I have arrived to somewhere hidden, somewhere ancient, somewhere confusing. Could distant isolated Tonga hold a clue to the secret ?
A week in the Kingdom of Tonga. I’m on another adventure.
Tonga is located deep deep in the South Pacific. Hard to find on a map…
And to some, the center of Polynesian culture.. And most certainly; 1200 years ago,, Tonga was the Empire of the South Pacific.. Controlling the entire region using outrigger canoes .. collecting taxes, conquering islands … almost impossible to conceive.
I will be contemplating my experience in Tonga long after this blog. It’s one of the strangest destinations ever. My Tonga visit had its ups and downs. I’ll do my best to share them.
The Kingdom is difficult to reach. Weekly flights from NZ or Australia or Fiji are the only reliable option… I enter thru NZ.
For my exit,,it’s a whole different story … I track down a back-door.. Almost zero people use this back-door . It’s travel on the Wild side. Talofa airlines.
A small 10 seat prop plane that connects Tonga to American Samoa…once a week flights – don’t miss you plane !! and WOW!! my exit flight was wild.. just 3 passengers, with amazing views of the South Pacific, and unique immigration experience. My exit flight is an entire story in itself.. I won’t forget it. A Twin Commander 390 adventure !
Back to my Tonga Blog:: On arrival to Tonga ,,, I head to an ATM – get some Tongan TOP cash. Find a taxi driver to transfer me to my hotel. $70 TOP (about $35US). I’m in Tonga. So-far so-good.
First discovery about Tonga.. tourists ONLY come during Whale season. Between July/August/Sept .. Humpback Wales migrate and calf in these South Pacific waters. Tourists come to see and snorkel with them.
So.. per my normal. I’m an outlier. I’m a Scuba diver in Tonga out of Season. Not cool.
I contacted all dive operators on the main Tongan island; Tongatapu… and the northern out islands of Vava’u, and even a third island group .... I lost track…
ALL dive operators said, no thank you Mr. Scuba Diver. Not interested in your business and money. Come back in Whale season.
Holy Crap!!! I’m in the gorgeous South Pacific, with a million dive reefs all around ..… and no-one will take me out. I never even find a snorkeling option!!! Their best asset… the ocean is un-used by tourists…almost the entire year. WTF!! That is crazy. They are closed for 9-months/year. ?? How can they survive? The lack of diving options change my Tonga plan.. I skipped my island hopping plan and just visit Tongatapu,,the capital and main central Tongan island.
Although I don’t dive here … I do love learning more of Polynesian culture. Kingdom of Tonga version. A few observations.
- The shape of many buildings roof tops is rounded – interesting architectural design.
- Yet, I never see Samoan styled pavilions.
- Traditional clothing for men and woman are often a Sarong, with a Ta’ovala wrapped around their waist – it’s a woven mat and signifies rank and social standing. Everyone loves ‘Hawaiian’ colorful printed shirts.
- I never see any bicycles or motor bikes … I don’t understand why?... gas is expensive.. and bikes are cheap. Is it cultural?
- They have a class structure and royalty (the Nobles).. a King.
- Tonga has hundreds of small Christian churches.
- It always felt safe… but they had tons of ‘wild’ dogs about, so you had to be careful of them…
- All the hotels are 2 star.. or maybe 2.5 star on Tongtapua where I stayed.. maybe the options on Vavu are better..(I would hope?)
- They love Rugby.
**
The highlight of my week visit to Tonga was a fantastic Rugby match. Actually, it was so good it made up for no diving. Rugby rocks !!!
Moana Pasifika v. Dunedin Highlanders (from NZ). The first ever Super Rugby match in Tonga. 5k local Tongan’s, waving flags, cheering. It was outstanding!!!
The Highlanders won (28-17), but the match was close and exciting. In a pouring rain, the HS band played,,and Tongan cheerleaders danced. This is a once in a life time experience.
My ‘hotel’ in Tonga isn’t a true hotel; it is more of a ‘guest house’…. I stay at ‘Ataonga Residence. It’s a house with bedrooms. I must pay in Tongan Cash $TOP).. requiring multiple trips to the ATM to collect a huge bundle of TOP bills to pay for my room.. (about $185US/night ..for … $2400 TOP total)
But on the positive side,, the hotel location is perfect. Across from the Royal Palace – King Tupou IV’s home on Tonga… (he lives in NZ … another story).
The ‘guest house’ is in the CBD, near all the restaurants and market.. I have picked a convenient location.. but the ‘guest house’ was a difficult stay.. then-again,,, I think everywhere in Tonga is like that.
Life on the road, get used to it Bruce.
I would try staying at Little Italy, or the Waterfront Lodge if I visit again.
Better yet,, maybe skip/transit Tongatapu, and try for a resort experience on Vavu … but not unless its Whale season!!! Tongan Lesson #101
Travel to Tonga always includes a stop in Tongatapu ... it’s the international airport (TBU) and capital island,,and its largest.
So… if you ever stop in Tongatapu --- Try coffee and breakfast at Coffee Post or Friends. And dinner at TOP restaurant or the Waterfront Lodge restaurant.
The best part of my guest house experience was meeting three wonderful guests. 2 from Australia, and another from NZ. They are working for the UN, on a 2 week assignment; working on the Tongan government budget. Helping allocate international funds and foreign aid packages. Budget planning.
I explore main the island of Tongatapu each day. Walking downtown Nuku’alofa .. it takes a me few tries to pronounce words with apostrophes in the middle. 😊
Not-much to see in Nuku’alofa. This is a small city on a small island. Tons of boarded up homes on dirt roads. Dogs running in packs (be careful), and pigs. Very few fishing boats - thought that was strange,, ,a mid-sized cargo wharf. And one closed Dive shop.
But Also ,,, plenty of big well constructed government buildings and banks.
All other structures are typically unmaintained wreaks or shanty houses. That part of Tonga I expected.. It's a small poor nation. It reminds me a-bit of Honiara, Soloman islands - but smaller. No significate hotels on this island. Even most of the churches are falling apart.. Nuku’alofa is the main town and capital of Tonga; there are well paved roads to the airport and for 2-3 blocks downtown along the Pacific … but almost everything outside this strip is dirt road..
Tonga is a very very strongly Christian country.. (so the crumbling Churches seem a surprise.) Even their National constitution and their flag are based upon Christianity and the Bible. Strangely, their flag looks like Switzerland's.
Be aware !! Everything closes on Sunday.. I make a trip to the Local vegetable Market and bought bananas.. and to the Grocery store for water and a few snacks, and a coffee shop for a muffin.. My Sunday food.
One interesting, and positive experience here - was meeting a member of the Tongan Parliament.. getting to talk with him for over an hour over coffee. Such a thing would be impossible in the US.. Here in Tonga .. there aren’t layers and layers of bureaucracy.. it’s a tiny country… so different than home. Another night out at dinner, at he next table has second Parliament member.. Just another day in Tonga. That was cool.
I don’t discover any secrets here ... but, my Tonga visit does fill in some blanks,,another small clue. I now believe .... that for me;; Western Samoa feels more ‘Polynesian’ than any Pacific Island .. (and I've visited them) .... now including Tonga. I think Tongan culture pulls from Samoan more than the reverse.
Visiting Tonga did help fill-in my thoughts about Polynesians history. Tonga's South Pacific location,, central to an empire and thinking about their sailing / canoe technology,,,makes the inter-island travel from here seem slightly more possible. It will always be amazing ... How a Polynesian empire could have ever flourished.
**
One last highlight from the Kingdom of Tonga… I join a casual island tour … driving the entire island ... arranged by my UN friends.. (I am grateful..thank you Australia).
The island tour included:
- The most northern point and the Abel Tasmin memorial. This Dutch explorer discovered Tonga in 1643.
- Seeing Tsunami devastation. This area of Tonga was hit by the 2022 Hungu Volcano eruption and the resulting tsunami… completely flooding. They are still recovering, rebuilding and relocating.
- The Captain Cook’s landing site – 1777
- Ha’amonga – an ancient Stonehenge from the Tongan empire
- Anahula Cave – a scary cave to a dark pool.
- Mapu ‘a Vaea Blow Holes – best thing of the day, powerful Pacific!
- Tsunami Rock – the largest in the world.. huge
**
My thoughts below, about Tonga are just guesses – personal opinions. I’m confused by this country, confused by everything here in the Kingdom of Tonga.
I am told, that 95% of the National budget is from Foreign aid…. Only 5% organic GDP. How can capitalism succeed here ? it’s impossible.
I am told that there are more Tongans living in NZ than in Tonga. (100k v 90k) People are being drained from Tonga. Slowing being replaced by Chinese. The Chinese run all the convenience stores and several restaurants.
I am told that many-many people in Tonga survive on remittance monies from their relatives living/working in NZ. No regular welfare monies are provided by the government ...(as best I can determine). Pensions for those over 70, are $100 US per month.. Normal grocery products are very very expensive here.. $100 doesn’t go far. Everything is imported. Only a few farm crops, and pigs are available to eat there. NO manufacturing, NO exports that I could find.
All this, while the Banks and Government buildings thrive.
The King and his Noble clan may thrive. Money flows in/out. I have no way of knowing,,but it leads me to speculate that wide-spread mis-use of Tongan resources is a way of life here. All with international help and approval.
US, Japan, China, NZ, Australia all have signs in front of various buildings… they are sponsors. …. But how is this helping the people? How is this creating jobs ? How is this helping build a tourism industry ? None of this adds up.
The Chinese have fishing rights from the Kingdom of Tonga.
Something is ‘wrong’ with the Tongan economic picture… To me, this doesn’t look like Humanitarian aid,, who is benefiting from this,,,,it looks to me like someone is taking advantage of the people, cash-flow, and laundering….
But what do I know? Nothing. I’m just a Scuba Diver out of season.
Comments