Travel Information

Geography

Vava'u is a group of about 50 islands in Tonga with the largest being the main island of utu Vava’u which rises to over 200m at it’s highest point, Mount Talau. The capital, Neiafu, is Tonga’s second largest city and is situated at the head of a very sheltered harbour, the Port of Refuge or Lolo-a-Halaevalu and is home to a population of ~4,000 inhabitants.

Other than the Vava’u group Tonga is made up of three other groups of islands. The southern Tongatapu group is home to the capital, Nuku’alofa which has the largest population and is the cultural centre of Tonga. The central Ha’apai group is 120km north of Tongatapu with several volcanoes surrounded by an archipelago of low coral islands. The Niua islands lie the farthest  north , some 350miles north of Tongatapu.

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Vava’u is a coral reef that shows marked contrast from the 200 m high cliffs in the north of the island to the low and very broken coastline in the south that is made up of dozens of small islands, reefs and channels which provide an intricate yet wonderful protection for the area and for the harbour and inner islands.

Mt. Talau national park was established in the mid 1990’s and examples of Tongan native flora and fauna can be found here. The park has several endangered tree species and all 11 indigenous bird species as well as a wide range of native tropical flora. The park consists of an easily walked trail of about 1km and is situated only 2km from Neiafu

Tourism, agriculture and fishing are the main sources of income for the locals. Highly fertile soils and a warm tropical climate mean Vava’u is ideal for a range of tropical fruit including pineapple. A wonderful range of seasonal fruits can be found at the local market in Neiafu.

Vanilla is an important crop and the area reputedly produces some of the best product in the world. The vanilla plant is a member of the orchid family and the small yellow flowers need to be pollinated by hand. The vanilla takes a further 9 months to grow  before it’s sun dried and cured, which turns the pods black. The overall process is highly labour intensive.

Climate

Vava'u has a typical tropical climate cycle with two main seasons and boasts Tonga's highest rainfall. It is sunny throughout the year.

The summer or rainy season (December to April) is hot and humid (av: 28-29o C)  and is also the cyclone season. This can be a good time to visit in spite of the cyclone risk and provided you can manage the humidity, many days are fine and calm.

The cooler winter season (May to November) is relatively dry, with average day time temperatures of ~24o Celsius. The SE trade winds are quite constant through this period at ~ 15 knots or so. Northerly quarter winds are more common in the summer season and can make on water activities a little more uncomfortable at times.

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History

Various archaeological discoveries such as items of pottery provide evidence that Vava'u has been inhabited for around three thousand years.

The first European to visit was the Spaniard, Don Francisco Mourelle,  in 1781. Mourelle christened Neiafu's harbour  the 'Port of Refuge' and claimed Vava’u as Spanish territory naming  it ‘Islas de Don Martin de Mayorga’ after the Viceroy of Mexico.

Subsequently, in 1793, Captain Alessandro Malaspina arrived in Vava’u to map and pursue the Spanish claim but it was not progressed.

Captain William Mariner also spent a great deal of time in Vava’u, during which he was involved in Finau 'Ulukalala I's conquest of Vava'u.

'Ulukalala II's tomb can be seen in the village of Feletoa on Vava'u Island. His son 'Ulukalala III  was converted to Christianity by by King George Tupou I of Ha'apai. When 'Ulukalala III died, King George was caretaker of the throne for the new King 'Ulukalala IV who was just a young boy and not mature enough to reign. George however saw this as an opportunity to add Vava’u  to his existing realm and formed a united Tonga in 1845 with Tonga being formally made a nation state in 1875. Tonga has been governed by royalty ever since.

King Taufa’ahu Tupou IV died in September 2006 after a reign of 40 years. His mother Queen Salote Tupou III ruled for 47 years, from 1918 until 1965. King George Tupou V was crowned on 1 August 2008 and died 18 March 2012. He has been succeeded by King Tupou VI who is the reigning King at time of writing.

People & culture

The ethnicity of Vava’u is predominantly Tongan but you’ll find a good number of other pacific island nationalities, as well as a number of ex-pat residents who have discovered the relaxed lifestyle. People are friendly, helpful and welcoming.

Languages: Tongan and English are both official languages.

Religion : Tonga is a quite conservative Christian country and Sundays are particularly sacred in that apart from church services and feasts, it’s a day of rest. Charter operators and activities don’t operate so you need to plan for this in your itinerary. Very few shops apart from bakeries and a few tourist restaurants will be open and there is minimal organised activity. Flights do not operate on Sundays and most tourist services are unavailable.

Men should wear shirts or T shirts and save bare chests for the beach. Swim suits are fine at the beach but not elsewhere. Tongans are quite modest in their attire and many will swim with their clothes on. Although Tongans are used to tourists, skirts above the knee will not be appreciated.

Clothing: Light clothing is suitable for most occasions and unless you have planned anything special that requires it, you won’t need anything more formal than casual gear.

Accommodation

Hakula Lodge

Janine and Jeff will look after you at Hakula Lodge. On the edge of Port of Refuge harbour and a good 20 minute walk from town, Hakula lodge offers guests two nicely appointed self-contained rooms and great service.

The lodge has free wifi and has kayaks and mountain bikes for guest use. Rooms have cooking facilities and there's a communal barbeque on the deck as well.

Ikalahi Lodge

Ika Lahi resort on Hunga Island is about half an hour from Neiafu Harbour and provides the main concentration of humpback whales. The island lies in deep water and has sheltered waters and bays which provide a resting place for humpbacks with calves. Ika Lahi is a boutique resort in a touch of paradise where you'll really feel part of the family and quite likely leave as friends. It makes the perfect base for a fishing adventure with the 1000m mark only minutes away from the tranquil lagoon.

Steve and Caroline are great hosts who find a rare balance between socialising with their guests and making sure there's your own time for relaxing when you feel like it. The food is sensational and local fresh fish is the speciality with dishes of mahimahi, yellowfin, wahoo and coral trout - Caroline is a talented chef.

Mystic Sands

The accommodation at Mystic Sands is clean tidy and well presented motel-style accommodation . Options range s a large twin room with open plan living and great harbour views. All units have at least 3 beds and can be made up as singles if required. The family unit has 4 beds.Mystic Sanads has it's own jetty for pickups to go diving, whale watching, sailing or sports-fishing and free kayaks for your enjoyment. All rooms have a mini kitchen complete with fridge/freezer, microwave, toaster, coffee plunger and a two burner cook top.

For a little extra, Mosse from the local village will cook you dinner or breakfast or you can always wander along to the Tongan Beach resort for a meal or drinks, it’s next door. A taxi into town is ~20 pa’anga and there’s plenty of good places to eat.

If you’re not used to farmyard noises then a set of ear-plugs is advisable – there’s a few roosters around the area and they'll just might keep you awake if you’re not used to it.

Tongan Beach Resort

Helen and Shane run the Tongan Beach resort and are in the process of some significant upgrades to the facilities including a swimming pool close to the water’s edge.

Six beach front double rooms and are located at the eastern end of the resort and feature super king beds which can split into two singles if necessary. Six larger, beach front family rooms are located at the opposite end of the resort property and can be configured to suit up to four guests in combinations of super king, queen and singles. All twelve rooms have ensuite bathrooms, ceiling fans, fridges, and tea/coffee making facilities.

The food is excellent with a good selection of dishes and similar pricing to any midrange restaurant in New Zealand. The rooms are close to the water and all have an outside deck area over looking the beach, The staff are extremely attentive.

Lucky's Beach Houses

Lucky's Beach Houses, Talihau +(676) 71-075. Budget beachfront accomodation with snorkeling, kayaking and a private beach. Prices ange from a fale at T$65 to a fully self-contained cottage at T$150.

Travel tips and hints

220-240 volts AC, mainly three-point plugs, same as NZ and Australia.

Tonga is generally disease free however WHO encourages anyone travelling internationally ex NZ to have Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid and Tetanus vaccinations before departure.

Tonga has had occasional instances of Dengue Fever so take some insect repellent, preferably one containing deet..

Bottled water is readily available but the rain-water collected by many establishments is generally fine to drink.

Transport & TimeZone

 In Tongatapu, taxi services are available and most hotels offer guests airport transfers. A taxi fare from the International to the domestic airport is 5 pa’anga per person.
There is a limited taxi service in Vava’u – don’t expect limo transport and while the roads could do with a few potholes being filled, vehicles are serviceable and the drivers will look after you. Most lodges and accommodation providers will ensure their guests can get to and from town & will even give you a ride into town if necessary. Driving is on the left-hand side of the road. There are a few taxis in Vava’u and two taxi ranks on the main street of Neafu. Fuel is expensive in Vava’u and there’s no metering so get a price before you get underway.J.V. Taxi is located opposite Pacific Timber & Hardware:  Ph: +(676) 70-136

Liviela Taxi is located next to the green store. Ph: +(676) 70-240. They also have rental cars.
Scooters and are available for hire - one person per scooter. ~50 pa'anga a day plus fuel, and bond.

Banking, currency and communications

Currency is the Pa’anga. The Tongan pa’anga (TOP$). Notes are in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50

Approximate Exchange Rates: 1 pa’anga = 0.6 USD, 0.56 AUD, 0.5 NZD - exchange rates here
Trading banks are ANZ and Westpac in Vava’u. Both have an ATM which accepts EFTPOS cr and debit cards.

ANZ Bank Ph: +(676) 70-670.  Westpac Ph: +(676) 70-068.

Internet  - Most accommodation has wireless internet on Vava’u but it can be a variable service. You may not have the bandwidth to run an app like Skype but apps like ‘What’s app’ on your smartphone are worthwhile setting up before you go so you can avoid the exhorbitant fees charged by Vodafone and Telcom ex NZ. The Tongan Beach resort has free wireless internet at the bar.

Country code +(676). International roaming is available for those traveling with a mobile phone. Pre-paid SIM cards are available from the two mobile phone operators, TCC (Tonga Telecommunications Commission) and Digicel. Public phones require a prepaid card if you need that option.

Health

Drinking water is generally rain water collected and stored in tanks. Bottled water is readily available.
There are no major predators that will bite and eat you here but watch the local dogs which roam freely.
Pharmacy and doctor in Neiafu

Shopping

Credit cards are accepted at most larger shops.
Government offices are open from 8:30am-4:30pm and shops 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.  Saturdays 8am to 1pm. On Sunday, all shops are closed. Hours may vary.

Entertainment

Local and traditional feasts (see other activities below)
Friday night yacht race in Neafu
Lots of local bars and place to eat in Neafu

Other activities

There are several good walks from Neiafu including the climb up Mt. Talau which has excellent views over the harbour.

The Ene'io Botanical Gardens are near the Tu’anekivale village on the East coast and are the only botanical gardens in Tonga. The gardens have a number of native species of flora including sandalwoods, bamboos, palms and birds. Other attractions at the gardens include art and craft exhibitions and demonstrations such as making kava, the traditional drink and tapa cloth from the bark of the mulberry tree.

Sailing

There are a number of sailing boats for hire and range from options without provisioning to fully provisioned with captain and chef.  – e.g: Moorings International ([email protected])

Sea kayaking & mountain biking

Friendly Islands Kayak Company
Ph: +(676) 843-6308  www.fikco.com

Kite surfing

Kite Vava’u also offers a solid range of kites and boards for rental or hire.
Ph: +(676) 755-9220 E: [email protected]  www.kitevavau.com

Traditional Tongan Feast

Port of Refuge Villas - A traditional Tongan feast provided with food prepared in the traditional Tongan umu or oven, and local favourite dishes every Sunday at day at 1:00pm. Group bookings for any week day minimum 10 people - minimum 12 hours notice.  www.vavau.to/portofrefugevillas Ph: +(676) 874-0000

‘Ene’io Restaurant - A sumptuous Tongan Feast that features traditional island favourites, roast suckling pig, sea food, salads, and cultural dance and floorshow. Starts at 8pm, Wednesday and Friday during the high season or for large groups anytime. www.vavaueneiobeach.com  Ph: +(676) 7756-169  

Food & Dining

  • Aquarium Cafe:  +(676) 70-493 Wifi internet & you can swap a few books here too.
  • Café Tropicana: Wifi internet & book-swap.
  • Balcony Restaurant and Bar: Just along Fatafehi rd from town centre - great harbour views +(676) 70-395
  • Coconet Café: Bar and grill with Thai food also +(676) 71-311
  • Golden Lily: Chinese. Opposite the fire station on Tu'i rd.
  • Dancing Rooster:  +(676) 70-886
  • Giggling Whale:  +(676) 59-057
  • Kite Bar: Mexican bar and food. Sat TV if there's a big game on.
  • Mango Cafe: Quality restuarnant and harbour views +(676) 70-664
  • Mermaids Bar and Restaurant:  +(676) 70-650
  • Poolside Cafe, Puataukanave Int Hotel:  +(676) 70-249. Italian food.
  • Ovava:  +(676) 70-300. The locals eat here.
  • La Paella, Tapana Island: +(676) 70-348  Spanish fare.

Beaches and swimming

The secluded wonderful beaches and fantastic swimming, snorkelling, fishing and diving are the some of the compelling reasons why you’d visit Vava’u. Too many to chose from.

Other accomodation

  • Adventure Backpackers: 9 bedrooms, in central part of town overlooking the harbour and the fruit market. +(676) 70-955

  • Vava’u Guest House: +(676) 70-300

  • Port Wine Guest House:  5 minutes from centre of town. +(676) 70-479
    Puataukanave International Hotel: Right on the edge of the harbour - 36 rooms cover a range of price options – including a 16 bed backpacker wing. +(676) 71-002

  • Hilltop Hotel: Right on top of the hill overlooking Neiafu 8 rooms and the sunset bar & restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner.

  • Twin View Motel: Tel:+(676) 70-597 Motel style accomodation - some with harbour views

  • Vava’u Villa: 3km from the town centre +(676) 71-010

  • Harbourview Resort: About 2km from town centre. Private jetty for swimming and boat landing for whale watching, etc. Tennis court. Each room has it's own private facilities including a kitchenette. +(676) 70-687

Fishing bite times Fishing bite times

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