Tonga Report Feb 3-Feb 24 '07

Inside.....

Tongatapu-worth a day and that's about it-take an Island tour/check your email and head somewhere else

Joes Friendly Island Tours-very well run operation very fair minded rates excellent reputation even among other tour operators.
676-15-276

Ali Baba's Guesthouse-centrally located well run owner smokes indoors and breakfast is scanty.

Friends Restaurant/Internet/Visitors Info-very well organised restaurant with a talented kitchen and personable efficient service very popular with visitors and locals alike-a true gem in downtown Nukualofa.The attached Visitors info/Internet is a great idea and very handy.

Chinese Restaurant across the road from the Chinese Embassy-clown show run by cretins-a true dump.

Fish and Chip Shop-new F&C on the Harbour in Nukualofa, delicious fish done with a light deft touch, a must visit.

Billfish Bar-nothing special an altogether underwhelming place.

Fua'Amoto Transit Lounge-another sterling operation very handy to the airport.Day room or overnight no better choice clean comfortable rooms excellent meals charming urbane hosts.6763518 ftl_reservations@hotmail.com

Airlines Tonga Air Fiji -a clown show non-pareil.They did buy me breakfast after an aborted flight to Vava'u was grounded in Hapa'i by a passing (and frightening) tropical low.However when an Airline is not only chronically late, but also changes scheduled takeoff times at will and even leaves early (!) you know you're dealing with idiots and fools.I use those harsh words with confidence having travelled on small planes for decades-watch these people like a hawk and trust nothing they say-they are completely unreliable.

Air Pacific-another joke-sold me a ticket for a flight that had been canceled for months-thus stranding me on Tongatapu for 2 additional days-then after some prodding put me up in a guesthouse (unmentioned) that reeked of garbage fires.

International Dateline Hotel-as bad as everyone says but handy if you need a room with some chilled air to breathe.

Vava'u-Very scenic island with all kinds of things to do/services on offer for the visitor an outstanding travel destination IMO.

Adventure Backpackers-this stalwart operation with it's central location is a cut above the usual 'hostel'.Efficient friendly and knowledgeable Staff make this place a first choice on an Island with all kinds of budget options.Clean and commodious as well as convenient.

Vava'u Scooters & Snorkels-renting a scooter from these guys is a great way to see the Island, get of the beaten track and have a look at the other villages.Again friendly efficient with fair rates and well maintained scooters easy/fun to ride.

CocoNet Internet Café-Internet, laundry, skiff rental they do it all with flair, renting a small power boat from these folks is a way to have a look around on the water and enjoy a different perspective on your own-highly recommended.

Bounty Bar-bit of a dive but quite popular.

Compass Rose Bar & Grill-best Chef on the Island-run by Canadians so you know it must be good(!).

Vela Restaurant-best Pizza in the country plus a pretty waitress with fabulous gold teeth!

Vegetable Market-located on the waterfront this place is a fabulous bargain and has some unique and reasonably priced handicrafts as well.Check for Vava'u Vanilla.

Ikapuna Store-Best tackle store in the entire South Pacific-very well stocked and run by friendly competent staff.

Lighthouse Café and Austrian Bakery-without a doubt the best bread on the Island, some of the best I've ever eaten anywhere.6 days a week I ate fresh warm baguette for breakfast from this place and couldn't be happier-a must try.

Catholic Church Service-yes after decades 'adrift in the aether' the old pagan returns to his roots(!).Venturing forth to hear the choir I found a warm welcoming service full of low key sincere people, an experience quite unlike any other.The Church was packed must have been 300 if not 400 people on a sweltering Sunday in summer, the singing was otherworldly the high notes making my head ring.

Tropical Tease Tee Shirts-high quality operation-such fabulous designs I bought 9 tee shirts!

Overall impressions

As mentioned on another Board Tonga is a bizarre little place quite unlike any other.The stresses of the modern world result in a remittance economy and the challenges facing a Monarchy in a modern world result in some truly unique political situations.

The people I found to be low key friendly and sincere-the stresses that I mention are ever present in their lives and the enforced separations so common everywhere in Tonga take a toll-people aren't sad so much as resigned.

Food-well the ingredients for outstanding cuisine are there all that's needed is the talent to combine them and the drive to overcome decades of culinary oblivion.There are signs that people are taking an interest in what they eat-some of them anyway.

Service-unlike many travellers who whinge about slow service in Tonga I found service in restaurants/hotels/shops to be fine, always friendly and if things move a little slowly at times well you're in the tropics nothing happens quickly except cyclones.

Tongan women-Vava'u in particular has some of the most gorgeous women you'll ever meet.Combine that regal carriage with long black hair, gorgeous skin and a gold tooth and we have the makings of new beginnings!Tongan women are often very much 'in charge', no nonsense types not overbearing (well not usually) but accustomed to doing things their way-smart Palangis take note!

The combination of non-stop religious preaching with regular public drunkenness is at first odd and often unsettling-I prefer a middle way m'self.

The oft asked question-would I return?Well I was there to fish and fishing was abysmal-the whole of the South Pacific is hit hard by over harvesting from what I've seen.If flights from Nadi become easily available maybe, there's a lot of places to fish on the planet.

Note-I meant if flights from Nadi-direct-Vava'u are easily available.

Photos won't be up for a few weeks yet will post when/where they are.

Here's a teaser

Thanks for posting your report. I've copied it for future reference.

You might want to consider Fakarava in French Polynesia for fishing.

Good report. I cant be bothered copying though....but...why not put this in the FAQs for future reference?

"why not put this in the FAQs for future reference? "
Because it's a time sensitive report-in 2 years much of the info I've posted will be quite dated-businesses change their ownership/MO all the time-and much of what I've written is about what businesses I used.
BTW-Coconets is For Sale-the best bargain in the South Pacific IMO

Hi,

In case you check back to this link, could I ask you whether the Treetops Hostel (hope I remember the name correctly) still exists in Vava'u?

We were last there way....WAY!...back in 1991 and may be able to make a repeat visit soon. Am looking into accomodation alternatives.

Place seems to have changed considerably since then......

Thanks for any assistance you may be able to render,

Cheeseburger

Never saw/heard of Treetops.

Lots of Businesses for Sale in the area-some just abandoned.

Nah, you wouldn't have seen the Treetops. That's because I meant the Hilltop Guesthouse (seens it spoken of as a 'hotel' on some sites.).

Told you it was WAAAAY back since we were there.......

Memory failed me.

Was owned by a Swiss guy back then. Name of Andy. Former Swiss Guard at the Vatican I believe.

Oh well...thanks for stirring up the greay matter anyway. Cheers....

Yeah Hilltop is still there and it's For Sale as well.

Rather more upscale now.

Upscale sounds like an understatement!!

Been doing a bit more research and found that the place has an internet site. Positively plush by Tongan standards circa 1991! :-) With prices to boot.
Not a backpackers place anymore. I guess no waking up in the middle of the night bewildered by a strange noise that turned out to be pigs ripping up shrubs, chewing and swallowing them just inches from our heads on the other side of the asbestos wall. No tripping up over those same pigs as we made our way to our rooms at night.

More info to be weeded out in coming weeks but I'm getting an uneasy feeling that Vava'u - and Tonga in general - is not the largely (and thankfully) overlooked paradise it seemed to us 15 years ago.

Not meaning to sound like someone who begrudges people technological, economic and infrastructure development but Vava'u back then.......Handful of places to stay back then. Even less 'restaurants'. No whale watching 'tours'. No places selling T-shirts. Few dedicated yachties making use of the harbour. Even fewer travellers. Amazing bananas and pineapples at the market. Everyone...but EVERYONE....smiling at you and saying 'hello'. Children playfully shouting 'palangi' as we passed by their village. Pure bliss.

You've just returned from there. In your opinion, just how far removed in present day Vava'u from what I experienced?

"In your opinion, just how far removed in present day Vava'u from what I experienced? "
Outside of a 3 block area in 'downtown' Neiafu not removed at all.
Family life reigns supreme, Sundays start Saturday afternoon and life is slow.
No doubt it's somewhat busier 'in season' but the plane only has so many seats after all-note that while Hilltop has gone upscale it's also quite empty for Nov., Dec., Jan., and Feb-I had Backpackers to myself many many nights.
Pics are about 40% done-when I post the link you'll see what I mean.

Click Here for many many many pics of Tongatapu and especially Vava'u
You'll need to open one of the albums to see the pics-the slideshow feature is recommended.

you're killing us here! :-)

On the one hand, we really can't wait to go (esp. Vava'u and Ha'apai). On the other hand, I see too much bitchument on the roads, too many cars (roadworthy cars at that! :-) and too many 'services' on offer...............

Hope you check back on these pages in the future.
After more thorough research I'll doubtless have some questions and would appreciate any help from those who have recently visited.

Many thanks for the photos!

If you're at all concerned about 'overdevelopment' consider a trip to Niuatoputapu