A few more questions..

Thanks for those people who responded to my SOS question. We have now found some accommodation options within our budget but will always appreciate more suggestions. If someone has enjoyed their stay at a particular place we may consider spending a little more for peace of mind!

I have some more questions. We have decided we are going to go to 'Eua, Ha'apai, Vava'u and Tongatopu but we don't know how to divide our time - we will be there for 15 days. Does anyone have suggestions?

Are the islands small enough to base youself at one accomodation on each island. Is it easy enough to get around??

Aso where do we find the ferry schedules and prices?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Read previous posts, where some of us gave a review of some places. My husband and I had just returned from Tonga.

Tongatapu - Nerima Lodge. The one and only.

'Eua. Hideaway resort. Trekking option - ask for the guide Peter.

Ha'apai: Matafonua lodge at Foa island. Happy Ha'apai divers will gently disturb the peace of endless sandy beaches with an alternative - swimming with whales! If you're on strict budget, ask at Mariners caffee. We stayed at Matafonua and we were extemely satisfied. A friendly advice - avoid Lindsay's guesthouse.

No recommendations for Vava'u from us. We've not been there.

Enjoy your staying.

On Vavau, I stayed at the Paradise International Resort, the only moderate to upscale place with a pool, etc. I found it pretty good, at least in the newest wing. Budget travelers stayed at the Adventure Backpackers. Another choice is Hilltop Inn, behind town.

Not sure where you are planning to use ferries. It is not recommended between Tongatapu/Haapai/Vavau, can be very rough, and schedules can be erratic. Eua is close to Tongatapu, so maybe that would be good for a ferry, but I've read it can also be very rough.

You can easily stay at one place on Vavau and TBU and take things from there.

As to dividing up 15 days, well, Vavau is worth 3 or 4, TBU a day or two in each direction, not sure of the others.

Ferry 'Olovaha's schedule can be found on the following site:

'Olovaha

The other ferry, Pulupaki, doesn't have a web site.

Avoid Air Peau for the time being for domestic flight, because their bigger plane Dash 8 is out of order, waiting for parts from U.S. for ages, and the small plane requires special fuel that need to be imported from Fiji, thus trying to cut the number of flights.

Airlines Tonga's office hasn't been very friendly and efficient. You may want to contact Rising Sun Travel, via Tonga Visitor's Bureau site, to do the booking for you. Most of the Rising Sun staff used to work for Airlines Tonga office.

Rinsing Sun Travel

I've heard that they do VAV/HPA and HPA/VAV twice a week.

So, it's not how YOU want to divide your days, but rather how your logistics work within your days in Tonga. Check with Rising Sun and ask them to do an itineray for you.

I strongly recommend joining the Dinner/Show at Tonga National Centre, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and also Toni's tour of Tongatapu island (full day tour).

On Vava'u's main island we stayed at Lucky's. They have accomm from T$120 down to T$50 for a basic fale with a shared bathroon and toilet. The more expensive fale looks straight out to sea as do the 2 self contained units. Great place but only one complaint was the hard beds. You can eat there for about $T20 a meal (entree and main) to save a trip into town. Breakfast (included) is huge so you can pack some up and take for lunch (they will give you a container). All water activities can pick you up from their jetty. Note: Most water activities don't feed you lunch so having a packed lunch is good. Lucky's is about a T$20 ride from town so consider that. However staying there is sooo much nicer than town and if you do a few water trips you get picked up from there anyway. The owners will take you into town for free if they are travelling in. I am glad we stayed there rather than town.

#4---Is lucky's the little place at the end of the road in Talehai village (sp?)? If so, it's a great spot!

in 15 days i would not try to cram in all those places. I reckon you would need at least 3 weeks to see all 4 places.

I spent 2 weeks there recently and i visited Tongatapu, Vava'u and 'Eua, but if i had my time again i'd drop 'Eua and go to Ha'apai instead.

If you only had one week in tonga, i'd suggest 'Eua and Tongatapu, but in 2 weeks i say Tongatapu, Vava'u and Ha'apai is best. 'Eua is close to Tongatapu but if you have time to see Vava'u and Ha'apai you will not be missing much n ot going to 'Eua. (sorry to say 'Eua!)

As for dividing your time, you need to consider what days you will be there as some things only happen once a week in Tonga! Ferrys to Ha'apai and Vava'u only happen once a week for example. The 2 Tongatapu-Ha'apai-Vava'u ferries usually leave Tongatapu tuesday - Ha'apai at midnightish - arrive vava'u wednesday morning - depart vava'u wednesday afternoon - ha'apai in the middle of the night and back to Tongatapu thursday morning. But once a month they may go to the Niuas and the schedual is different then; consult the timetable amaile gave you. Bare in mind that the Olovaha is the worst ferry and the slowest and you proberbly want to catch the Pulupaki instead. Pulupaki is more expensive, but worth the money for its "speed" (about 10 miles an hour!) Pulupaki costs T$78 each way Tongatapu-Vava'u. I'm not sure the price to Ha'apai but i guess its around T$50 (you can read my thoughts on the ferrys on THIS THREAD)

If you do go to 'Eua anyway you need atleast 2 whole days plus add a day if you will be there on sunday or if you want to spend a day whale watching (no whale swimming in 'Eua). The ferry to 'Eua is really crappy - much worse than the Pulupaki. If you catch it be aware of the following
1) it returns at 5am only, which means a very early start to get there in time.
2) On the return you buy your ticket when you get back to Nuku'alofa before disembarking, which is only an issue becaue they have to handwrite everyones tickets! so try and be one of the 1st off the boat or you will be waiting an hour!
3) You do NOT want to need the toilet on that ferry!
4) Inside is stuffy, the seats are uncomfortable benches, its crowded, windows can't be seen out of and if the sea is rough they need to be closed or your will get wet. People will be spewing if its rough. Basically, IMO you are better off sitting on the roof. BUT if its rough you will get wet on the roof. But i think its preferable to being inside when its rough! So put your stuff inside and only have your most important stuff on you (tied in plastic bags to keep it dry) and go sit on the roof.
The price is T$25 each way.

If you want to swim with whales, allow a week in vava'u for that. I was there for 8 days and only was able to sucessfully swim with whales on the day we left! If you get bad weather you just have to wait. Also boats can be fully booked - usually to private groups and photographers. I'd suggest doing research on different companies before you get there as once you get there it can be hard to find information and compare opperators. Different opperators have different types of boats (slow/fast big/small), different prices T$180-250, different inclusions (eg lunch) and deals (eg 3rd day 1/2 price or 2nd day free if no whale swimming). I'd suggest booking in on a few different boats on different days.

I'd say spend 1/2 your time in vava'u, 1/4 in tongatapu and 1/4 in ha'apai. In your short time frame i would sugest a combination of ferry and flying, proberbly ferry to ha'apai then fly to vava'u and then fly back to tongatapu.

Staying in 1 place in Tongatapu is fine, especially if its Tonis as his transport is excellent and cheap. In Vava'u i'd suggest staying in 1 place in or walking distance to the main town. There are plenty of taxis in vava'u - they are not to expensive - you only need them if you want to go somewhere out of town, which you might not even need to do. Ha'apai i have not visited but i met many people who did and they seemed to usually choose to stay in 2 places while there, one in town and then a couple of nights on a secluded beach or island, then back to town. I don't know how you get around there.

Hope that helps, I could suggest more ideas if i knew what dates you were in Tonga.

Get out of Tongatapu as soon as possible and go to Ha'apai and Vava'u. Ha'apai is the best all around experience you can have in Tonga. It has the best beaches, it's the quietest, and culture is all around you. No luxuries though if that's what you want. Eua is nice too for hiking and exploring, but no good beaches really.