On the sunset side of the island, Ha’atafu Beach is a sandy slice protected by a reef, where some of Tonga's best surf peels in (experienced surfers only need apply). There’s sheltered swimming and snorkelling at high tide in the broad lagoon. If your timing is good (June to November), you can sometimes spy whales cavorting beyond the reef.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
7.78 MILES
On an especially good day at Mapu’a ‘a Vaea (Chief’s Whistles), hundreds of blowholes spurt skywards at once. Time your visit for a windy day with a…
18.98 MILES
The South Pacific’s equivalent of Stonehenge, the Ha’amonga ‘a Maui (Maui’s Burden) trilithon near Niutoua, is one of ancient Polynesia’s most intriguing…
9.87 MILES
Want to see the real of Nuku’alofa? Wander through the aisles at Talamahu, Tonga's main fresh-produce hub. You’ll find produce piled into handmade woven…
15.71 MILES
Near nowhere in particular is this impressive arch, aka ‘the pigeon’s doorway’ – a natural land bridge over the pounding Pacific waves, formed when the…
15.71 MILES
The Mu’a area contains Tonga's richest concentration of archaeological remnants. In AD 1200, Tu’itatui, the 11th of the Tu’i Tonga kings, moved the royal…
11.35 MILES
Honeymooners, start your engines! Fronting onto a magnificent beach, Fafá Island Resort is the most elegant on Tongatapu’s offshore islands, but it makes…
12 MILES
The closest island resort to Nuku’alofa, Pangaimotu makes an easy day trip. Daily departures (including Sunday) chug out from the wharf beside the Fish…
17.75 MILES
Tongatapu’s most famous cave is an over-loved, slightly eerie place full of stalactites and stalagmites, and blackened from the soot of flaming-frond…
Nearby Tongatapu attractions
0.53 MILES
At the northwestern tip of Tongatapu is a modest monument commemorating Dutchman Abel Tasman's 'discovery' of Tongatapu in 1643. He was on his way back to…
2.78 MILES
While you’ll get the opportunity to see flying foxes (aka fruit bats, or peka) in many places in Tonga, one spot renowned for their presence is the…
5.03 MILES
‘Atata, 10km from Tongatapu, has beaut beaches and a little island village to wander through. Snorkelling, diving and fishing are near-essential. There is…
6.6 MILES
If you think we must be scratching around for highlights to include a triple-headed coconut tree, then think again. Locals swear that this is the only…
7.78 MILES
On an especially good day at Mapu’a ‘a Vaea (Chief’s Whistles), hundreds of blowholes spurt skywards at once. Time your visit for a windy day with a…
8.7 MILES
South of Nuku’alofa, between Tofoa and Pe’a, you’ll pass the private royal residences of the Princess, adorned with white tigers and cannons, and the King…
9.54 MILES
Royal watchers and rubberneckers (regardless of denomination) head to this towering white church for a glimpse of Tonga's royal family at Sunday service,…
9.62 MILES
Mala’ekula, the large parklike area opposite the basilica, has been the resting place of the royals since 1893. The statue-studded white concrete tomb…