When to go & weather

Weather

The combination of 'Eua's geography and a prevailing easterly trade wind means that despite 'Eua's close proximity to Tongatapu (you can see it clearly from Tongatapu's southeast shore), while the main island swelters in humid summer heat, 'Eua is perfectly pleasant, and even chilly in winter. 'Eua is long north-to-south and thin east-to-west, with a high volcanic ridge stretching north-to-south along the entire east side of the island. The ridge rises 312m above sea level at its highest point. The easterly wind hits the cliffs rising up out of the ocean on the east side, then the ridge, and is cooled as it's blown upwards. The cooled air then blows down from the ridge, across to the west side of the island and the villages.