A Tonga sailing holiday offers some of the easiest and best cruising in the South Pacific. The Moorings and Sunsail have a fleet of well-maintained yachts in this amazing location of 64 emerald Islands located in the middle of the South Pacific.
Southeast trade winds average between 15 and 25 knots from May through September and northeast trade winds average between 10 and 20 knots in the summer. Navigation is line-of-sight from one island to the next, though a watchful eye on the chart is necessary because of the numerous reefs. The tidal range is a bit over three feet. Tidal and wind-driven currents are typically weak except in narrow channels. A Tonga yacht charter is well within the reach of sailors who have basic skills in coastal navigation. The beauty and unique character of these exotic waters lures less experienced and veteran sailors alike to return time after time for more adventures. Year-round temperatures hover around 75°F (24°C).
Nearly countless islands fringed with coral reefs and fronted with white-sand beaches are the chief attractions of a Kingdom of Tonga sailing vacation. Relaxing, laid-back, and stunningly beautiful, Tonga is an exotic sailing destination far from the cares of the world.
With 176 islands scattered across over 700,000 square kilometers of Pacific Ocean blue, Tonga’s protected coral reefs and atolls, safe anchorages, and reliable marine breezes, are one of the planet’s finest locations for sailing. And with a maritime heritage stretching back to the ocean-spanning double-hulled kalia canoes of the Kingdom’s ancient mariners, this is a land that truly understands the simple and unadorned appeal of harnessing ocean breezes for adventure and exploration. The Tongan sailing experience is not only deserted coves and sleepy, uninhabited atolls.
Neifau Harbour on Vava’u is one of the Pacific’s key sailing hubs, an essential and social destination for an increasing number of Pacific marine adventurers on extended sailing sojourns through the far-flung nooks and crannies of the planet’s biggest ocean.
Guided sea kayaking in the safe calm pristine waters of Tonga includes whale and dolphin encounters, snorkeling, and camping on uninhabited islands.
Gliding smoothly along in a sleek kayak is a quintessential Tongan experience, especially when you’re just centimeters above transparent waters, and your self-paddled craft is a ticket to more remote islands and untouched beaches.
Most popular around the northern islands of the Ha’apai and Vava’u groups, sea kayaking tours range from five to 13 days, plenty of time to take in pods of spinner dolphins, or the even bigger prize of migrating humpback whales. Sea turtles poke their heads out of the shimmering shallows of Tonga’s reefs, while marine birds circle and dive bomb shape-shifting schools of fish. It’s a scene not dissimilar to iconic wildlife destinations like Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, and an emphatic denial that watching Animal Planet on a flat-screen television is ‘just like being there.
With a drifting South Pacific breeze at your back, and shoulders aching after two hours of honest paddling, this is the real thing. A Tongan sea-kayaking tour soon displays its own languid rhythm, with smooth strokes driving paddlers through silky waters to the cavernous Swallows Cave on the Vava’u islet of Kapa or other wild Polynesian landscapes of pristine coral atolls and aquamarine lagoons. Just 21 of the 34 islands of the Vava’u group are inhabited, so overnight camping is either on deserted beaches or in simple island villages in the company of friendly locals. Pack your spearfishing A-game and an appetite for fresh seafood to make the most of the experience. And remember, with double kayaks available, it’s also a great escape for couples.
Snorkeling and reef viewing opportunities abound in Tonga. It is a virtual paradise for those who love to snorkel. Warm crystal clear, shallow coral lagoons team with tropical fish of all varieties and colours.
Don’t forget to pack an underwater camera. More than 150 different species of colourful tropical fish and 176 different islands make the Kingdom of Tonga a paradise for snorkeling fans. Diverse and pristine underwater landscapes include vibrant coral gardens or dramatic drop-offs just metres from sandy beaches, accessible year-round to visitors of all ages and abilities.
The Kingdom’s ultimate snorkeling thrill is getting up close and personal with humpback whales from June to November. Sharing the wild Pacific blue with a mother and her calf is an essential and authentic Tongan experience. Graceful black-and-yellow angelfish and curious clownfish (AKA ‘Nemo’) drift on shifting currents on Tonga’s reefs, among some of the richest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet.
Tonga’s azure blue waters also sustain a colourful community including dolphins, sea turtles, coral trout, and sleek reef sharks. Beyond the easily accessed reefs, Tonga’s laidback tour operators guide visitors by boat or kayak to more remote snorkeling locations on outer islands and atolls. Snorkelers can often join dive trips to experience the best of Tonga’s underwater spectacle, and a personal slice of liquid heaven is often just a short paddle away.
Tonga has a reputation as a hot game fishing destination – a paradise all-year round.
Troll Vava’u’s crystal clear waters for Blue, Black or Striped Marlin, Sailfish, Mahi-mahi, Big Yellow Fin Tuna, and Wahoo. Cast jigs or poppers for predators like Blue Fin and Giant Trevally.
Virtually all species of tropical fish frequent Tongan waters, and with its vast areas of reef structure, drop-offs, canyons, and seamounts, as well as several offshore F.A.D’s, every angler can experience a smorgasbord of tropical fishing. Salt water fly-fishing is also becoming popular. Most Marlin, Mahi-mahi, Spearfish, and Tuna are caught fishing the 100-fathom drop-offs, which are located between a quarter and three-quarters of a mile off shore.
In addition to the blue marlin, these Trevally often beat the most experienced fishermen.
Even the most experienced fishermen have difficulty catching these Trevally. They are an adversary well worth the effort of any angler.
Go Whale Watching in Tonga, “The True South Pacific”
In-the-know Pacific travelers aren’t the only ones to return to Tonga’s shores on a regular basis. After a long journey north from the icy krill-laden depths of Antarctica, southern humpback whales take shelter in the tropical reef-protected waters of Tonga to give birth to their young.
The arrival of the whales from June to November completes a remarkable cycle, as the new calves return to where they were conceived 11 months earlier. Seen from a boat, the 40-ton whales combine grace and power, breaching out of the cobalt waters or effortlessly submerging with a final, languid flick of their tail flukes. Immersed with them in their own environment, their immense size is magnified, even a sleek two-metre calf tucked carefully beside its much larger mother.
The shallow and warm waters of the Kingdom of Tonga provide the perfect viewing platform, with excellent visibility in the crystalline reefs surrounding the islands of the Vava’u group. The occasional ‘singing’ soundtrack of courting male humpbacks – a natural symphony of low notes that can carry 100km through the open ocean – segues with the excited breathing of snorkeling visitors, amazed they’re floating gently above a nursing humpback and her calf. By November, the young humpbacks’ development is well-advanced, and the magnificent creatures depart the nurturing sanctuary of Tonga’s protected reefs for the southern migration back to Antarctica.
For visitors lucky enough to swim alongside the giant cetaceans, it’s the kind of indelible experience that makes them immediate advocates of the South Pacific’s only Kingdom.
From June to November humpback whales calve and mate in the calm waters. It is not only the sight that is fascinating: the male whales sing. Whale songs vary according to the location: each year the song at each location changes.
Tonga is one of only 2 locations in the world where it is legal to swim with whales or snorkel with whales. This amazing experience can be managed so it is safe for both humans and animals.
