Ha’apai
Tonga · 4 m
Description
Ha’apai is the middle group of Tonga, sixty low coral islands scattered over a shallow lagoon with two volcanoes standing on the western horizon. Only a handful are inhabited and the administrative centre, Pangai on Lifuka, is a single dusty street. What brings people is what is not there, no resorts of any size, no traffic and beaches that run for kilometres without a building. Humpback whales calve in these waters between July and October and Ha’apai is one of the few places on earth where swimming with them is licensed. Uoleva, a walk and a wade from Pangai, is the classic base.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 5 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: July – October
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Swimming with humpback whales (July - October)
- Uoleva Island
- Pangai town & Sunday singing (weekly on Sunday)
- Foa Island & Sandy Beach
- Ha’apai coral gardens snorkelling
- Tofua & Kao volcanoes(Multi-day trip)
- Velata Mound Fortress
- Uiha Island & the royal tombs(Day trip)
- Nukunamo Island(Day trip)
- Shirley Baker Monument & European cemetery
- Ha’ano Island villages(Day trip)
- Lifuka lagoon kayaking
- Luangahu & the outer sand cays(Day trip)
Getting there
- Airports:
- HPA
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry