Tongatapu

At most, it takes an hour to drive from one side of Tongatapu to the other. If you’re based in Tongatapu, you can go out and explore the right side of the island one day, and the left side on another day. We do recommend visiting another island during your stay as well. It is very easy to hitchhike around Tongatapu, although admittedly it would also be possible to walk from one side to the other in a single day if you’re a fit and active person. You could also hire a car and get around quite quickly. 

Abel Tasman’s Landing Site

This site is located at the northern most point of the island of Tongatapu and is a beautiful viewpoint. There is a little visitor centre under construction that may be opened there in the coming years – or maybe not. This site is named after Abel Tasman, who was the first European to visit Tongatapu and Ha’apai in 1643. 

It is a free viewpoint with no facilities. There is plaque there that commemorates the 350th anniversary of Abel Tasman’s visit to Tongatapu, and a nice view.  

Ha'atafu Beach

Pre-2022, Ha'atafu Beach was home to a beautiful resort and was a popular site for overnight guests and day-trippers. Now, you can still visit Ha'atafu Beach and go snorkelling in the shallow waters for free. There are no facilities, no shops, and no services so you must bring everything you need with you. The road there is very bumpy and full of potholes, so drive safely. 

Kolovai Flying Foxes 

Tongatapu is home to the flying foxes, or in Tongan, “Peka.” They are protected by the Royal Family of Tonga and it is forbidden to hunt or kill them. When passing through Kolovai on your way to the Abel Tasman Landing Site, be sure to stop and have a look around for the hundreds of bats hanging upside down in the trees. They are most active around sunset.

Monotapu Beach

Monotapu Beach is secluded, quiet, and you're quite likely to have the beach to yourself - especially during low season. 

Tsunami Rock – Maka Sio’ata – Mirror Rock

Maka Sio’ata – also known as Tsunami Rock – is a phenomenal rock structure that you can climb on top of or a small cave you can burrow inside of. It is free to visit and worth a detour. 

Tonga is littered with large boulders in unexpected places, with little explanation as to how they landed where they lie. According to local lore, this rock was originallt called “Maka Tolo’a Maui”, or “Maui’s Throwing Rock. Legend has it that the god Maui was trying to relax when he found the crowing of roosters too loud and noisy. He picked up several rocks and threw them, one after the other, until the roosters could finally be quietened. This boulder here is the one that finally was successful in quietening the roosters. 

Later, the rock became known as “Maka Asiasi”, or “Look Out Rock”. Prior to 1982, the rock had thick vegetation on top of it, and according to legend, a towering banyan tree. There was a cannibal living in the cave of the rock, who took interest in a beautiful young maiden by the name of Talafaiva. To protect Talafaiva, locals would climb the banyan tree on top of the rock to lookout for the cannibals approach so that they could warn Talafaivo to stay away. 

The name “Maka Sio’ata”, meaning Mirror Rock, came after Cyclone Isaac, which made landfall in Tonga in 1982. This cyclone destroyed most of the vegetation on top of the rock, as well asin the surrounding areas. This meant that for the first time, locals could climb on top of the rock and see far distances – including some of the other rocks of Maui, including Maka Lautaimi. Hence, the name Maka Sio’ata, or Mirror Rock. 

More recent geological studies have confirmed though that this rock was ripped from a reef near Tongatapu. Satellite photos over this area reveal a massive break in the reef just opposite Maka Sio’ata. Geologists guess that an underwater eruption or submarine slide triggered a powerful tsunami powerful enough to break off the 1,600 metric ton boulder and carry it to its current resting place today. It is suggestsed that other boulders in Tonga may have been brought ashore in similar ways over the past few thousand years. This is where its current name, “Tsunami Rock”, comes from today.

Mapu’a Vaea Blowholes

Now I'm a sucker for blowholes and the fun things you can do at them, as you can read in my journey to Alofaaga Blowholes in Savai'i, Samoa (such as using blowholes to launch coconuts into the sky!).  

The beauty of Mapu'a Vaea is that there are countless blowholes here, spanning up and down the coast line. In most places you go you will find one or two blowholes, but here, you can wander along the coast and enjoy this natural phenomenon for as long as you want. 

Mapu'a Vaea Blowholes are free to enter and provide great entertainment for a family or a nature-oriented person.

Three Headed Coconut

The three headed coconut is a natural anomaly, and whilst I originally thought it wasn’t worth the detour, I was glad to have gone past here to see it with my own eyes!

Depending on who you meet, this three headed coconut tree is either the only one in Tonga, the only one in the Pacific, or the only one in the entire world. You can decide whichever you would like to believe, but it is remarkable that most coconut trees typically have just one head, and this one has three. It has withstood several cyclones and tropical storms, and locals are happy to tell you about their unique tree!

It’s wouldn't say it's worth driving out here from Nuku’alofa just to see the three headed coconut tree, but if you’re travelling anywhere in the west side of Tongatapu, it’s a small and worthwhile detour. 

Makeke Lookout

Hufanalupe Beach, Lookout, and Cliffs Overlook 

Anahulu Cave

Anahulu cave is a large freshwater cave full of stalctites and stalagmites. The water is around 8m deep and great for swimming in, with the caves stretching back 400 metres, although the dark areas are not lit and will require a waterproof torch to see. 

It is 15 Pa’anga to enter the caves per adult, and half price for children. It’s a small fee to enter and is well worthwhile. You can organise a tour to go to Anahulu Caves, or simply go there yourself via taxi or hire car. It will be cheaper to make your own way there and it is only located 30 minutes from Nuku’alofa.

Ha’aonga’a Maui Trlithon 

Maka Fa’akinanga 

Tonga's Fishing Pigs

Huh? Fishing Pigs?

If you qwerty

Where to Find Them 

I wasn't able to find information about getting to the fishing pigs online without going through a guide. So after a very long walk, here's what you need to know!

The fishing pigs are found primarily along the beaches between Mu’a and Niutao beach (north of Makaunga and Talafo'ou village). You can walk up along this section until you find them – Niutao was best when I was there, and I was able to find a plenty of pigs sniffing along the water in search of seafood to eat. Walk along the beach as much as possible - pig hooves are quite distinctive and if you see fresh prints, you'll know you're near. The pigs won't be on the beach during high tide, so only go during low tide. 

Captain Cook Landing Site