Tips for Tonga - Top five things to see and do

So, you arrive on the beautiful paradise island that is The Kingdom of Tonga; but where do you begin when it comes to making the most of your trip?

Well here's my top five things I totally recommend that you check out on and around the island of Tongatapu!

1) First stop? The Talamahu market in the center of town - Here you can pick up any bits you may need such as: fresh fruit and vegetables, shoes and clothes and even beautiful handmade local treasures. I recommend you invest in one of the pretty wrap around skirts upstairs in the market, they're amazingly low priced and keep you cool and protected from the sun throughout the day!

Talamahu Market is also the perfect place to get a first hand experience of the unique culture that is highly valued and mightily protected in Tonga. Also you will get a chance to engage with the people who are the kindest I have ever met - hence being called 'The Friendly Islands!'

The moped i rented from Friends
to explore the island

2) Friends café is also a must visit. Not only do they provide delicious meals and a friendly, relaxed atmosphere but you can also rent a scooter here and explore the whole island for an amazing price! I would suggest heading over towards Houma and taking a look at the amazing Mapu'a 'a Vaea blowholes - its a spectacular sight as the water hits the natural coral rocks and spouts up to 18 meters into the air!

Milkshake from Friends Cafe in
Nuku'alofa

Whilst in Tonga i would say take the opportunity to turn off your phone and keep off social network and enjoy your incredible surroundings. However, if like me you enjoy capturing the beauty in photographs and sending them for others to enjoy, then you can get wifi at friends; Plus you can enjoy a yummy milkshake while your at it! 

A Whale!

3) I love nature and wildlife so something you should definitely save some money for is a trip with Deep Blue Diving. They are based at Faua Wharf and it is really easy to get to here from the main town - Nuku'alofa. We took a quick taxi which was cheap and the driver was really chatty and helpful.

The guys are so nice and friendly at deep blue and the views are amazing! The perfect season for this is around August; you can take a swim in the middle of the ocean and try to keep up with the whales for an amazing sight! 

Big Mama's Yacht Club

Islands in the distance

4) If you really want to get a feel for a tiny island paradise head over to the wharf and catch a boat over to Pangaimotu. The boat ride takes approximately no more than 30 minutes and you can watch the wharf go into the distance as a new tiny Utopian setting appears. You arrive at 'Big Mama's Yacht Club' here you can get a delicious lunch (I had a burger and chips!) and then snorkel in the beautiful crystal clear waters. The fish and coral are like nothing I have ever seen before and we spent hours swimming around watching all the beautiful creatures in this other world. However, I would recommend some sort of sea shoes as the coral can be very sharp! Also if you feel up to it you can walk around the island in about 20-30 minutes, we saw some shipwrecks and some really interesting birds. 



5) Attend a church service. The singing is incredible and the service is beautiful. There are usually many beautiful exotic flowers intricately arranged specially for the Sunday mass and everyone wears their Sunday best. Even if you do not attend church regularly i really recommend you attend one of these services, it is a really amazing experience and the singing is unlike anything i have ever heard before. The songs are definitely one of the things i miss most about Tonga.


Some Advice! Be prepared for all sorts of noises in the night: dogs barking, church bells, cars, lorries, and cockerels. However don't worry! You do get used to it very quickly.
Above all else, just enjoy yourself, welcome the relaxed laid back culture and embrace the slower paced island lifestyle.