Good places to stay in Nuku'alofa

Finding a place to stay in Nukualofa is usually not a problem since there are a number to chose from. There are some really cheap options to stay but they can be miserable. One category up are also a couple of options.

I stayed at the “Nerima Lodge” (48 Pa'anga per night) for a couple of days at the beginning and at the end of my stay in Tonga. I found it to be a really nice place and an excellent hit compared to what you get offered and the price of the rooms. The place is centrally located, about 10 minutes on foot to to “Friends Cafe” in the very center of Nukualofa, (other restaurants and small shops are closer by). Naoko, the Japanese/Tongan owner arranged my trip to the islands and was very helpful with recommending local restaurants (I can't forget that Chinese one”). She cooks you a free Japanese (miso soup, fish, rice, etc.) or Western-style Breakfast (bacon and eggs, sandwiches, etc), and the best thing is the “FREE Internet” on her fast laptop (!) which you can also use with your own computer (over Wifi) in case you bring one. Apart from that Naoko” Lodge offers all of the following too:

Pleasant bright, clean rooms with ceiling fans (from $48 for a single and $75 for a double).
Guest sitting area to hang out on second floor with a balcony and a fully functional kitchen.
Downstairs TV with BBC, Australian news, soaps, and movies on during most of the day.
Bookshelf with Japanese and Western titles, travel guides etc.
She organizes cheap airport transfers.
Washer and dryer(!) which can be really helpful in rainy Tonga
Mobile phone for free in case you really need one
Free Snorkeling gear and beach towels
If interested, Naoko also takes you to church services, and/or any other local event

I would love to hear other options from you readers as well, so that this thread would be helpful for future visitors to Tonga.

I had also heard some good things on the Lodge during my visits, but this entry really does sound like an advertisement!?

Anyway, have you been to Tonga recently? What's Nuku'alofa like at the moment, how is all the reconstruction going? When I was there last, there was a lot of talk about it, but nothing firm!

S. Hunt

Hi sthunt

Sorry it sounded that way. But although I really enjoyed my stay there, I haven't read anything on the Lodge in LP, so I decided to share my experience.

As for Tonga, I enjoyed strolling in and around the market, visiting Billfish, taking Toni's tour, etc. People told me that they were glad that the market is now back in the center of the town. I tried to go to a new Thai (?) restaurant near the wharf, but it was booked out for a special function. Friends Cafe was always full of tourists.

While I was in Tonga, I heard that the Tongan government is trying to get a 200 million dollars loan from China to begin the reconstruction. But nothing seemed to be happening yet, except more shops and restaurants were newly opened and/or re-opened.

For anyone going to visit Ha'apai, especially to Uoleva, make sure things are back to normal at the Captain Cook Resort. The owner of the Captain Cook Resort has been away, and I got sort of stuck while his family members had dispute over who to run the Resort and who to manage the money. They couldn't serve me any meal. I was glad that I brought some snack with me. The island itself was really beautiful, though.

" Friends Café was always full of tourists"

Please Note-Just because they are white people doesn't mean they are 'tourists'.

Many regulars @ Friends Café are in fact aid workers/ex pats of all stripes and have long associations with Tonga.

Friends plays an important part in the social scene of many of these people and provides valuable services to visitors-it's a gem of a place run by some very fine people.-Highly Recommended

Thanks for the post about Nerima-here's the Website

hey all,

thanks for the postings..I'm going to tonga in sept. and also noticed a lack of info on places to stay in Nuku'alofa that are decent.

What has anyone heard about Toni's. The rooms look really good on the website, but i recently read a review that really dissed the place. It's dirt cheap, but i'm wondering if the price fits the place...

I've 3 nights in Nuku'alofa and would like to be able to get around easily from where I stay.

Thanks!