Sun and sand in the South Pacific

We moved on quickly from New Zealand to Tonga, an island kingdom in the South Pacific. Tonga is not a location I would have normally thought to visit, but the flights from NZ were so cheap that we couldn´t pass up the opportunity to thaw out. Additionally, Michiel had never experienced a South Pacific island and since we weren´t sure that we´d return to New Zealand any time in the near future, we decided to go for it.

Tonga is number 19 on this South Pacific map:



It was a lovely two weeks, especially the week we spent with our friend, Tracy, from the ice. We spent the first week on the island group of Vava´u, which is a 50 minute flight from the main island group, Tongatapu. Perhaps another map would be helpful here:



All international flights land on Tongatapu, which doesn´t have much to recommend it. Sadly, the cost of flights from this island to the much more beautiful and less Dengue-fever infected island groups of Vava´u and Ha´apai are about the same as what you pay to get to Tonga from Australia or New Zealand. No matter...we were totally prepared for this as we got plenty of travel advice from ice people who had been there the year prior.

Flights to the outer island groups are made in small propeller planes which are surprisingly comfortable and punctual (unless they aren´t running at all due to maintenance issues). This, by the way, is an excellent way to see Tonga. From above, you get a great sense of how the islands have been formed and a real desire to explore each and every one of these bit of tropical paradise. (You can´t see the mosquitos or the rats from up high, so EVERYTHING looks idyllic.)





Vava´u is known as a yachter´s playground, but as we were there in the cyclone season, we weren´t bothered by the rich and famous. We rented 2 different places for 3 nights each and both provided us with fantastic hosts, good snorkelling, free kayaks and comfortable accommodation in peaceful and beautiful surroundings.

One place was an entire island owned by a Spanish couple who created two little bungalows and a famous paella restaurant. Here we are getting excited about our tapas or was it the red wine after a day of swimming and snorkelling that made us look so radiantly happy?



Tracy was an incredible travel companion and I think she enjoyed the fact that I made all the arrangements and Michiel did all the cooking (when we weren´t dining out). Together, we discovered that geckos are quite fond of tropical drinks and become pretty bold after diving into a glass of rum, pineapple juice, lime, Sprite, and soursop. After a stare-down, this guy attacked a completely startled Tracy.