Tonga

Discover Tonga

The islands of Tonga provide a genuine and authentic experience of life in the Pacific. With minimal luxury resorts, the majority of accommodations are boutique styled guesthouses and bed and breakfast properties. A rich cultural heritage of over 1000 years can be experienced with village tours featuring island cooking, dance, music and art, such as bone carving and seagrass mat weaving.

With 176 islands you will be sure to find one with your name on it! The beauty and splendour of ancient lava tubes, rugged cliff faces falling dramatically into azure seas featured against vibrant tropical vegetation makes for a delightful combination of colours to feast the senses. Dive the crystal clear waters and swim with the abundance of fish life, canoe the lagoons, or try your hand at deep sea fishing, kite boarding or stand up paddle…. But remember to take some island time to relax and recharge.

The most special and exceptional experiences on offer during the months of July to October is where you’ll discover you’re not the only one holidaying this paradise! You will be joined by the majestic Humpback whales who journey here each year to calve their young. The Tongan Government has placed restrictions on tourist numbers to swim with the whales and their sustainable eco-friendly tour operators are bound by these limitations. At Oceania Expeditions, we can ensure your experience with the whales is a magical sustainable one that will hold a treasured place in your memories for decades to come.

Stay and play awhile

Still one of the world’s best kept secrets, Tonga deliberately turns its back on the tourist hype of neighbouring countries and stays true to its understated roots and traditional values. With a national population of only 110,000 people, family is everything in Tonga and you will be welcomed as part of their own. We have preferred suppliers we work with in Vava’u for your Tongan experience. Upon arrival at Vava’u International Airport you are met by a member of our special resort team for your transfer by boat to your tranquil island home.

With only five Tongan style bungalows at our preferred boutique resort, intimacy, privacy and exclusivity are paramount. The team pride themselves on quality of service, and strike the perfect balance of catering to your every need while leaving you to enjoy the serenity, watching whale mothers and calves play in the waters off the front of the resort.

The planning of your entire trip to Tonga has been building to this moment – the once a lifetime experience of swimming with Humpback Whales! Each year, Southern Hemisphere Humpback Whales leave their feeding grounds in Antarctica and swim to the tropical waters of Tonga to mate and give birth. They like the shallow protected waters between the islands to nurse and the deeper water for mating. The Tongan Government has done an amazing job of protecting these sacred whales and regulating the industry. Each year only a handful of operators are licensed to conduct whale tours and tourist numbers are limited to ensure the whales are largely undisturbed. On your own private charter, with a dedicated guide, you will have time to spend mingling with these majestic giants. This is a memory you will surely treasure forever.