Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Niuafo'ou?

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Tonga

Anyone who has been to Niuafo'ou? Any kind of information would be helpful.
Ingvar

Hello,

My information is rather outdated. I visited Niuafo'ou in 1999; that time there was weekly flight from Tongatapu and Vava'u operated by Royal Tongan Airlines (I was very lucky, because a year before there was only one flight every 2 weeks). There was no formal accommodation but it was possible to stay with people in the main village. The landscape is exceptional: huge crater lake with small islands, lava fields. If you have any chance to visit, don't hesitate to go!

Mike

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Thanks, Mike. Yes, from the very little information I had the island looked quite interesting, but it's good to hear from someone who has been there. Did you arrange accomodation in advance or could it be done on the spot? What is it necessary to carry there. If you stay in a family I guess it's good behaviour to help with food.
After more than two weeks you were the first to answer, so the place does not seem to suffer from mass tourism!
Ingvar

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Hi Ingvar,

We didn't arrange any accommodation in advance. I was with my girlfriend, we had a tent, and our plan was to camp at the lake. We have taken food from Vava'u for one week. During the flight we were invited by local man to stay with his family. I am sure it is possible to arrange accommodation on the spot, people there were very friendly.
That time there were no tourists at all on Niuafo'ou, we only met two young Americans from Peace Corps working there. It was the first year with frequent (weekly) flights to Niuafo'ou, so maybe a few travellers had the chance to visit the island before the Royal Tongan Airlines went bancrupt. Do you know what is the situation with flights now?
Mike

3

It seems that Air Fiji now flies every Thursday from Tongatapu through Vava U. Ours is a longterm planning and it will take a couple of years before we can leave for the South Pacific. After your response Niuafo'ou will have high priority.
Ingvar

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LisaKata. I cannot reply to your personal message, since LP says that you do not wish to receive such messages. I would like to contact you. Can you provide me with an e mail address?

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