Planning your Holiday
What's Unique?
2018 Update: Unfortunately Tonga has been politically teased by receiving easy money from China but failing to pay off its debts in time and is now firmly connected by China's "Belt and Road Initiative" ... scruples anyone ?
Tonga holidays offer a truly off the beaten track feel with the islands yet to be discovered by mainstream holiday-makers. Tourism in the "Kingdom" evolves around its exceptional water activities with tranquil bays and lagoons for sailing, scuba diving, snorkelling, game fishing and whale watching. Add to this a deeply entrenched culture with some fantastic archaeological sights to explore and you have the making for a truly enchanting South Pacific holiday, a decent travel destination for more adventurous tourists and one that offers reasonable value for money.
About Tonga
Where in the South Pacific?
Tonga Resorts Guide
Although there are not a great many beach resorts is Tonga to choose from, there are a handful of real gems that few people have heard about and only few travel agents promote.
Overall, this is a great destination to experience genuine Polynesian hospitality and to enjoy beautiful beaches and water sports in one of the best kept secrets of the world.
As a tourist destination, the small islands of Tonga are equally as mesmorising as those found in Fiji's Mamanuca Islands, the snorkelling lagoons rival Bora Bora in French Polynesia, and the golden sandy beaches are just as stunning as those of Aitutaki Lagoon in the Cook Islands. But they get just a trickle of visitors to appreciate them. In Tonga, you visit the South Seas of old, a beautifully non-commercial destination where you'll be welcomed as an adventurer!
Find out more from our comprehensive Tonga Hotel Guide
Tonga Holiday Inspirations
Tongatapu Island
The main island of Tongatapu has pretty beaches, interesting archaeological sites and a stunning lagoon littered uninhabited coral islands, several with small resorts and with day cruises.
Popular Tongatapu Beach Resorts
- Fafa Island
stunning resort on offshore island
Ha'apai Group
The gorgeous Ha'apai Group is a collection of coral islands, some with sleepy fishing villages and others completely uninhabited. There are just a handful of small resorts, ideal for relaxing.
Popular Ha'apai Accommodation
- Sandy Beach Resort
on stunning beach
Vava'u Islands
Vava'u is the tourist capital of Tonga with beautiful bays and islands to explore on day cruises, plus excellent whale watching, snorkelling, game fishing and scuba diving charters.
Popular Vava'u Accommodation
- Tongan Beach Resort
great for sightseeing
Other Holiday Inspirations
Adventure Holidays
Rich in culture and with fishing villages to visit, the Tonga Islands is an explorers' paradise. And if you love snorkelling, perhaps even amongst humpback whales, then adventure awaits.
Top Hotels for an Adventure Holiday in Tonga
- Tongan Beach Resort
action in Vava'u
Romance & Honeymoon
If you want to really escape and relax on a secluded beach, then a honeymoon in Tonga might be for you. There aren't too many options, but that just adds to the charm of this secluded island paradise.
Best Resorts for a Honeymoon in Tonga
- Fafa Island
stunning resort on offshore island
Nuku'alofa Town for Business
The capital Nuku'alofa is a small seaside town with a colourful local produce market, the Royal Palace and a couple of decent cafés and restaurants. There's no beach and little tourist appeal.
Popular Nuku'alofa Hotels
- Waterfront Lodge
atmospheric lodge
Tonga Islands Holidays Overview
The Tonga Islands is a tiny kingdom, the last remaining wholly independent state in the South Pacific, and has 171 small islands, many of which are uninhabited coral atolls. A typical Tonga holiday combines a little rest and relaxation by the beach with some light activities on the water, most notably snorkelling and whale watching. The islands host a handful of stunning boutique beach resorts which attract more mainstream holiday-makers from Australia and New Zealand, and despite it being one of the few places in the South Pacific where tourists can't get married on a beach, Tonga is a great option for a honeymoon or romantic break.
The islands have a very laid back South Seas ambience where nothing is too hurried and there are few commercial tourist operations apart from the whale watching charters in Vava'u - most tours and activities are operated by the hotels themselves. The people are extremely friendly towards outsiders and its certainly one of the safest destinations to explore in the world ... but exploring can be a little frustrating at times with only vague tourist information available and tours and services not offering the most reliable service. But in many ways this is the country's appeal. Tonga is not a commercial destination and the best way to approach a visit is to just go with the flow ...
If this is your first time visiting the Tongan Islands for a holiday, we recommend you use our Tonga Holidays Planner. Here you'll get a nice overview about what there is do on holiday in Tonga along with general tourist information such as travel, weather and other handy tips. Otherwise, navigate to an island below to find out more about the region or continue reading further down the page to find out some great places to stay in your price range.
If you're searching for the ideal place to stay take a look at our easy to use Tonga hotel directory. The directory features both the popular beach resort as well as highlighting the smaller, lesser-known properties for those looking to do some exploring.
Tonga Islands Travel Information
The number of tourists visiting Tonga for a holiday each year is very small and there are no large hotels, just a handful of small beach resorts scattered around the islands. Those you'll find have a very charming atmosphere where you'll be treated as a friend more than a guest.
Tonga is also one of the best destinations in the world to experience up-close the majestic humpback whales which visit in great numbers between July and October each year.
Our Tonga Islands travel guide provides detailed information on all the different regions to visit to help you decide where to go and what to do. Alternatively, try out our interactive picture map of Tonga below to help you visualise the islands and find out where all the different hotels are located: