola Hospital is located at the south side of Nuku'alofa.

Tongatapu is very safe but the usual travel precautions apply. Don't flash expensive cameras and jewelry and don't leave passports, money, clothes, etc. lying around in hotel rooms. If you're staying with locals (there is a good chance you'll be invited to stay at someone's home on Tongatapu) take your valuables with you during the day and secure them at night

Tongan drivers are sometimes erratic so watch out. Asking for a helmet when you hire a bicycle is advisable. Dogs can be a nuisance especially in some areas outside of the capital and after dark.

Water that crashes over the reefs into the lagoons is sucked back out again through gaps in the reefs. Be careful when snorkelling that you don't get caught in one of these channels of water heading for open sea or you could be seriously damaged by the coral.

There are several internet cafes in town. The Friend's Cafe is most expensive at about T$8 an hour and some places charge as low as T$2 an hour. Avoid inserting camera cards into the slots due to the risk of computer viruses. Use Skype to call overseas because it's about T$1 per minute if you buy a phone card.

Mobile internet coverage is decent in Tongatapu. You will experience 3G or sometimes 2G connection even in Nuku'alofa, so don't expect the data speed to be fast.

There are flights and ferries to Vava'u, and Ha'apai. None of these services operates on Sunday.

'Eua Island is 17.5 km east-southeast from Tongatapu. It is the highest island in Tonga and is not related geologically to the other islands, being much older. It has beaches on the western side but dramatic cliffs on the east coast, with Tonga’s largest tropical rain forest, which is a great place to go trekking.

‘Eua is an eight-minute flight from Tongatapu. There is also a ferry that leaves from Nuku’alofa at 12:30 in the afternoon on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Cost is T$25. The ferry can get rather crowded, so be early. On average, the ferry will take about two and a half hours, but can take much longer (5-6 hours!) in poor weather. Flights and ferries can be delayed or even cancelled without notice in poor weather conditions.