August in Tonga - 1 month Advice

Hi,

Me and my partner are looking to spend August in Tonga. We have decided to find just one place for the month to relax and enjoy the area. We are deciding between Vava'u and Ha'apai. We are outdoor people and would obviously do the whale snorkeling and probably diving, but are interested in some free things too, offshore snorkeling (very important), treking, exploring etc. We have a couple questions about the areas:

which area is best for the above mentioned activities?
does anyone know any companies/real estate/individuals that offer long term stays in either area, we are looking for somewhat budget, but would like to be self sufficient with kitchen?
we are both teachers and would like to maybe volunteer in a relatively informal way if possible. if thats not an option, are there any other informal volunteering opportunities available, tours, building, etc?
am i correct that we have a month long visa for tourists?
can you rent scooters for long term or are bikes sufficient?

thanks for the help. any extra information, websites, tips or anything would be greatly appreciated

Vs

A few miscellaneous answers

With a month consider a week on Ha'api and somewhere in Vava'u-it's easy to fly from one to the other-ferry not recommended.

Choose very carefully when considering offshore snorkeling in the Vava'u archipelago-currents are very strong.

low key Tongan guesthouse in Neiafu

Dolphin Diving treated me very well when I was there

There's a scooter rental place right in downtown Neiafu-bike rentals are widely available as well.

Hi there,

you can do pretty much all of the activities in Vava'u and Ha'apai. Difference is Vava'u gets a lot more tourists, it has more bars, restaurants and watersports e.g. whale watch operators. Ha'apai is very laid back and traditional (they call it the Tonga of the past) and less crowded. There's only two whale watch operators, which means there's no queueing up for the whales.

Off-shore snorkeling is not going to be free in most places. Like you say, it is "off-shore", meaning that you will have to get on a boat or hire a kayak or something like that. In Ha'apai there are no scooters for rent, but bikes can be hired and are sufficient to get around. Renting a house is not really an option here, but there are a handful of very affordable guesthouses and most of them allow kitchen use for a small fee. For a long-term stay like yours I am sure you can also negotiate a discount.

Ha'apai is very flat, so hiking is not really possible here, I'd rather call it bushwalks :o) However, 'Eua, close to Tongatapu is very good for hiking and caving and you could spend a few days there at the end of your trip.

The teaching volunteering could probably be arranged. There are American Peace Corps volunteers teaching at some schools here and if you want to get in touch with them upon your arrival, I am sure they can have a chat with their principals and sort something out.

The visitors visa is valid for 31 days.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions.

Thanks for all the help so far. #1, we are planning just to stay in one place for the majority of time, but thanks for the guesthouse and current info. #2, thanks for the info on Ha'apai. By offshore snorkelling i meant are there any reefs to be found in and around the main island, either one, that can be gotten to by swimming from shore.

thanks again

Which 'main island' ?

If you mean Utungake Island-the main island in the Vava'u archipelago-the short answer is no.

The north end is very rough (although on a rare calm day you'd have the place to yourself).

The west side much much too far to swim although I had good snorkeling by renting a skiff in town and heading out on my own toward Hunga Island.Anchoring a skiff was an issue though due to aforementioned currents and the tide swing.Longomepu might put you close enough to the outside but you'd need a scooter-or rather two scooters-to access the place depending where you're staying.

The east side of Utungake I'm not really sure since I drove through a few times but didn't stop much to fish or snorkel but I know someone who does know-Kurt from Talihau Beach who does fishing tours out that way.

The south end would be fabulous if the wind ever stopped blowing-boat access only though.

Have you had a close look @ google maps of Vava'u?It would show you what you're dealing with the place is quite spread out.

Off Ha'apai's main island Lifuka there are a few good snorkelling reefs that you can reach swimming. Visiting some of them is subject to the tides since at low tide it is just too shallow to swim over them and just like #1 said, also in Ha'apai the western side is really beautiful, but often too dangerous to go out due to currents and other obstacles. There is good snorkeling of the beach of the neighbouring island Foa that can be reached by car or bike.

It would also be worth spending a few days on Tongatapu before you go to the outer islands as there are a few amazing hidden gems here. I have heard Toni's guest house is quite good and they offer island tours etc. Ha'atafu beach on the West coast of Tongatapu has good snorkelling. Anahulu cave is an amazing limestone cave which had a freshwater pool in the end you can go swimming in.
Also reccommended would be a snorkelling or diving trip out to Malinoa island.
If you come in August the whales will be around so it is definitely worth going out swimming with them.

If you want to bounce around a bit try the new chathams air passes:

http://www.chathamspacific.com/kingdom-pass.html

Ha'apai and Eua on the Turtle Pass might suit your trip idea.