Weather in Tonga
The climate is not surprisingly tropical. During the warm Wet Season (December–April) temperatures rise above 32°C (89.6°F), whereas the cooler Dry Season (May–November), expect the mercury to rarely rise above 27°C (80.6°F). Precipitation is greatest on northern islands (2500 mm per year) compared to the southern region of the Kingdom (1700 mm per year). Being the tropics, showers are common but they go as fast as they arrive! The sunshine is moderate (6 to 8 hours per day) and the average humidity reaches a comfortable 75%. We run our tours in Tonga outside Cyclone season (December to March).
Tongan Cuisine
Tongan food is comprised of both land and sea produce. As traditional hunters and gathers, Tongan people are very resourceful creating a great array of food options. In addition, thanks to Tonga’s beautiful tropical weather, with enough rain and sunshine, it is perfect for cultivation on fertile volcanic soil. As a result different types of root crops are regularly seen as apart of the local diet, and used as a substitute for common potatoes.
Raw fish, ground oven baked and stews, local fruits, as well meats (pork, fish, lobsters and octopus) are used in everyday cooking. Expect to taste great traditional dishes like: Lú (underground oven cooked wrapped beef with coconut milk in taro leaves), ‘Ota ‘ika (raw fish marinated in citrus juice and coconut milk served with chopped chili, cucumber, capsicum), Feke (grilled octopus or squid prepared in coconut sauce), Kapisi pulu (beef and cabbage in coconut cream). Most meals accompanied by a local root crop (tapioca, kumala, taro etc). Fruits include (watermelon, guava, passionfruit, mangoes, mandarines, bananas, …) and typically make up most deserts.
Getting to and from Tonga
3 Airlines frequent the Kingdom of Tonga from Australia and New Zealand. Flight routes and weekly times are as follows (subject to change):
Air New Zealand
From Australia to Tonga: Daily flights to and from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to Tonga.
From New Zealand to Tonga: Five flights per week to Tonga.
Virgin Australia
From Australia to Tonga: Two flights per week from Sydney to Tonga (Tuesday & Thursday).
From New Zealand to Tonga: Two flights per week from Auckland to Tonga (Tuesday & Thursday).
Fiji Airways
From Australia to Tonga: Two flights per week from both Brisbane and Sydney to Nadi with connecting flights to Tonga (Tuesday & Thursday).
From Fiji to Tonga: Four flights per week to Tonga.
Getting Around Tonga
REAL Tonga is the Kingdom’s national domestic carrier established with the purpose of serving the people of Tonga and its visitors. It has a varied fleet of aircraft that service all of the five major island groups in the Kingdom.
Visa Requirements for Tonga
Visitors must hold a valid passport (not expiring within 6 months).
Australian and New Zealand visitors do not require a Visa. They will be issued upon arrival with a visitor’s visa for 31 days, free of charge and this can be extended for up to six months.
Vava’u
The Vava’u group of islands is regarded as Tonga’s most magnificent. It has a total of 34 islands of which only 21 are inhabited. The main island is home to Tonga’s second biggest port of the Vava’u group’s capital, Neiafu. The town has a picturesque deepwater harbor called the Port of Refuge and is the major entry point for yachts. Neiafu is home to most government agencies and services, including the hospital, customs and police departments, post office, shops and supermarkets, and a selection of restaurants and upbeat bars.
Vava’u is a sleepy uncrowded island fringed with coral reefs, and picture perfect at every turn. A myriad of channels, deep waterways and secluded anchorages have earned Vava’u a reputation as one of the world’s great South Pacific locations making it heaven for visitors who love the water.
We can customise any of our featured packages to suit your personal travel requirements. Mates’ Escapes can also build fully tailored one-of-a-kind itineraries from the ground up, if you can dream it up we can certainly make it happen.
We can tailor a trips regardless of your group size, be it 2, 8 or 20. Get in touch with us and let’s discuss your options.