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Tonga is one of the few countries in the world where you can enjoy the crazy experience of swimming with humpback whales. The Vava’u archipelago is the prime spot for this activity, due to its position on the migration route, and the warmth and calm of its water, which make it perfect for calving. A handful of licensed operators organize daily tours for $120-200, which include 4-6 hours of boat riding, spotting whales, getting in the water with them, and even hearing them sing. The price is steep, but probably worth it for a once in a lifetime opportunity, plus it includes a mandatory local guide and a feeling of it not being massified. The whales usually hang out in pods of 2 or 3, either an adult pair, or a mother, her calve and an escort. These pods are not only the cutest, but also the most fun to encounter, because the curiosity of the baby whales drives them to approach the swimmers rather than escape.
Continue reading “The best place to swim with whales in Tonga… if you’re lucky”
During our stay in the island of Eue’iki, we not only enjoyed its paradisaical isolation, we also got a taste of Tongan tradition. Sunday is a very important day for Tongans, who are devoted Christians; they abstain from working (for real, they don’t even have flights), and families get together and attend church. Our host Veronica organizes a “Culture Day”, where guests visit the neighboring island of Taunga for several activities… and there we went.
How did we end up in this little piece of heaven? Eue’iki is a private island in the Tongan archipelago of Vava’u, home to the Treasure Island Eco Resort. A few days back, when we were wrapping up our time in French Polynesia, we started looking into places to spend the last days of our round-the-world trip, and we stumbled upon this one. We booked it without expecting much and we got lucky: it is as close to paradise as it gets.
What an epic day! What a fascinating country! We arrived at Fua’amoto international airport at noon, without knowing what awaited us in this mysterious country called Tonga. It was definitely one of the most off-the-beaten path places we had ever visited, and we barely knew a few things about it. We quickly went over it in our heads: Tonga, an archipelago of over 170 islands. Population around 100,000, 70% of which live in the main island, Tongatapu, with about 20,000 in the capital, Nuku’alofa. Ancient masters of the seas, the only Polynesian nation that has never been colonized, and now a Christian kingdom. Rather poor, with high dependence on remittances from its numerous immigrants. Safe, though the last time it was on the news was for the 2005 riots against the government. Great at rugby. And that was pretty much all.
Continue reading “Exploring the wonders of Tongatapu on our own”
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Continue reading “Destination guide – French Polynesia”
After a fantastic introduction to Polynesian landscapes in Tahiti, Moorea and Huahine, and before culminating our trip in Bora Bora, we spent a couple of days in the central Society Islands of Tahaa and Raiatea. These two islands are ‘connected’, encircled by the same reef and lagoon, and are probably the most sailed area of the South Pacific Ocean.
Continue reading “Tahaa and Raiatea, the South Pacific sailing hub”
The 12 hour overnight leg from Moorea to Huahine was a test of our sailing capabilities. To be honest, it was easier than I expected, considering that none of us had sailed at night nor done anything different from ‘line of sight sailing’ (where you can see where you’re heading), before preparing for this trip. We weighed anchor from Moorea’s Opunohu Bay right before sunset, to be sure to cross the reef with enough visibility. Once in open ocean, the night fell quickly, and the pitch darkness was only broken by the position lights of our catamaran and the handful of other sailboats doing the same passage. Our skippers, Erica, Brett and Trey seemed to have everything under control, and we organized double shifts to keep them awake and in good company. We took it slow, and arrived in Huahine when the sun was up, again to find the reef opening safely.
After spending our first night on the boat at the marina in Tahiti, it was time to set sail. Moorea was a mere 3 hours away on low winds, and its shape as we approached was glorious. The steep green peaks rising over the calmed deep blue waters of Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay were a sight I won’t forget. We anchored at Opunohu and jumped on our dinghy to get to the motus (small islets formed on the reef) off Hauru Point.
We landed in Tahiti at dawn. 11 friends from business school about to sail the South Pacific, explore the legendary Society Islands of French Polynesia: Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Tahaa, Raiatea and Bora Bora. Since we were not embarking until later that evening, some of us decided to rent a car and check out the main island. This is the most common activity in Tahiti, with numerous companies offering the “circle island tour” and a few offering the “inland safari”. The difference being that to explore the interior, you need a 4WD… and that’s what we went with.
Bona Travels 