tonga travel advisory

Skip to main content
Skip to "About this site"

Language selection

Search travel.gc.ca.

Help us to improve our website. Take our survey !

COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

Tonga travel advice

Latest updates: Editorial change

Last updated: August 7, 2024 14:07 ET

Women’s safety

Sexual assaults occur and foreigners have been targeted in the past. Women should avoid walking or jogging alone at night or in the early morning.

Advice for women travellers

Demonstrations

Demonstrations are rare but may occur. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation.

Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
Follow the instructions of local authorities
Monitor local media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Tourist facilities

Basic tourist facilities and services are available in Nuku’alofa but limited elsewhere.

Adventure travel

Tour operators may not adhere to international standards. Regardless of the type of activity, ensure that you are using a reputable and well-established company.

Make sure your travel insurer covers your planned activity.

Water activities

Rescue services may not be consistent with international standards.

Coastal waters can be dangerous. Follow the instructions and warnings of local authorities.

Water safety abroad

Road safety

Driving can be hazardous due to poor road conditions and lack of adequate lighting for night-time driving. Streets in Nuku’alofa and main roads on Tongatapu are paved, but most other roads are not.

Maritime transportation

Ferry accidents can occur due to the overloading and poor maintenance of some vessels. Don’t board vessels that appear overloaded or unseaworthy.

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the Tongan authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Tonga.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

Foreign Representatives in Canada
Canadian passports

Tourist visa: required for stays of up to 30 days Business visa: required for stays of up to 30 days Student visa: required

Tourist visas are issued upon arrival. All other visas must be obtained before arrival.

Other entry requirements

An onward or return ticket and proof of sufficient funds are required to visit Tonga.

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
Zika virus: Advice for travellers - 31 August, 2023
COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary.

Yellow fever is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

Proof of vaccination is not required to enter this country.

Recommendation

Vaccination is not recommended.

* It is important to note that country entry requirements may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus. Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.

The flu occurs worldwide.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to April.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and October.
In the tropics, there is flu activity year round.

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

In this destination, rabies may be present in some wildlife species, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal.

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional.

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who will be working directly with wildlife.

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs.

Travellers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travellers. It is spread from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Risk of developing travellers' diarrhea increases when travelling in regions with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. Practise safe food and water precautions.

The most important treatment for travellers' diarrhea is rehydration (drinking lots of fluids). Carry oral rehydration salts when travelling.

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
Minimize exposure to insects
Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

There is a risk of chikungunya in this country. The level of risk may vary by:

The virus that causes chikungunya is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can cause fever and pain in the joints. In some cases, the joint pain can be severe and last for months or years.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times.

Learn more:

Insect bite and pest prevention Chikungunya

In this country, dengue is a risk to travellers. It is a viral disease spread to humans by mosquito bites.
Dengue can cause flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, which can be fatal.
The level of risk of dengue changes seasonally, and varies from year to year. The level of risk also varies between regions in a country and can depend on the elevation in the region.
Mosquitoes carrying dengue typically bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
Protect yourself from mosquito bites . There is no vaccine or medication that protects against dengue.

Zika virus is a risk in this country.

Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can also be sexually transmitted. Zika virus can cause serious birth defects.

During your trip:

Prevent mosquito bites at all times.
Use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact, particularly if you are pregnant.

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, you should discuss the potential risks of travelling to this destination with your health care provider. You may choose to avoid or postpone travel.

For more information, see Zika virus: Pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

washing your hands often
avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.

Medical services and facilities

Medical facilities are limited. Nuku’alofa and Neiafu have hospitals with emergency facilities.

Medical evacuation, usually to New Zealand or Australia, can be very expensive and you may need it in case of serious illness or injury.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Health and safety outside Canada

If travelling with prescription drugs, carry a letter from your doctor explaining what the medication is for and how much you need to take. You must also carry a copy of the prescription.

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

Offences such as theft and sexual or physical assault may result in corporal punishment.

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences, community work or heavy fines.

Tonga has very strict rules regarding impaired driving. Local authorities conduct random breath testing for alcohol.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

Dress and behaviour

To avoid offending local sensitivities:

dress conservatively
behave discreetly
respect religious and social traditions

Tonga strictly observes the Sabbath. On Sundays, any recreational activities undertaken outside of island resorts may be seen as provocative. Use maximum discretion on Sundays.

2SLGBTQI+ persons

The laws of Tonga prohibit sexual acts between individuals of the same sex.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers should carefully consider the risks of travelling to Tonga.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is legally recognized in Tonga.

If you are a Canadian citizen, but also a citizen of Tonga, our ability to offer you consular services may be limited while you're there. You may also be subject to different entry/exit requirements .

Dual citizens

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and Tonga.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Tonga by an abducting parent:

act as quickly as you can
consult a lawyer in Canada and in Tonga to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children's Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country's judicial affairs.

International Child Abductions: A guide for affected parents
Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
Request emergency assistance

Traffic drives on the left.

You must have a valid visitor’s driver’s licence to drive in Tonga. You can obtain one from the Ministry of Transport in Nuku’alofa.

You should carry an International Driving Permit.

International Driving Permit

The currency of Tonga is the Tongan dollar or pa'anga (TOP).

ATMs are available on Tongatapu, especially in Nuku’alofa. Foreign exchange service may be limited on other islands. You can exchange traveller’s cheques and foreign currency at major banks. Most major hotels, as well as some restaurants and stores, accept credit cards.

Monsoons and cyclones

Cyclones and monsoons are more likely to occur between June and December, but major storms have occurred outside this period. Severe storms can cause flooding and landslides, resulting in significant loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure. They can put you at risk and hamper the provision of essential services. During a cyclone or monsoon, hotel guests may be required to leave accommodations near the shore and move to safety centres inland. Travel to and from outer islands may be disrupted for days.

If you decide to travel to Tonga during cyclone season:

know that you expose yourself to serious safety risks
be prepared to change your travel plans on short notice, including cutting short or cancelling your trip
stay informed of the latest regional weather forecasts
carry emergency contact information for your airline or tour operator
follow the advice and instructions of local authorities
Tornadoes, cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons and monsoons
Weather reports – Fiji Meteorological Service
Tonga Meteorological & Coast Radio Services

Seismic activity

Tonga is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences regular seismic activity.

The underwater volcano Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai erupted on January 15, 2022 resulting in tsunami waves, ash fall, major disruptions to basic services and caused significant damage.

Tonga is prone to tsunamis. A tsunami can occur within minutes of a nearby earthquake. However, the risk of tsunami can remain for several hours following the first tremor.

If you're staying on the coast, in the event of a tsunami warning:

familiarize yourself with the region's evacuation plans
avoid any affected areas
follow the instructions of local authorities
Tsunami Advisories/Warning – Tonga Meteorological Services
Tsunami alerts – U.S. Tsunami Warning System
Earthquakes – What to Do?

Local services

In case of emergency dial:

police: 922
medical assistance: 933
firefighters: 999

Consular assistance

There is no resident Canadian government office in Tonga. You can obtain consular assistance and further consular information from the High Commission of Australia to Tonga, in Nuku’alofa, under the Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement.

Sign up to receive email updates from the Australian government on situations and events that could affect your safety while in Tonga.

Smartraveller - Australian travel advice

American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna

For emergency consular assistance, call the High Commission of Australia to Tonga, in Nuku’alofa, and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

Search Smartraveller

Latest update

Exercise normal safety precautions in Tonga.

Tonga (PDF 721.73 KB)

Pacific (PDF 1.27 MB)

Local emergency contacts

Fire and rescue services, medical emergencies.

Call 911 or go to a hospital.

Call 911, or go to a local police station.

Advice levels

Crime in Tonga is at the same level as expected in Australia and includes robbery, assault, theft and break-ins. Keep doors, windows and gates locked and don't go out alone at night.
Civil unrest is rare, but protests could turn violent. Avoid large public gatherings.
Work continues to improve communications in the outer islands, including the Vava'u and Ha'apai groups, following the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano. Monitor the media for the latest developments and follow the instructions of local authorities.
Tongan beaches can have strong rips and debris from recent disasters that can make swimming dangerous. Ask locals about safe swimming areas.
Between November and April, Tonga is prone to cyclones, but severe storms and flash flooding can happen year-round. Ensure you know your hotel or cruise ship's evacuation plan and locations of shelters in the event of a storm or cyclone.
Tonga also experiences earthquakes which can cause tsunamis if severe enough. Ask your host or hotel about what to do if there's an earthquake. Know the warning signs for tsunamis and immediately move to designated tsunami evacuation sites. Don't wait for official alerts.

Full travel advice: Safety

Insect-borne diseases include dengue and chikungunya. Ensure your accommodation is insect-proof and use insect repellent when outdoors. Tonga has had outbreaks of Zika virus. If you're pregnant, discuss this with your doctor.
Foodborne, waterborne and other infectious diseases include tuberculosis, typhoid and filariasis. Only drink boiled or bottled water and avoid raw or undercooked food. Eating reef fish and shellfish can lead to poisoning from naturally occurring toxins. Get urgent medical help if you suspect poisoning.
Hospital and medical facilities are limited. You may need medical evacuation to Australia or New Zealand for even minor issues. Ensure your travel insurance covers this. Medical evacuation can be expensive and hard to organise.

Full travel advice: Health

Sabbath laws limit Sunday activities and most activities are prohibited unless you're at a resort. Activities such as swimming, playing sport, dancing, listening to loud music, and fishing are illegal on Sundays.
The blood alcohol limit for driving in Tonga is 0.015%. Don't drink and drive.
Sodomy is a criminal offence, punishable with a prison term.
Tonga is a conservative country. Dress modestly and avoid public affection to avoid unwanted attention. Take care not to offend.

Full travel advice: Local laws

Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the High Commission of Tonga for details about visas, currency and customs rules.
International flight services are available to Australia, Fiji and New Zealand. Some domestic flight services may be impacted by aircraft availability. Contact your travel provider for more information.
You can drive on your Australian driver's licence for up to 12 months after arriving in Tonga. After that, you'll need to get a local licence.
The local currency is the Tongan Pa'anga. Exchange Australian dollars at local banks. You can access ATMs on the main island of Tongatapu. Be careful not to expose your PIN and monitor your surroundings when using ATMs.

Full travel advice: Travel

Local contacts

The Consular Services Charter details what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
For consular assistance, contact the Australian High Commission in Nuku'alofa .
To stay up to date with local information, follow the High Commission’s social media accounts.

Full travel advice: Local contacts

Full advice

Tonga has similar rates of violent crime to Australia. Petty crime is common. Crime that might affect security could increase at night.

Crimes may include:

sexual assault
theft

Thieves target electronic equipment such as tablets, mobile phones and other portable electronic devices.

To protect yourself from violent crime always lock doors, windows, gates and vehicles. Don't go out alone at night and try to avoid visiting isolated locations alone, including beaches.

You should remain security aware and be vigilant of your surroundings at all times.

Cyber security

You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you're connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth.

Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media.

More information:

Cyber security when travelling overseas

Civil unrest and political tension

Civil unrest is rare in Tonga, but any public protest or event that draws a large group of people can turn violent.

To protect yourself during periods of unrest:

avoid protests, demonstrations and other large public gatherings
monitor local media for possible unrest
don't visit affected areas

More information:

Demonstrations and civil unrest

Terrorism is a threat worldwide.

Adventure activities

Swimming safety.

Take care when swimming at beaches, especially those with outlying coral reefs. The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami has led to debris in the sand and water. This includes glass, wood, tiles and more. Take extra care when swimming.

Strong rips can occur where there's a break in the reef. This makes it dangerous for swimmers and surfers. People have drowned.

Ask locals about danger spots before swimming.

Tour operators don't always follow safety and maintenance standards. This applies to:

dive companies
adventure tour companies
fishing charters
offshore surfing charters

If you plan to do an adventure activity :

check if your travel insurance policy covers it
don't travel on an overloaded vessel
ask about and insist on minimum safety requirements
always use available safety gear, such as life jackets or seatbelts

If proper safety equipment isn't available, use another provider.

Climate and natural disasters

Home Reef Volcano began erupting on 10 September. The volcano activity poses low risk to residents of Vava’u and Ha’apai Island groups. Mariners are advised to stay at least 5kms from the volcano.

Parts of Tonga are severely impacted by and recovering from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption and tsunami which flooded parts of Tongatapu and other nearby islands in January 2022. Work continues to improve communications in the outer islands, including the Vava'u and Ha'apai groups. Further explosive eruptions could occur in the area. Monitor media for the latest developments and follow the instructions of local authorities. See the Government of Tonga website and Facebook page and monitor local media.

Tsunamis can happen in Tonga. A tsunami can arrive within minutes of a nearby tremor or earthquake.

Being close to the Tonga Trench, strong earthquakes in the region could cause a destructive tsunami to hit within 20 minutes.

To receive tsunami alerts, register with the:

International Tsunami Information Center
Global Disaster Alert and Co-ordination System

If you're near the coast, move to high ground straight away. Do this if local authorities advise so, or if you:

feel a strong earthquake that makes it hard to stand up
feel a weak, rolling earthquake that lasts a minute or more
see a sudden rise or fall in sea level
hear loud and unusual noises from the sea

Don't wait for official warnings, such as alarms or sirens.

Once on high ground, monitor local media and the Tonga Meteorological Service .

Earthquakes

Tonga experiences earthquakes.

Get to know the earthquake safety measures for each place you stay and visit. Ask your hotel or host for advice.

If there's an earthquake:

consider tsunami risks
expect aftershocks and travel delays
reconfirm travel plans with agents and tour operators
National Earthquake Information Centre of the United States Geological Survey

Severe weather

Tonga can experience natural disasters and severe weather , such as cyclones , earthquakes and tsunamis .

During an emergency, the Tongan National Emergency Management Office provides updates on Radio 1 at frequency 1017AM.

If a natural disaster occurs:

secure your passport in a safe, waterproof location
monitor local media and other sources
follow the advice of local authorities
keep in contact with your friends and family

If you're due to arrive after a natural disaster or during cyclone season, ask your tour operator or airline if it affects your travel plans.

Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System

Tropical storms and cyclones

The cyclone season is November to April. However, tropical storms and cyclones can happen throughout the year. This weather can bring on flooding, gale-force winds and disruptions to services.

The direction and strength of cyclones can change suddenly. If there's a cyclone or tropical storm:

you may get stuck in the area
flights could be delayed or suspended
available flights may fill quickly
port access may be affected
there may not be enough shelter available

If a cyclone or tropical storm is approaching:

know the evacuation plan for your hotel or cruise ship
identify your local shelter

Monitor alerts and advice from:

Tonga Meteorological Service
Joint Typhoon Warning Centre
Fiji Meteorological Service
World Meteorological Organisation

Travel insurance

Tonga requires all non-Tongan passport holders to have comprehensive travel insurance .

Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.

If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.

If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.

Physical and mental health

Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

have a basic health check-up
ask if your travel plans may affect your health
plan any vaccinations you need

Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.

If you have immediate concerns for your welfare, or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.

General health advice
Healthy holiday tips (Healthdirect Australia)
Medications

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.

If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Tonga. Take enough legal medication for your trip.

Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:

what the medication is
your required dosage
that it's for personal use

Health risks

Insect-borne diseases.

Insect-borne disease outbreaks occur in Tonga, especially during the wet season. Diseases include:

chikungunya

Mosquitos that carry these diseases are active throughout the day and at night. Mosquito repellent is available at most convenience stores and pharmacies in Tonga.

The Australian Department of Health and Aged Care's bulletin explains how to minimise the risk of Zika virus . There's no vaccination for it.

If you're pregnant, the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care recommends you:

discuss travel plans with your doctor
defer non-essential travel to affected areas

To protect yourself from disease:

make sure your accommodation is insect-proof
use insect repellent
wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing

Get medical advice if you develop a fever, muscle pain, a rash or a bad headache.

Other health risks

Waterborne, foodborne and other infectious diseases are common. These include:

tuberculosis

Serious outbreaks sometimes occur.

To protect yourself from illness:

only drink boiled water or bottled water with sealed lids
avoid ice cubes
avoid raw and undercooked food

Get medical advice if you suspect food poisoning or have a fever or diarrhoea.

Infectious diseases

Fish poisoning

Eating reef fish can result in ciguatera poisoning . Ciguatera is a naturally occurring seafood toxin.

Other risks include:

scombroid (histamine fish poisoning)
toxins in shellfish

Get urgent medical help if you suspect poisoning.

Medical care

Medical facilities.

Hospital and medical facilities are limited, especially in remote island groups.

If you become ill or injured, you may need to be evacuated to Australia or New Zealand, even for minor medical issues. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.

Evacuations on a Sunday are difficult to arrange because the airports don't operate.

There are no decompression chambers in Tonga. People with serious cases of decompression sickness are evacuated to the nearest treatment centre in New Zealand.

Registered dive companies carry basic treatment equipment to meet Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) standards.

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter . But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Sunday activities

Sabbath laws strictly limit Sunday activities including swimming, playing sport, listening to loud music, exercise and fishing. Most businesses are closed except for some resorts and restaurants.

Driving laws

The blood alcohol limit for driving in Tonga is 0.015%.

There are 2 breath tests for blood alcohol readings. The first is a roadside test to see if you have alcohol in your system.

If you test positive for alcohol, you'll be taken to a police station for a second test. If your reading is between 0.025% and 0.04%, police will give you an on-the-spot fine. If your reading is above 0.04%, police will charge you and you'll have to appear in court.

If police catch you outside business hours, they'll likely hold you in a police cell until they can charge you.

Sodomy is a criminal offence. Punishment is a maximum of 10 years in jail.

Advice for LGBTI travellers

Australian laws

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

Staying within the law and respecting customs

Dual citizenship

Tonga recognises dual nationals.

Dual nationals

Local customs

Tonga is a highly religious country (predominantly Christian) as well as an overall conservative country. Take care not to offend.

Dress modestly and avoid public affection to avoid unwanted attention. For example, women can wear bikinis at a resort and males can swim shirtless, but more modest swimwear is recommended at public beaches. Topless bathing is not accepted.

Visas and border measures

Every country or territory decides who can enter or leave through its borders. For specific information about the evidence you'll need to enter a foreign destination, check with the nearest embassy, consulate or immigration department of the destination you're entering.

Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the High Commission of Tonga for details about visas, currency and customs rules.

Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over. If you arrive in Tonga with less than 6 months remaining on your passport you may end up stranded, receive an on the spot fine and have your passport taken until the fine is paid.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

If you want to stay longer or work, you'll need to apply for a visa.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport .

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:

In Australia, contact the Australian Passport Information Service .
If you’re overseas, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate .

Passport with 'X' gender identifier

Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can't guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers.

LGBTI travellers

The local currency is the Tongan Pa'anga (TOP).

Change Australian dollars for TOP at local banks. These include ANZ and Bank South Pacific.

Remote island groups have limited banking services.

The main island of Tongatapu has ATMs, but they don't accept all Australian cards. Ask your bank if your card will work in Tonga.

Credit card fraud and card skimming occurs. Don't expose your PIN when using ATMs. Check your bank statements often.

Local travel

Boat travel.

Local boats can be dangerous because they:

can be overloaded
are poorly maintained
lack life-saving equipment

Operators may not provide life jackets on boats, rafts or kayaks.

Some cruise ships stop in Tonga.

Travelling by boat
Going on a cruise

Driving permit

You can drive on your Australian driver’s licence for up to 12 months after arriving in Tonga. After that, you'll need to get a local licence. To get a licence, contact the Ministry of Infrastructure.

Road travel

Driving in Tonga can be dangerous, especially at night due to:

poor street lighting
low-quality roads
pedestrians and free-roaming animals on roads

Speeding, alcohol and drug-driving cause many road deaths.

Some road rules differ from those in Australia. Be aware that:

if you are turning left, you must give way to vehicles that are turning right
the speed limit in most locations is 50km/h
the blood alcohol limit for driving is 0.015%
if you're caught with alcohol on your breath when driving, you'll be taken for further testing
if you have an accident while not wearing a seatbelt, you may not be covered by travel insurance
Driving or riding

Motorcycles

Always wear a helmet. This applies to a motorbike or motor scooter. Hire companies don't always provide helmets.

If you plan to hire a motorcycle, check your travel insurance covers you.

Only use registered taxis and authorised limousines. Arrange these through your hotel.

Public transport

Limited bus services operate on Tongatapu.

Bus services finish at 5pm and don't run on Sundays.

Petty crime happens on buses. Take care of your belongings.

Transport and getting around safely

Air New Zealand operates daily flights to Tonga. Air Fiji and Qantas operate several flights a week. There are no flights on Sundays.

Domestic aircraft safety and maintenance practices in Tonga may not meet international standards. Some domestic flight services may be disrupted by aircraft availability and other issues. Take this into account when booking your air travel.

Tonga's domestic airline, Lulutai Airline, operates scheduled flights to all island groups.

Limited domestic services can result in:

overbooking
overloading
late changes to scheduling

DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.

Check Tonga's air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network.

Emergencies

Depending on what you need, contact your:

friends and family
travel agent
insurance provider

Call 911 or go to a local police station.

Always get a police report when you report a crime.

Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.

Consular contacts

Check the Consular Services Charter to find out what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

For consular help, contact the Australian High Commission in Nuku'alofa.

Australian High Commission, Nuku'alofa

Salote Road Nuku'alofa, Tonga Phone: (+676) 20 400 Fax: (+676) 23 243 Email: [email protected] Website: tonga.highcommission.gov.au Facebook: Australia in Tonga Twitter: @AustHCTonga

Check the Australian High Commission website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:

+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
1300 555 135 in Australia

Travelling to Tonga?

Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.

Last verified: Tuesday, 13. August 2024 at 08:21 AM

Tonga Travel Advisory

Tonga Travel Advice

Travelling Tonga is (relatively) safe

Local situation: 2.5 / 5.

Travelling Tonga is (relatively) safe. We detected travel advisories from 2 sources for this specific country.

Regional Situation: 2.5 / 5

This country shares no land border with any other country. Thus, the region score is identical to the country risk rating.

Current informationen on Covid-19 in Tonga

There are currently no officially reported cases of infections with SARS-CoV-2 (or Coronavirus) in Tonga. As reported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control this morning (~8:30am CET).

There are currently no officially reported deaths related to this disease in Tonga.

Source: www.ecdc.europa.eu

Advice scoring history for Tonga

Chart of the risk level over that last 200 days. This is the daily calculated travel risk for Tonga.

Chart of the number of sources over that last 200 days. This is the daily number of advisory sources (of any rating) that have been active on that day.

Note: Changes happening on the 28th/29th of July 2019 are related to a change in the software and number of sources processed.

Rating Details (single travel warnings)

These are the individual advisories published by other countries about the destination Tonga from a travellers perspective. The scoring of all messages combined is the foundation for the current rating 2.5 out of 5.0 .

This is the general advisory usually covering the country as a whole.

Advisory issued by: Canada

Source: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/tonga

Advisory issued by: New Zealand

Exercise increased caution in Tonga (level 2 of 4).

Source: https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/tonga

Advisory issued by: United States

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed. Exercise normal precautions in Tonga. Read the Country Information page.

Source: http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/tonga-travel-advisory.html

Individual rating changes for Tonga

This is the recent history of individual changes of travel advices that affected the total asessment of Tonga. Most recent events first.

Changes from August 7th 2020

The total rating for Tonga changed from 3.3 to 4.3 . Here are the influencing details:

The United States government increased their existing warning for Tonga to 4.0 (of 5.0) from the previous rating of 1.0 (by +3.0).

Changes from March 22nd 2020

The total rating for Tonga changed from 3.0 to 3.3 . Here are the influencing details:

The Canadian government issued a new warning for Tonga with a rating of 4.0.

Changes from March 18th 2020

The total rating for Tonga changed from 2.5 to 3.0 . Here are the influencing details:

The Australian government increased their existing warning for Tonga to 5.0 (of 5.0) from the previous rating of 4.0 (by +1.0).

Changes from March 16th 2020

The total rating for Tonga changed from 1.0 to 2.5 . Here are the influencing details:

The Australian government issued a new warning for Tonga with a rating of 4.0.

Changes from September 25th 2019

The total rating for Tonga changed from 0.0 to 0.0 . Here are the influencing details:

The United States government issued a new warning for Tonga with a rating of 1.0.

About Tonga

Tonga with its capital Nuku'alofa is a country in Oceania (Polynesia), four times the size of Washington, DC (748 km²). The country is located Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. The climate can be described as tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December). The landscape is most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base. With a population of about 0.12 million citizens.

Tongan flag

Introduction Video

Basic Statistics and Facts

Environmental problems and natural hazzards.

These are problems Tonga is facing. Environmental issues refer to damages of the nature due to industry and society. Natural hazzards refer to potential dangers originating in nature.

Environmental problems

deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement
overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors

Natural hazzards

cyclones (October to April)
earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua

Top Industries and Agricultural Products

These are the main product industries and agricultural products of Tonga. This list indicates what this country is good at producing.

construction

Agriculture products

sweet potatoes

Tongan Imports and Exports

These are the main product categories of imports and exports to and from Tonga.

Export products

vanilla beans

Import products

transport equipment

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current travel advisory for tonga.

Tonga is currently rated at 2,5 out of a possible 5.0. Collected from 2 official sources. Travelling Tonga is (relatively) safe.

Is it safe to travel Tonga in 2024?

You are good to go, enjoy your trip to Tonga.

How many travel advisories do you know for Tonga?

We currently evaluate 11 official sources each morning. Today, we know of active advisories from 2 individual sources for Tonga.

What is the current Corona virus situation in Tonga?

What is the size of Tonga?

Tonga has a size of 748 km² or 289 mi² which is four times the size of Washington, DC.

Common Frequently Asked Questions

For non-country specific questions, please check our global F.A.Q.

Travel safety map for Tonga.

If you want to embed Tonga travel warning information into your website or application, check out these tools.

Is Tonga safe to travel?
What's the safety situation in Tonga?
Are there security warnings for Tonga?

2020-03-10: Integrated data from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (COVID-19/ SARS-CoV-2/ Coronavirus).

2019-09-01: Added timeline charts for risk level and number of advisories.

2019-07-29: Added two more sources (Finland and Denmark). Affects country ratings.

2019-07-15: South-Sudan was missing and was added today.

2019-05-18: Performance improvements for API users.

2019-03-23: Introduced professional API with more data.

2019-02-13: Added three more sources (Cyprus, Ireland and Malta). Affects country ratings.

Capital Nuku'alofa

Population 103,252

Area 747 km 2

Tonga is a country located in Polynesia. The country has no land neighbors. As for languages, the country’s residents speak English and Tonga .

The national currency in Tonga is Tongan paʻanga (TOP). The hau (T$) is subdivided into 100 seniti (¢).

Tongan Banknotes

T$1 T$2 T$5 T$10 T$20 T$50 T$100

Tongan Coins

5¢ 10¢ 20¢ 50¢ 1¢ 2¢

Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com , Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.

Ookla® Speedtest No data available.

ATM Density The number of ATMs per person in Tonga is close to the world average. 40.51 ATMs per 100,000 people. The global average is 39.49.

SIM Registration You can buy a SIM card in Tonga without having to register it with your ID or passport.

Socket types

There is one common socket type used in Tonga. Type I is not very common around the world, so it might be a good idea to check if your electronics need an adapter.

Type I 240 V, 50 Hz

The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).

EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)

What hotel chains are present in Tonga?

There are no Mariott hotels in Tonga.

There are no Hilton hotels in Tonga.

There are no IHG hotels in Tonga.

There are no Best Western hotels in Tonga.

There are no Radisson hotels in Tonga.

There are no Accor hotels in Tonga.

What fast food chains are present in Tonga?

The McDonald’s chain does not operate in Tonga .

The KFC chain does not operate in Tonga .

The Burger King chain does not operate in Tonga .

The Subway chain does not operate in Tonga .

The Domino’s Pizza chain does not operate in Tonga .

The Starbucks chain does not operate in Tonga .

Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)

What is the weather like in Nuku’alofa?

Weather data for Nuku’alofa (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com

Railways There are no passenger trains available.

Subway Systems There is no subway system in any city.

Taxi Apps Unfortunately neither Uber nor Bolt are available in Tonga.

Car Rental Avis is available, but Sixt , Hertz are not present in Tonga.

Road Connectivity Index (2016) No data available.

Driving Side In Tonga traffic is left-handed .

List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)

Theft Occurrence Rate No data available.

Road Traffic Casualties 33.00 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019. The global average is 16.74.

Travel Advisory Level (U.S. DoS) Level 1 : Exercise normal precautions.

Emergency phones in Tonga

Tonga Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
Travel Advice for Tonga (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)

Smoking & Alcohol

Smoking ban No known rules against smoking, or no information is available.

Cananbis legality Both recreational and medicinal use of cannabis is prohibited .

List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)

About Tonga About Tonga
About the Embassy About the Embassy
Education Education
Visitors Visa
Employment Visa
Business Visa
Student Visa
Residency Visa
Assured Income Visa
Custom Requirements
How to register a business license
How to register a business name
how to re-register a business name How to re-register a business name?
Forms Download
Contact Us Contact Us
Latest News Latest News
Press Releases Press Releases
Open Border Policy Framework for Tonga
" onclick="window.open(this.href,'win2','status=no,toolbar=no,scrollbars=yes,titlebar=no,menubar=no,resizable=yes,width=640,height=480,directories=no,location=no'); return false;" rel="nofollow"> Print

A. Tonga opened its borders on 1st August, 2022 and its progressive Open Border Policy Framework is constantly being monitored for review based on the evolving COVID-19 situation both in Tonga and surrounding countries. A review of the Open Border Policy Framework on 19th of September 2022, confirmed the following situations:

i. Number of COVID-19 cases have remained low at single digit confirming that the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak has truly passed; ii. Above observation (i) aligns with the pattern of the COVID-19 pandemic, both regionally and globally, and continues to be such even with the cancellation of the Mandatory Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) requirement since 1st of August 2022 for fully vaccinated travelers; iii. Severe adverse events following COVID-19 infection, including mortality, has remained low at 12 deaths since the first wave; iv. Health system within Tonga has not been significantly affected; v. Transmission, pressure on health systems, vaccination of population and capacity of health systems are now within the parameters of the Green Color of the COVID-19 National Traffic Light Framework;

B. Based on the above situations, the following changes will come into effect on Tuesday 27th of September 2022 at (insert time of SOE ending):

The Ministry of Health reserves the right to deny boarding if it is not satisfied with the medical report provided. All travelers are still encouraged to have full vaccination with booster dose completed before traveling to Tonga.

C. Testing Requirement:

i. Supervised Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) prior to departure to Tonga is NO longer required for passengers traveling to Tonga;

ii. Transit passengers do NOT need to do any Supervised Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).

D. On Arrival into TONGA:

a. All arriving passengers are still encouraged to adhere to the advised preventative measures and wear a facial mask in public places, social distance as possible and practice hand hygiene. These are especially encouraged at the following places: retail shops, workplaces, social gatherings, public transportation and depots, educational institutions, churches and similar places of public gatherings. b. The public including travelers will need to follow specific requirements, which may be implemented by owners of various businesses/workplaces, according to their own Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs); c. Ministry of Health facilities will still require clients attending with signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 to be tested for COVID-19; d. All passengers are to fill in the Health Arrival Declaration Form inflight before arrival. These Health Arrival Declaration Forms must be made available by the respective airline for incoming passengers; e. Any arriving passenger who tests Positive for COVID-19 must still self/home isolate for 5 days from the date of testing Positive. If the passenger is still symptomatic, self/home isolation will be extended for another 3 days. Recovering passengers must wear a mask for the next 5 days upon release.

The Ministry of Heath appreciates your full cooperation and patience. We look forward to your continued support and trust you will help so that we can continue to keep Tonga safe.

Ministry of Foreign Affair - Facebook Page

View our facebook Page

Tonga Embassy - Tokyo

Tonga Online News Website

Matangi Tonga Online News
Nepituno Online News
Tonga Broadcasting Commission

Latest Articles

Embassy of Tonga message of encouragement

You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site.

Tonga Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

Packing List

After Your Trip

Be aware of current health issues in Tonga. Learn how to protect yourself.

Level 1 Practice Usual Precautions

Chikungunya in Tonga June 30, 2021 This page has been removed.

⇧ Top

Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
Avoid contaminated water and soil
Avoid floodwater

Clinical Guidance

Avoid bug bites.

Mosquito bite
An infected pregnant woman can spread it to her unborn baby
Avoid Bug Bites

Airborne & droplet

Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
Bite from an infected rodent
Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
Avoid rodents and areas where they live
Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Tonga, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in Tonga. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
2-undecanone
Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in Tonga include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
Do not dive into shallow water.
Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
Go to a doctor right away.
Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

Use latex condoms correctly.
Do not inject drugs.
Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call Tonga’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

Wear a seatbelt at all times.
Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of Tonga may be poor.
Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
If you choose to drive a vehicle in Tonga, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Traffic flows on the left side of the road in Tonga.

Always pay close attention to the flow of traffic, especially when crossing the street.
LOOK RIGHT for approaching traffic.

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
Follow all local laws and social customs.
Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Tonga for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.

Other Destinations

If you need help finding travel information:

Message & data rates may apply. CDC Privacy Policy

File Formats Help:

Adobe PDF file
Microsoft PowerPoint file
Microsoft Word file
Microsoft Excel file
Audio/Video file
Apple Quicktime file
RealPlayer file
Zip Archive file

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Before you travel check that:

your destination can provide the healthcare you may need
you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation

This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.

Emergency medical number

Call 933 and ask for an ambulance.

Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.

Vaccine recommendations and health risks

At least 8 weeks before your trip:

check the latest vaccine recommendations for Tonga
see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page

See what health risks you’ll face in Tonga , including:

Zika virus

Medication

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.

Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro .

Healthcare in Tonga

Health facilities in Tonga are basic. The range of drugs available is limited and modern equipment is in short supply. Medical evacuation from Tonga is required for most non-basic medical problems.

Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

Travel and mental health

Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health . There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro .

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab) .

Travel advice

Tonga travel advice

Explore our complete guide to Tonga with the latest travel advice for travellers and holidaymakers including official updates and local travel tips for Tonga.

Essential travel guide
Weather & climate
Travel health
Covid live updates
Travel features
Top travel deals
Destinations

Tonga travel guide - essential info

Below is a beginner's guide to Tonga with essential travel facts such as dominant language spoken, typical flight time from the UK and the local currency. You can also check whether visas are required and what plug adapter you need to pack.

Why visit Tonga?

Considering a holiday to the Tonga? Here are some of the very good reasons it makes such a wonderful holiday destination be it for beaches or culture to ensure you get the most out of your 2024/2025 escape.

Tonga tourist information

Recommended for tonga.

Tonga deals >>

Tonga weather

The Tonga weather guide shows long term monthly averages for Nuku'alofa .

Tonga destinations >>

VRBO: Holiday rentals for £100 or less

Check out holiday rentals for £100 per night or less
Browse property locations by map or enter travel dates
Filter deals by free cancellation, cleanliness & more

View all VRBO offers

Check the latest travel advice on visiting Tonga from official government sources (in english) from around the world including entry requirements and travel restrictions.

UK traveller advice for Tonga - UK FCDO
Irish traveller advice for Tonga - Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland
Canadian travel advice for Tonga - Government of Canada
US travel advisories for Tonga - US Department of State
Safe travel advisories for Tonga - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, New Zealand
Smarter traveller advice for Tonga - Department of Foreign Affairs, Australia

Learn more about the current safety and security risks from terrorism, natural disasters and more. Read about the local laws and customs to consider when travelling around Tonga.

Note : UK FCDO - UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

FCDO travel advice

Destination Any destination France Germany Greece India Italy Portugal Spain Turkey USA Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Congo-Brazzaville Congo-Kinshasa Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Malawi Mali Mauritania Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Sudan Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Western Sahara Zambia Zimbabwe Falkland Islands South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China East Timor Gaza Strip Georgia Hong Kong India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Macau Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russia (Central Asia) Russia (Far East) Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Turkmenistan UAE Uzbekistan Vietnam West Bank Yemen Anguilla Antigua Aruba Bahamas Barbados Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Cuba Curacao Dominica Dominican Republic Grenada Guadeloupe Haiti Jamaica Martinique Montserrat Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten St Barthelemy St Kitts and Nevis St Lucia St Martin St Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Albania Andorra Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Faroe Islands Finland France Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Jan Mayen Kosovo Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine British Indian Ocean Territory Comoros Madagascar Mauritius Mayotte Reunion Seychelles Bermuda Canada Greenland Mexico St Pierre and Miquelon USA Australia Federated States of Micronesia Fiji French Polynesia Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru New Caledonia New Zealand Palau Papua New Guinea Pitcairn Island Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador French Guiana Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela

Tonga travel health

Find out more about staying safe when travelling to Tonga with the latest guidance on required vaccinations and recommended medication to take with you.

Vaccines & medicines for Tonga - CDC
Health & vaccinations for Tonga - TravelHealthPro, NaTHNac
How to stay safe & healthy in Tonga - Fit for Travel, Public Health Scotland

Check out the general travel tips for staying safe and healthy in Tonga, risks of preventable diseases and what to pack.

Note : CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Tonga covid live updates

Check the latest live updates on Covid-19 in Tonga with the vaccination requirements, current available statistics and up-to-date travel advice from government agencies.

Travellers' health for Tonga - Ministry of Health, Tonga
Coronavirus timeline in Tonga - Our World in Data

Tonga travel features

Do you want to learn more about Tonga? Read our latest features covering travel tips and insider destination guides on where to go and what to do in Tonga.

We don't currently have any travel features on Tonga. Discover more about holiday destinations around the world with this selection of general travel articles.

Top 10 sunny holiday destinations year round

Read our frequently asked questions about travelling to Tonga including the current entry restrictions, covid rules, driving side, electrical plugs used and much more.

Are there entry restrictions to Tonga due to Covid-19?

Tonga is open to fully vaccinated travellers only from the UK. Proof of full Covid-19 vaccination required for arrivals from the UK. Check out Ministry of Health, Tonga for more information.

Do I need to quarantine in the UK if I travel from Tonga?

You do not need to quarantine on arrival in the UK from Tonga. The UK no longer requires a passenger locator form, Covid-19 test or proof of vaccination.

What is the time difference between Tonga and the UK?

The time difference between Tonga and the UK is UK time+13 hours .

What is the main language spoken in Tonga?

The main languages spoken in Tonga are Tongan and English . Learn a language for Tonga with Rosetta Stone * , Busuu * and Rocket Languages * .

What is the currency in Tonga?

The currency in Tonga is the Tongan Pa'anga ( TOP ). Send money to Tonga with World Remit * .

Which plugs are used in Tonga?

Tonga uses electrical plug type I (240 Volts) .

Which side of the road do they drive on in Tonga?

They drive on the left side of the road in Tonga. Find out more about driving in Tonga with International Drivers Association * .

Transport options for Tonga

Travel advice by country

Country name All countries - summary Algarve Balearic Islands Barbados Canary Islands Croatia Cyprus Egypt Faroe Islands France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Jamaica Madeira Maldives Malta Portugal Spain Turkey UAE UK USA Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Congo-Brazzaville Congo-Kinshasa Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Malawi Mali Mauritania Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Western Sahara Zambia Zimbabwe Antarctica French Southern and Antarctic Lands South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China East Timor Georgia Hong Kong India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Macau Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russia (Central Asia) Russia (Far East) Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Turkmenistan UAE Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen Anguilla Antigua Aruba Bahamas Barbados Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Cuba Curacao Dominica Dominican Republic Grenada Guadeloupe Haiti Jamaica Martinique Montserrat Puerto Rico Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten St Barthelemy St Kitts and Nevis St Lucia St Martin St Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Virgin Islands Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Albania Andorra Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Faroe Islands Finland France Germany Gibraltar Greece Guernsey Hungary Iceland Ireland Isle of Man Italy Jan Mayen Jersey Kosovo Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Turkey UK Ukraine British Indian Ocean Territory Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Comoros Madagascar Mauritius Mayotte Reunion Seychelles Bermuda Canada Greenland Mexico St Pierre and Miquelon USA American Samoa Australia Cook Islands Federated States of Micronesia Fiji French Polynesia Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Midway Island Nauru New Caledonia New Zealand Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Palau Papua New Guinea Pitcairn Island Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Wake Island Wallis and Futuna Algarve Azores Madeira Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Falkland Islands French Guiana Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela Balearic Islands Canary Islands England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut D.C. Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Be inspired

Get your weekly fix of holiday inspiration from some of the world's best travel writers plus save on your next trip with the latest exclusive offers

We promise not to share your details

Explore holidays in the sun for less

Beach holidays
Family holidays
City breaks
Summer holidays
Winter sun holidays
Holiday offers
Top travel brands
Airlines & flights
Discount hotels
Airport parking deals
Jet2holidays
easyJet holidays
Love Holidays
British Airways

More holidays

Airport parking

Manchester Airport
Stansted Airport
Bristol Airport
Luton Airport
Birmingham Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Gatwick Airport
Glasgow Airport
Newcastle Airport

More parking

Airport lounges

Heathrow Airport

More lounges

Pinterest (1 share)

The Ultimate Tonga Travel Guide: What’s it Like to Travel in Tonga?

Tonga is one of my favourite countries in the world.

I can’t stop talking about how incredible it is. It’s full of some of the loveliest people on the planet, has some of the best beaches I’ve ever stepped foot on, offers up dozens of islands to explore, and can even be experienced at an affordable price. It’s even one of only two places in the world where you can jump in the water and swim with humpback whales.

I’m on a mission to convince everybody to go to Tonga and that includes you, so let’s get started with a post about what it’s like to travel in this South Pacific country.

Where is Tonga?

Tonga is a small island country located in the South Pacific, roughly a third of the way between New Zealand and Hawaii. The country itself is made up of 172 islands of which 36 are inhabited. And if you know your Pacific islands, I can tell you that Tonga is found south of Samoa, east of Fiji, and west of the Cook Islands.

For a country that doesn’t see much international tourism, getting to Tonga is surprisingly simple if you find yourself in Oceania. There are flights up for grabs from Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, and you can usually score some pretty sweet deals on return tickets. I flew from Auckland to Tongatapu on a return fare of 350 USD.

If you’re coming from further afield, you can expect to spend more money to get there — of course — but it shouldn’t be all that difficult to find a flight. There are three flights a week operating from Los Angeles to Tongatapu (via a layover in Fiji). And if you’re based in Europe, Air New Zealand operates daily flights from London to both Los Angeles and Auckland — from either destination, you can then easily get over to Tonga.

Which are the Main Islands of Tonga?

One of my favourite aspects of travelling to a country that doesn’t have extensive coverage online is getting to do tons of research. However, I know not everybody enjoys this part of travel planning, and that’s why I’m writing up this enormous guide!

So I knew I wanted to visit Tonga — I love travelling to South Pacific islands , even if I know nothing about them — but I wasn’t sure where in Tonga I wanted to visit. After all, in the previous section I mentioned that this country is home to 36 inhabited islands. I had two weeks to travel in Tonga: which three or four islands would be best for me to visit?

It was time to start reading. Well, attempt to start reading, because let’s just say that information on the vast majority of these islands is scarce.

We’ll start with the easy one, which is the Tongatapu Group , in the southern reaches of the country. Tongatapu is the name of the main island of Tonga and home to the nation’s capital: Nukuʻalofa. It’s on this island that you’ll find the country’s largest airport, so it’s most likely that your flight will arrive here. The vast majority of tourists who do touch down in said airport, however, promptly leave. Tongatapu is seen merely as a stopover destination by many: somewhere you have to visit before you set off in search of paradise. Personally, I spent a day on the island , exploring all of its highlights, and found it interesting and worth exploring.

Within the Tongatapu Group , you have several other islands that are worth spending time on. The main one is called ‘Eua , and that was the one that I chose to visit. ‘Eua is accessible via one of the shortest flights in the world — such a cool experience! — and is home to some incredible hikes and vistas. In terms of other island options, there are a couple of specks of paradise off the coast of Tongatapu that are each home to a resort: Pangaimotu , Atata , and Fafa . If you’re in Tonga to have a typical beach vacation full of relaxation and rest, these three are the islands to check out.

North of the Tongatapu Group, you have the Ha’apai Group . This region of Tonga comprises 51 islands, of which only 17 are inhabited. Most visitors choose to visit one of three islands: the main island of Ha’apai, which is called Lifuka; Foa Island, which is home to the incredible resort of Matafonua (one of my favourite places in the world); and Uoleva Island, which offers up Serenity Beaches Resort . There are other islands with accommodation in Ha’apai, but they often can’t be booked online, so can be tricky to find and get to.

The most popular group of islands for travellers is the Vava’u Group , which is located north of Ha’apai. Unfortunately, I encountered a tropical storm while I was in Vava’u, so I didn’t get to see it at its best, but this part of the country is just as spectacular as the rest. In terms of where to visit, first of all, you have the large island of ‘Utu Vava’u. This is where the main town of Neiafu is found. I stayed on this island, in the excellently-reviewed Mystic Sands Resort . The second-largest island in the Vava’u Group is Pangaimotu, and Hunga Island is famous for being the spot where humpback whales gather.

And finally, you have the Niuas Group . And let me tell you, I want to go there so badly! However, there’s so little information about these isolated islands online that it left me hesitant to visit.

While getting there is relatively easy — the Tongan airline, Real Tonga, operates weekly flights from Vava’u — what do you do when you get there? There’s no accommodation on the islands, for starters, because why would there be when no tourists ever visit? Some people recommend bringing a tent and camping on the island; others urge you to phone the tourism bureau in the Niuas to ask them how to find somewhere to stay.

But what an incredible experience it would be, to visit a place that’s been entirely untouched by international tourism. To speak to people who are so isolated from the rest of the world, who only gained access to a high-speed internet connection three years ago. Maybe one day I’ll get there!

With your knowledge of the Tongan islands, you can now start to put together a travel itinerary. While I recommend attempting to see an island in each of the Tongatapu, Ha’apai, and Vava’u groups, you’d likely be just as impressed by the country if you choose just one island to explore in depth.

The Best Time of Year to Visit Tonga

I came to Tonga in January because that was my only option.

I spend Christmases in Oceania, where I always aspire to explore a South Pacific country while I’m in town. January, then, is when you’ll catch me on the islands. Even though — yes — it’s cyclone season.

Despite only being able to travel in the wet season, I’ve been fortunate with the weather. When I spent three weeks in the Cook Islands , French Polynesia , and Fiji, I encountered just one day of rain. Over my two weeks in Tonga, I experienced only three wet days. So while there’s an inherent risk in travelling when cyclones are lurking, I anecdotally have had close to entirely blue sky on my trips.

Unlike other places I’ve visited in the South Pacific, in Tonga, low season means low, low, low season. I was the only person staying at my hostel in Tongatapu, one of two people in my guesthouse in ‘Eua, and spent most of my time in Vava’u alone. Ha’apai was the only spot that had several other people staying in the guesthouse, but it was far from full.

There are pros and cons to visiting at this time of year. The advantages are lower prices, never struggling to get into your dream accommodation (when I visited in 2018, some guesthouses were already fully-booked for high-season 2020), and the islands are peaceful and calm. The odds of sunny days are probably higher than you’d expect, too.

The cons outweigh the pros for me, unfortunately. Most people come to Tonga to swim with humpback whales as the coastline is swarming with these gigantic mammals between July and October. You’re practically guaranteed to get up close and personal with newborn whale babies if you take a trip out on the water. If you stay on dry land, you’ll likely end up watching whales swimming past your guesthouses from all over the country. Not being able to see the whales on this trip made me feel as though I was missing out on one of the main highlights of Tonga.

On top of that, I found the lack of other guests a little frustrating at times, and the fact that many of my guesthouses weren’t running tours in the low season meant I missed out on a couple of activities I had originally hoped to do.

If you can visit Tonga at any time of year, choose the high season unless you’re tight on cash or love the idea of being alone in paradise.

Connectivity Isn’t Great

Tonga is a developing country in the middle of a vast ocean, and with that comes a whole bunch of connectivity problems.

My guesthouses in Tongatapu and ‘Eua both advertised Wi-Fi online, but when I turned up, both owners informed me they didn’t actually have it. Fortunately, I’d had the foresight to pick up a local SIM card from the airport in Tongatapu, along with 3GB of data, in case I needed to tether my laptop at some point during the trip. I did, often.

Despite this, I was barely online. The highest download speed I found was a mere 0.5 mbps in Tongatapu, and it was worse on every other island. I opted for a SIM card from U-Call, which has the best coverage but slowest speeds across the islands, and while I usually had an Edge signal, it was close to unusable for much of the time.

This is a destination in which to disconnect and to relish the opportunity to do so.

Pigs Are Everywhere

In love with piglets? Come to Tonga. I’ve never seen so many pigs.

Introduced by Captain Cook in the 1770s, you’ll now find them roaming the streets, sunbathing on the beaches, fishing in the ocean, lazing in gardens, attempting to get into stores, and generally running around your feet whenever you leave the house. I must have seen hundreds of pigs while I was exploring the islands, never going more than a few minutes without hearing a telltale grunt.

You Can Take One of the Shortest Flights in the World

The flight from Tongatapu to Eua is just six minutes long and let me tell you, it was the longest six minutes of my life.

The plane was more like a canoe than an aircraft, thanks to the lack of aisle, and there were only four seats. Our calm pilot rested his arm out of the window! It was a tiny vessel and a bumpy ride, but a terrifying cool journey nonetheless.

I highly recommend splurging $70 on the flight to experience what it’s like to soar in such a tiny object, but if money is tight or nerves are high, you can get the ferry for much less.

This Is a Deeply Religious Country

Tonga is a very, very Christian country, although the locals will never try to convert you or judge you for not adhering to the same beliefs. There are, however, some rules you should abide by while you’re in the country in order to show respect.

It’s illegal in Tonga for men or women to go topless, and women should aim to keep their knees and shoulders covered unless staying at a resort. In practice, though, it’s fine for men to be topless at the beach, and I spotted plenty of local women wearing vests and strap tops. Wearing black in Tonga means that you are in mourning, so it’s wise to avoid wearing this colour if you’re not grieving.

The greatest impact the religion will have on your trip is keeping you inside on Sundays. On Sunday, it’s against the law to exercise in Tonga, and no business transactions can take place either. That means no swimming, so running, no snorkelling, no kayaking, no doing laundry, no working… this is a day to go to church, to feast, and to spend time with family. Plan for this in advance so that you don’t slip up and discover you don’t have anything to eat while there are no stores open.

At one particular church, I discovered that at every Sunday service, somebody will stand up and announce the sums of money each member has donated to the church that week. There’s so much pressure on the locals that they’ll often take out large loans to ensure they contribute the highest amount of money. The interest rates, unsurprisingly, are extremely high.

Real Tonga is a Pain in the Ass

If you want to get from island chain to island chain, the easiest way to do so is with Real Tonga. They’re the only airline to operate in the country, and they’re, quite frankly, atrocious.

For starters, they operate an MA60, which is otherwise known as the Death Plane. It’s one of the most dangerous planes to have ever taken to the sky and regularly crashes. When Real Tonga added the MA60 to its fleet, New Zealand suspended $10 million of aid and issued a travel warning for the country. While Tonga withdrew the MA60 shortly afterwards, they’ve since snuck it back into their lineup, and I was unfortunate enough to fly on it.

It is my belief that although the MA60 is controversial and dangerous relative to other aircraft, it is likely safer than travelling by car. Or at least that’s what I told myself when the plane started juddering mid-flight.

Aside from that, flying Real Tonga can be a real frustration. I wasn’t issued any kind of receipt or boarding pass for my flight to ‘Eua, so had no idea if I was even on the flight until I got to the airport. They cancel flights regularly and often alter departure times without informing passengers. Once, when a pilot fell ill for a week, they cancelled all flights over that time because they had nobody else to cover for him.

My biggest recommendation would be to spend the night in Tongatapu before leaving the country because flights are regularly cancelled.

I ignored this advice and booked my flight from Vava’u to Tongatapu, then had an onward flight to Auckland two hours later. My flight out of Vava’u was cancelled and there was no way off the island for several days. I had to contact a friend in a panic and get him to log onto the Air New Zealand website and change my flight for me. My internet, unsurprisingly, was too bad to do so.

Let Me Tell You About the Fakaleiti

Fakaleiti roughly translates to “like a girl”, and is one of the more interesting aspects of life in Tonga.

Traditionally in Tonga, if a woman were to give birth to only boys, she could then go on to choose one of them to be her daughter. The designated daughter, the “fakaleiti”, would then be raised as a woman, taught to cook, clean, raise siblings, and take care of her parents. She would wear dresses, if she wanted, and learn to apply makeup. In more modern times, being a fakaleiti can be a lifestyle choice, and there is little stigma attached to it, although there are occasional reports of physical abuse.

Fakaleiti don’t label themselves as gay or transgender, and reject being referred to by Western terms that can’t fully explain this type of — I guess — third gender. They generally consider themselves to be women and as such, have sex with straight men. Some, however, will marry women and go on to have children.

The Eldest Sister Ranks Highest

If you thought that was fascinating, wait until I delve into social status within the country.

Men are ranked higher than women in Tonga, but within the family, the sisters are ranked higher than the brothers. The eldest sister in every family holds the highest status within the home, and in Tongan culture, if this sister asks any of her younger brothers or sisters for anything, they must give it to her and always obey her orders.

Most surprisingly of all, if the oldest sister decides she quite likes the look of her younger sister’s newborn baby, SHE CAN TAKE IT. Yep, she can take that baby and raise it as her own, and there’s nothing the younger sister can do about it. It happened to one of the staff members at a guesthouse I stayed at — and she was devastated — so it didn’t appear to be that rare of an occurrence.

While it’s pretty bewildering to those of us who haven’t been raised in a similar culture, it’s important not to judge. Many Tongans are happy and accepting of these social rules, and indeed, many younger siblings are more than happy to give their children away to their sister; to share everything within the family unit. It’s a complex issue and you’ll hear differing opinions on it as you travel across the country.

You Can Go Budget or Full-On Luxury Travel Here

I found Tonga fairly easy to visit as a budget backpacker, as there were plenty of hostels and cheap guesthouses on the islands, inexpensive ferries if you didn’t want to take a flight, and the food was cheap.

In Tongatapu, my hostel charged just over 8 USD for a dorm bed, and there are backpacker islands in Vava’u that charge $30 for a private room on your own little beach.

That’s not to say that this is a destination for roughing it. There are plenty of gorgeous resorts and luxury experiences to indulge in if you’re willing to splash the cash. I planned to stay at the incredible Mounu Resort while I was in Vava’u, at a ridiculous $300 a night, but cancelled at the last minute when it was pouring with rain. It looks like one of the most spectacular islands on the planet.

There Are No Traffic Lights in the Country

Fun fact! It really doesn’t affect your trip either way, but I found it fascinating. I’m not sure I’ve ever been to a country that doesn’t have traffic lights before.

Island time is king on Tonga and most cars drive so slowly that it’s never a problem. Outside of Tongatapu, traffic is very, very rare.

There are so Many Islands to Explore

Despite Tongatapu and ‘Eua being less than a 10 minute flight away, they couldn’t have been more different.

You should go to Tongatapu to learn about the country. Its geography is flat, with a huge lagoon and a coastline lined with blowholes. There are royal tombs and palaces to take photos of, ruins to explore, and landing sites of famous explorers to check out. The island is blanketed in palm trees and looks beautiful when you come into land.

On the other hand, ‘Eua is a eco-friendly destination that’s all about hiking. It’s got rainforests and mountains, along with beautiful beaches in the west and rugged cliffs in the east. There are wild ponies to wander alongside, and myths and legends to learn about as you trek through the jungle.

Ha’apai is simply gorgeous. Every single beach photo in this post was taken in Ha’apai, and after seven years of travel, I count them as some of the best I’ve ever stepped foot on. You come here to relax, unwind, and skip along some of the most incredible beaches ever. There are around 50 islands making up the entire island chain, so you could spend months working your way around all of them.

In Vava’u, you come to swim with humpback whales, to charter a yacht, and to dive in clear waters. Vava’u has more tourists, nightlife, and accommodation options than Ha’apai, although the islands are still calm and sleepy. There are 50 islands in the Vava’u island chain.

There Are Some Seriously Isolated Parts of the Country

If you’re more adventurous than I am, you might consider checking out the Niuas. Despite finding flights that could take me there and back while I was in the country, I wasn’t quite brave enough to venture over there. There’s simply no information about them online.

Any (extremely dated) articles about the islands mention there being one guesthouse you can stay on, but then I discovered an article saying it had closed down after a tsunami in 2009 and hadn’t yet been rebuilt. On the Tongan tourism board website, they encourage you to phone the tourism bureau in the Niuas to ask them how to find somewhere to stay. Other websites advise you to turn up with a tent and camp, or arrive and hope a local invites you into their home to stay.

It sounds like such a fascinating part of the world, as there are very few places that have been influenced by close to zero tourists these days.

Obesity is a Big Problem

On my flight from Tongatapu to Auckland, I couldn’t believe how many people requested a seatbelt extender.

Tonga has the highest levels of obesity in the world, and a big part of that is due to the type of food they import from New Zealand. Mutton flaps are popular in the country and they’re full of calories — 420 per 100 grams. An incredible 40% of the population has type 2 diabetes and more than 90% of the population is overweight or obese. Life expectancy has dropped from 75 to 64 in recent years.

In Tonga, big is seen as beautiful. At feasts, Tongans will say, “ Kai ke mate ,” which means, “ eat until you die .” One of their kings — Tupou IV — holds the Guinness world record for being the heaviest monarch, weighing in at 220kg/33 stone/440 lbs.

The Locals are Lovely

In Tonga, every single local I encountered was friendly, welcoming, and helpful. I could sit and list the dozens of positive interactions I had, but I’ll narrow it down to just a few.

In Vava’u, every time I left my room, a local would pull over in their car and ask if they could drive me to where I was going.

When I told a local in ‘Eua that I was hoping to try a traditional Tongan pig while I was in the country, he rang around the island and 30 minutes later, presented me with a bag of crispy pork that his friend had brought around from his family’s feast.

When I got sick in ‘Eua, the airport staff told me they’d hold the plane for me[!] while my guesthouse owner took time out of her day to take me to the hospital, where the doctor left her home on her lunch break to prescribe me some medication.

Is Tonga Safe? Absolutely!

I’ve visited a hundred countries over my past decade of travel and I can tell you that, in terms of the safest countries in the world, Tonga would rank in my top 10. Crime levels are close to non-existent in this country and scams are rare. I listed all of the ways that I felt welcomed in this country in the previous section, and I at no times felt as though I was in any kind of danger while I was island-hopping around.

I felt safe on Tonga as a solo woman and didn’t feel as though I attracted any unwanted attention while I was on the islands — and I met other solo travellers exploring the country, too.

As with everywhere in the world, you’ll want to take basic safety precautions, as you would similarly do at home. So, not drawing attention to expensive drones and cameras, dressing conservatively, taking care not to drink too much alcohol, keeping a close eye on your possessions in public places, and all of that common sense-type stuff.

But if you’re worried about visiting Tonga due to safety reasons, let me reassure you: this is a wonderful country that will welcome you with open arms.

There Still Isn’t Much Information About the Country Online

It isn’t too difficult to gain a general idea of where you should go in Tonga. You have the main island of Tongatapu and tiny ‘Eua, which is just off the coast of Tongatapu. North of these are the island chains of Ha’apai and Vava’u, and then even further north you have the remote Niuas.

When it comes to deciding which islands to visit in Ha’apai and Vava’u, though, I struggled. There isn’t much accommodation listed online and many of the guesthouses require you to call to book, listing their phone number on a website that hasn’t been updated in a decade. Because some islands don’t have power, it’s tough to get in contact with anybody.

I didn’t bother grabbing a Lonely Planet Tonga for this trip because I’m travelling for six months and didn’t want to lug it around the world with me, but I think it would have helped a lot to have a breakdown on which islands are best for which type of person. I did a lot of guesswork; most of it paid off.

I learned that Tongatapu is worth visiting for one or two days, ‘Eua is underrated and worth spending three or four days in, Ha’apai is paradise and you should spend as long as you can in Matafonua Lodge, and Vava’u should take up as much space in your itinerary as Ha’apai.

And that’s Tonga! I absolutely fell in love with this gorgeous country and can’t wait to start writing about it in more depth. Have I convinced you to visit yet?

Related Articles on Tonga 💰 The Cost of Travel in Tonga: A Detailed Budget Breakdown 🤫 Lying to Locals in Tongatapu 🐴 Exploring ‘Eua: Tonga’s Forgotten Island 🏖 Ha’apai: My South Pacific Island Paradise 🏥 Hospitalised in Tonga

Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

What’s it Like to Travel in Kazakhstan?

30 Incredible Things to Do in Melbourne, Australia (By a Local!)

The 10 Best Brunches in Fitzroy in 2024 (By a Local!)

What’s it Like to Travel in Liechtenstein?

In-Depth Namibia Travel Guide: What’s it Like to Travel in Namibia?

Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk: A Complete Guide

55 comments.

Interesting information about the oldest sister. If she likes the husband of the younger sister, can she forcibly get him too? :)

Nice read, btw. I will check more of this country.

I don’t think so — I’ve only heard of it happening to the younger sister’s child.

Well FYI is wrong. 1. You only heard the story. 2. Whoever you had this conversation with i am pretty sure you did come across languages barrier.

I ‘m a older sister who only have 2 kids, i gave my second child to my younger sister and her husband to raised because they can’t have children.

In our culture and CUSTOMS we strongly stick together as a family. Our late King George V raised his younger’s brother only Daughter. The King passed away and younger brother become King and now she is the only princess in our little Nation.

Hope this helps you understand of our culture. Just get your facts right and next time you visit come mingle with us locals COCOCOCOCONUUUTTTSSS ?.

Sad you didn’t tried HORSE MEAT whaaatt??

I’m not sure what facts I got wrong? I simply shared a story of an older sister raising her younger sister’s child as her own — that wasn’t incorrect. Although it’s not something I can fully understand, I try to keep an open mind about cultures that are different to my own. I found Tonga to be fascinating and can’t wait to return to learn more! And, I guess, to eat horse meat! :-)

Exactly it wasn’t incorrect but the way you phrase it “Beware older sister” . We don’t demand, as family we discussed and listen with empathy to our sisters and brothers in need. I respect you from another Culture trying to understand mine and if you really that open mind you could had asked more input from different locals to expand your horizon and understanding. Not from just one story. What enrich us Tonga to the world? Our Culture,Customs and Values, Families,Religions and ofcourse ? hehe. Well Glad you enjoyed our lil nation. Ofa atu

I actually did speak to more one person in the country about it, but regardless, I understand how it could be interpreted as problematic or offensive. The heading was my attempt at humour :-) Thank you for your comments!

Hello, that’s really nice to know more about your culture, i definitely want to visit and learn about your island, families and culture. If you have any recommendation for a solo girl travelling in Tonga let us know :)

Thank you !

There’s no way to subscribe to comment notifications on my site, so unless Teimumu randomly decides to head back to this blog post six months later, I doubt you’ll get a response.

For what it’s worth, Tonga is incredibly safe for a solo female traveller, so there’s no real precautions you’ll need to take. As long as you cover up to show respect, you’ll have a wonderful time.

If i visit Tonga for 2 weeks, and i wanna stay at the low rate hotels, then how much will cost me?

Around $70 a day, I’d esitmate

Well, I’m convinced!!

Great article; I really feel like I know what makes Tonga tick! The culture sounds absolutely fascinating (I never knew about the fakaleiti or the oldest sister rights), and the people sound wonderful. I don’t think I’m brave enough yet for the MA60 though! That must’ve been nerve-wracking to say the least!

The Tongans are so lovely! And the country wonderful. The fact that the culture is so different to ours just made travelling there all the more interesting.

Love Tonga! Great photos and write-up, Lauren. I visited Tonga in 2015 and it was one of the best holidays we’ve ever had – the people are lovely and the whales are amazing. You have to go back to swim with the humpbacks! If you already love Tonga without seeing them, you’re going to fall even more in love when you get to see the whales.

I know! I’m definitely planning on returning later this year, but probably not during whale season *again*. It’s so tough when you need to book so far in advance and I never know where I’ll be in 2020! It’s definitely something I know I have to experience in the future, though.

As beautiful as it is, I’m not convinced I want to visit. Crazy, I know, since I looooooove a good beach. Some of those practices, like being able to take the child of the younger sister are more than bewildering to me, it’s downright awful. I understand that I don’t understand the culture, however, as a mom, I am incredibly sad/heartbroken for the younger sisters who lose their children.

And then I think about seeing the whales… that is a dream! As always, excellent post!

Yeah, it’s tough. Many of the sisters are happy to do it, some of them are upset about it. It’s so hard to know the ins and outs when it’s someone else’s culture. It’s so definitely different to the way we live our lives.

Wow, amazing! I had a friend who did her Peace Corps stay in Tonga and adored it. I am horrified about the premise of the plane though! Yikes!

Ha! Don’t Google it — all you see are terrifying reports of how unsafe it is! As I said, I like to think it’s safer than being in a car, but it was definitely nerve-wracking flying in one.

Oh goodness, you’ve DEFINITELY convinced me to add Tonga to my bucket list!

Sadly, I’ll have to save it for some time in the future, as I’m currently not able to pay a flight all the way across the world – but I’ll definitely get there. And I’ll send you an email when I do ;-)

Yeah, there’s definitely a reason why I only go to the South Pacific when I’m having a New Zealand Christmas! Such a shame it’s so expensive, because I know so many of my European/North American readers would adore Tonga.

Another stellar post! I really want to go and swim with the whales, having swum with whale sharks off of Holbox Island in Mexico.

Thank you! The humpback whales look incredible in Tonga — there’s a lot of babies around at that time of year, too, that you can swim with.

Incredible photos, especially of that crystal clear blue water. I’ve been to many places but never to Tonga. Maybe it’s time to change that.

Yes! You won’t regret it :-)

Was very interested to read about Tonga, especially as I am very keen on finding beautiful beaches with clear water and few people! I have been more than 10 times to the Cook Islands and love it there. Aitutaka is the most spectacular lagoon and motu islands. Tonga is certainly on my ”bucket list”. Off to Solomons , to sail around the best snorkelling and diving spots out from Gizo in June. Should be beautiful. Have you been to the Solomons? Samoa is also on the “list”.

Both the Solomon Islands and Samoa are on my wish list! I hope to make it to both soon. Hope you have an incredible time on your upcoming trip, although I’m sure you will :-) And yes, I highly recommend Tonga for some of the best beaches ever! They were just as beautiful as the ones I saw in Aitutaki.

I am staying in NZ for a year on WHV so looking to do some Pacific Islands. My interest in Tonga was already piqued when I happened to attend Rugby League World Cup semi final here in Auckland between them and England the atmosphere, flags and everything was crazy. This article helps me out a lot.

If you could only visit say Tongatapu and ‘Eua would it still be worth visiting. Also did you book inter country flights while there or beforehand?

You’d miss out on the best parts of the country, but it’d still be worth going. I’d recommend ‘Eua and Ha’apai if at all possible. I booked in advance.

Great post there. I hadn’t heard about Tonga before reading this. Sure looks like you had a ball there and from the images I can tell its awesome. Be more interesting to read more about their traditions. Fascinating!

This is the most useful resource for Tonga I’ve found on the internet! Thank you for writing it. My question: if you were to return to Tonga, where would you go on your second visit?

Fun question! I’d definitely return to Matafonua, and I’d want to check out some different islands that are part of Vava’u, as I definitely didn’t get to see it at its best on this adventure. I’d also try to visit during high season to get to experience the whales :-)

I was born in Tonga, but left as a child. I would really like to return and see the island. Thank you for the information :).

Thanks for reading! I hope you make it back to Tonga :-)

Hi Lauren! Wow, this has been so helpful! My partner and I are trying to decide whether to spend our six day vacation in Fiji or Tonga. From what it looks like, you didn’t spend much time exploring Fiji?? If so, can you offer any insight into which you would recommend?

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your experience! It has really helped us. :)

Awesome post, I’m heading to Tonga next week and trying to do a little research but as you said, there’s not much available on the internet! The charming little hut you stayed at in Ha’apai looked awesome – can you give me the name of the guest house? If you don’t want to overshare it online I get that, but I’d appreciate an e-mail if that’s the case :)

Yep, it’s in the post! Matafonua Lodge: https://www.hotelscombined.com/Hotel/Matafonua_Lodge.htm?a_aid=173252

wow, thank you for writing such an incredibly detailed post on Tonga! it’s really interesting that you included plenty of facts that don’t depict only the good parts of Tonga, such as the obesity trend. I really want to go to Tonga in 2019, I’ve heard that diving spots such as Swallows Cave are incredible, and your article makes me want to visit Tonga even more!!!

Hi Lauren, thank you so much for all of these informations. I think about going to Tonga for New year eve and I don’t really know where to go, if i have to book all my trip at the same place, or if i’m just going there and try to find an accomodation with the locals.. Where to go first, and what to do.. Do you know if there is a website to book the ferry or flight or if it’s better to do it there. Thank you :)

You can book the flights from the Real Tonga website, and I’d recommend doing that in advance: https://realtonga.to/ and I think you buy tickets for the ferries on board, so you can do that when you get there. New Years is low season in Tonga, so you shouldn’t have any problem with availability.

Don’t be sad about the oldest sister thing! It’s not a big deal to give your children to other family members. My dad is Tongan and my mother is white. I am a twin and when we were born one of my aunties had trouble having children so she asked if my mom could give one of us to her (“you have two!”) my mom was appalled but it’s just a normal part of their customs. Family is family and we all love each other.

Thank you so much for sharing, Shy.

Thank you so much for this Lauren, so informative. Given you were there in January do you know would it be as quiet over Christmas. Think this might be out spot for 2019!

This line is particularly worrying

“It’s a worrying trend that I hope will start to reverse soon. It’ll be tough to do when beauty is associated with a larger size.”

While I agree diabetes is a big problem, I however don’t think associating beauty with a larger size is. The difference lies in educating the locals about health vs vanity. i don’t think they’re purposely fattening themselves up to be more beautiful. it’s just systematically what’s available happens to be of poorer quality. You’ll see this in the Native American Reservations in the States as well.

But please, let cultures celebrate beauty as they’ve always celebrated it. God knows we have enough skinny blue-eyed blondes in the world.

Have you been to Tonga?

Perhaps I could have worded it better, but when the life expectancy is plummeting, 40% of the population has diabetes, and 90% of the population is overweight, something needs to change. And when a larger size *is* seen as being most beautiful and aspirational, there isn’t a huge incentive to change. In Tonga, being obese reflects a higher social status , so the locals actually are purposely fattening themselves up to be more beautiful. Being large is revered here. It’s not just that the food is full of saturated fat, but that everyone overeats at enormous feasts and they do so regularly. Weekly. To prove they’re of a higher social status.

From a BBC article about Tonga’s obesity problem:

“But there’s no question the role that society plays here.

“The bigger you are, that’s beauty,” says Drew Havea, chair of the civil Society Forum of Tonga.

Size and status in Tonga have often gone together. The Tongan King Tupou IV, who died in 2006, holds the Guinness record for being the heaviest-ever monarch – 200kg (33 stone, or 440lbs). Being thin would traditionally have indicated a position lower in the social pecking order.”

This is a great article! I am considering travelling to Tonga for 2 – 3 weeks over the end of May and start of June this year. Have I left it do late to book accommodation and travel between islands?

I am a vegetarian, do you think it would be difficult for me to eat there? I’m also struggling to narrow down an itinerary. I would like to do a couple of days of hiking, a couple of days on the beach, snorkelling/scuba diving and seeing the wild horses on ‘Eua. Where would you prioritise for these activities?

Apologies for all of these questions!

Best wishes,

Travelled to Tonga back in 1993 and had a wonderful time. Was saddened to hear that there was actually political unrest and death a few years ago, so I hope things have stabilized now (2019). My highlight? Mariner’s Cave. Google it! :)

Thanks a lot for such an interesting article! It’s so well-timed for me, coz I’m going to visit Tonga in 2-3 weeks. But the internet speed info got me disappointed :(( I’ve read recently that they got an optic wire on the ocean bottom… So they didn’t?

Oh dear, did you end up taking the MA60 in 2019? We have a trip to Vavau coming up and I’m pretty nervous to hear that the MA60 has made its way back into the fleet…

It was in 2018, but yeah, they definitely have brought it back. I just tried to convince myself that it’s still got to be safer than driving a car, right? Surely even the most riskiest plane is safer than driving? And it’s not like people are dying in plane crashes in Tonga every week. Nobody ever has, so you’ll likely be totally fine :-)

Great article. I visited Tonga in January 2011 and had a similar experience (i.e felt like I was one of the few visitors.) I met quite a few people who were working as volunteers but not other tourists which was nice! I would say one drawback about vising in January would be the rain. It rained very heavily for two days during my 10 day visit and every afternoon as well. While this didn’t totally ruin my trip it meant I had to be prepared to get wet as I enjoy being outdoors

Great picture of the rocky coastline on Eua, brought back some memories.

Thank you for sharing Lauren. Just read this start to finish as I am considering going to Tonga in a few months on my own. Really great advice and I feel pretty confident it’s a cool place to travel solo. How long would you recommend?

I’d say 10 days as a minimum, and if you could push for three weeks, you’d have an amazing time and see so many different parts of the country :-)

1. If a family has all sons, they choose one to be a ‘fakaleiti’ simply isn’t true. The third gender has always existed in Polynesia and isn’t something that is forced, they don’t simply go genie meenie minie mo and choose a son to be the fakaleiti lol

2. The eldest sister having absolute power isn’t true either, the younger sister can still say no if she doesn’t wish to give up her child. Tongans are very family-oriented and so if a couple can’t conceive, they may ask a sibling to adopt/raise their child as their own. This kindness also goes both ways, its pretty hard to explain the dynamics of respect between siblings in Tonga as I can’t think of anything in “Western culture” that compares but its not as bad as you’ve described

Nice blog about Tonga nevertheless and I hope you get to go back to Vava’u as that is my favourite island!

As I said in the post: “Traditionally in Tonga, if a woman were to give birth to only boys, she could then go on to choose one of them to be her daughter.” Could! Not will. You misread my point.

Also, there was a couple working at one of the places I stayed who were forced to give one of their children to the woman’s older sister. They were devastated and suffering from depression because of it. So that maybe skewed my opinion, but yeah, she, at least, certainly didn’t want to give up one of her kids. I fact check all of my information and reconfirmed that was the case with several books.

From the book Social Structure, Space and Possession in Tongan Culture and Language:

“The superior status of a sister and mehekitanga also becomes apparent in the most frequent kind of adoption in Tonga in which a woman adopts her brother’s child. In a wider sense, this can even be regarded as a case of claiming his property. In several situations I have observed that children leave the house when their mehekitanga is present to avoid her commands which they would have to obey.”

And a guidebook to Tonga: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RDCvD34FOoQC&pg=PT29&lpg=PT29&dq=tonga+%22older+sister%22&source=bl&ots=sPvzu7wJoC&sig=ACfU3U3wHPsZfeJS0GtEhEGYg6Rz1ktUNQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjY-9-ywszqAhWdaRUIHa2PB0IQ6AEwAnoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=tonga%20%22older%20sister%22&f=false

“Tongan society is structured along matriarchal lines, with women holding a higher social status than in most other Polynesian countries. The oldest sister in each family, or the mehikitanga, holds the highest status within her family. According to long-standing tradition, if the mehikitanga asks anything of her brothers or younger sisters, her siblings have no choice but to obey her orders. For instance, the oldest sister might ask her siblings for sought-after items, such as a TV or a computer. More dramatically, when the oldest sister cannot bear a child, it is not uncommon for her to ask a younger sister for her baby. When this happens, the younger sister must give up the baby and allow the older sister to raise it as her own.”

Hi Laureen (sorry this is a long and complex set of issues one can discuss for pages!)

Delighted you enjoyed Tonga, yes we have many attractions in a rustic less organized way.

What may be considered tradition is not necessarily practiced by all families. Such texts should never say must, and never say never! Mehikitanga do have status and are recognized at social functions and family settings. But there is a degree of fluidity; there is also reciprocity and responsible asking. And there are layers within layers! No source should be quoted as absolute authority.

You did not mention the strong brother – sister taboo. Siblings tend to avoid showing even mild romantic behaviour, even towards their partners in front of their opposite-sex siblings (or cousins). That is one of the reasons you seldom see males/females holding hands in public, and definitely not kissing. Important for visitors to appreciate.

But again things are changing and some of these customs are fading….makes it even more interesting trying to understand what is and is not now ‘acceptable’. As you noted, dress codes are (like in so many places) becoming more fluid.

And a small warning about stories you are told in your travels – they may or may not fully reflect the factual accuracy (one might expect in a non-fake news world). There are always those who like to tell stories just for the fun of telling stories; for entertainment; for a laugh; to influence others….. And visitors are always fun to tell stories to! Just more of the layers within layers….

Noted a post about not knowing what would be doing in 2020! Little did any of us expect how different things would be.

Tonga will still be here when we again have tourists, currently, we remain tourist and covid free along with a small number of Pacific island countries.

Hope whatever it is you are safe and well.

PS take anything I say as just one set of comments/observations to be triangulated and tested against other comments/observations – though I do strive for accuracy within what I understand things to be….

Tonga Travel Tips: 31 Tips for Travelling in Tonga 🐳 [2024]

Tonga weather in september, 101 best things to do in tonga: the ultimate list 🤿 [2024], 10 tips for a better whale swim in tonga, complete travel guides to tonga, more tonga travel tips, what is the weather like in tonga.

When you’re looking to escape to a tropical paradise, the weather is kind of important! Tonga is a tropical island archipelago with two seasons, yet never really experiences cold weather.

The Best Time to Visit Tonga

It could be the weather, what activities are available, when it’s the cheapest time to fly, or when there are fewer tourists. There are amazing things to experience all year round in Tonga.

Complete Packing List for Tonga

We go through everything to consider for a trip to Tongan paradise in this complete packing list for Tonga!

The Complete Travel Guide to Tonga
The Best Tonga Itineraries for a Weekend
The Best Tonga Itineraries for 5 Days
The Best Tonga Itineraries for 1 Week
The Best Tonga Itineraries for 2 Weeks
The Travel Guide to Tonga for Families
The Travel Guide to Tonga on a Budget
The Wedding & Honeymoon Guide to Tonga

Extra Tonga Travel Tips

20 free & cheap things to do in tonga, tonga tourist visa: do you need a visa to visit tonga 🛂 [2024], the top 25 resorts in tonga 🏝️ [2024], tonga accommodation tips, 5 best dive resorts in tonga, tonga pocket guide, the largest tonga travel guide in your pocket.

Welcome to the internet’s most comprehensive travel guide to Tonga! Plan your holiday to Tonga on this fast and free travel guide to Tonga just a click or tap away, found right in your browser. Whether you’re planning a family vacation to Tonga, a couple’s getaway in Tonga or even backpacking in Tonga, we have all the answers to your questions about Tonga right here!

More Tonga Travel Advice Than Any Other Website

Tonga Pocket Guide makes planning your trip to Tonga not just about dreaming about your Tonga holiday; it’s about making your vacation dreams a reality. We give you all the practical Tonga travel tips you need, from Tonga transport to the best Tonga resorts and Tonga hotels to choose for your time in paradise. We’ll give you Tonga travel advice for the moment you arrive in Tonga to the moment your Tongan vacation comes to an end. On top of that, choosing your dream Tonga destination is a breeze with our easy-to-read articles and travel advice.

Covering All Styles of Travel in Tonga

Want to travel Tonga on a budget? Looking to treat yourself to some Tonga luxury? Planning a honeymoon in Tonga or a family vacation in Tonga? Tonga Pocket Guide has all that covered and more! We are your complete travel guide to Tonga, offering return travellers new and exciting options for their next Tonga trip while giving first-time vacationers all the essential Tonga travel advice they need to plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Plus, did we mention all of our Tonga tourism tips are free?! Start exploring Tonga Pocket Guide to get your best start to exploring Tonga!

The Guide to Scuba Diving in Tonga
Tonga Transport Guide
The Cost Guide to Travelling in Tonga
The Guide to Whale Swimming in Tonga
The Guide to the Tongan Culture for Travellers

Accommodation

Destinations, things to do, connect with us.

To contact us directly, use our contact page.

Travel Tips

Welcome/Malo! By using this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and terms of use within it which includes sponsored posts and affiliate links.

Connect with us

Welcome/Malo! By using this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and the terms of use within it.

Travel Advisories |
Contact Us |
MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents.

Share this page:

Learn about your destination

Take 90 seconds for safer travel.

Travel Advisory Levels

Enroll in step.

Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad.

Recommended Web Browsers: Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

External Link

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

IMAGES

Protection against novel coronavirus importation in Tonga (Travel
Is Tonga Safe for Tourists?
Tonga toughens travel advisory
Alert level raised to 'very high' in Tonga travel advisory
The Ultimate Tonga Travel Guide
The Ultimate Tonga Travel Guide

COMMENTS

Tonga Travel Advisory
Tonga Travel Advisory . Travel Advisory July 24, 2023. Tonga - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. O D K E N H U T C. Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed. Exercise normal precautions in Tonga. Read the Country Information page. If you decide to travel to Tonga:
Travel advice and advisories for Tonga
Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it! Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
Tonga International Travel Information
Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution and Travel Advisories.
Tonga Travel Advice & Safety
Get the latest updates on safety, health, local laws and travel conditions for Tonga from the Australian Government. Exercise normal safety precautions and check the map, media and weather before you go.
Tonga travel advice
Tonga travel advice
The Complete Travel Guide to Tonga [2024]
Learn how to plan the best trip to Tonga, the only Kingdom of the South Pacific, with tips on climate, culture, language, transportation, and more. Discover the diverse and beautiful islands, the whale swimming, the scuba diving, and the sailing opportunities in this tropical paradise.
Arriving in Tonga: Airport Customs, Biosecurity & Arrival Process
Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Our editorial standards: At Tonga Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
PDF Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health of Tonga hereby issues this Travel Advisory due to the current status of COVID-19 and the recent declaration ofCOVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring this pandemic of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (termed "COVID-19") that was first ...
Tonga
Tonga. Crime Crime levels in Tonga are relatively low, however incidents of robberies, violent assaults and sexual assaults do occur, including against foreigners. ... General travel advice New Zealanders are advised to respect religious, social and cultural traditions in Tonga to avoid offending local sensitivities. Modesty and discretion ...
Safety and security
FCDO travel advice for Tonga. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.
PDF Ministry of Health
Tonga. There is a likelihood of an outbreak which will not only cause high morbidity, mortality but also has the potential to cause a big economic loss to the country. In exercise of the powers stipulated under the Public Health Act, the following travel advisory is issued and will apply to all ports of entryl in the Kingdom of Tonga. l.
Tonga Travel Advisory
Rating Details (single travel warnings) These are the individual advisories published by other countries about the destination Tonga from a travellers perspective. The scoring of all messages combined is the foundation for the current rating 2.5 out of 5.0. Danger level: 0 - Travel is usually safe. This is the general advisory usually covering ...
Travel Advisory For Tonga
Travel Advisory Level (U.S. DoS) Level 1: Exercise normal precautions. Emergency phones in Tonga. 911 Police. 911 Ambulance. 911 Fire police. Show data sources and references. Sources. Tonga Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State) Travel Advice for Tonga (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Open Border Policy Framework for Tonga
A. Tonga opened its borders on 1st August, 2022 and its progressive Open Border Policy Framework is constantly being monitored for review based on the evolving COVID-19 situation both in Tonga and surrounding countries. A review of the Open Border Policy Framework on 19th of September 2022, confirmed the following situations:
Kiribati Travel Advisory
Reissued with updates to health information and Travel Advisory Level. Exercise normal precautions in Kiribati. ... Tonga, Tuvalu . 158 Princes Rd, Tamavua Suva, Fiji Islands. Telephone +(679) 331-4466. Emergency +(679) 772-8049. Fax +(679) 330-2267. Email. [email protected]. Website. https://fj.usembassy.gov/ Kiribati Map. View Larger Map.
Tonga
Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). ... Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Tonga for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.
Health
FCDO travel advice for Tonga. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.
Tonga Travel Advice: Travellers guide & top tips 2024
Smarter traveller advice for Tonga - Department of Foreign Affairs, Australia. Learn more about the current safety and security risks from terrorism, natural disasters and more. Read about the local laws and customs to consider when travelling around Tonga. Note: UK FCDO - UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Tonga Travel Tips: 31 Tips for Travelling in Tonga [2024]
Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Our editorial standards: At Tonga Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
The Ultimate Tonga Travel Guide: What's it Like to Travel in Tonga?
Tonga is a South Pacific country with 172 islands, of which 36 are inhabited. Learn about the main islands, the best time to visit, the culture, the wildlife, and the cost of travelling in Tonga.
Leaving Tonga: Departure Tips & Checklist
Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Tonga - Updated [2024]) Our editorial standards: At Tonga Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
Tonga Pocket Guide
Plan your Tonga holiday with the largest and most comprehensive travel guide to Tonga online. Find tips, advice, guides and lists for all styles of travel, destinations, activities and seasons in Tonga.
Travel Advisories
Find out the latest travel advisories for various destinations around the world, based on the level of safety and security risks. See the date of the most recent update and the recommended precautions for each country or region.

Language selection

Tonga travel advice

On this page

Women’s safety

Demonstrations

Tourist facilities

Adventure travel

Water activities

Road safety

Maritime transportation

Regular Canadian passport

Passport for official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

Other travel documents

Useful links

Other entry requirements

Yellow fever

Relevant Travel Health Notices

Routine vaccines

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

Safe food and water precautions

Insect bite prevention

Animal precautions

Person-to-person infections

Medical services and facilities

Keep in Mind...

Dress and behaviour

2SLGBTQI+ persons

Dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

Monsoons and cyclones

Seismic activity

Local services

Consular assistance

Risk Levels

Exercise a high degree of caution

Avoid non-essential travel

Avoid all travel

Search Smartraveller

Latest update

Local emergency contacts

Advice levels

Local contacts

Full advice

Cyber security

Civil unrest and political tension

Adventure activities

Climate and natural disasters

Earthquakes

Severe weather

Tropical storms and cyclones

Travel insurance

Physical and mental health

Health risks

Other health risks

Fish poisoning

Medical care

Sunday activities

Driving laws

Australian laws

Dual citizenship

Local customs

Visas and border measures

Lost or stolen passport

Passport with 'X' gender identifier

Local travel

Driving permit

Road travel

Motorcycles

Public transport

Emergencies

Consular contacts

Australian High Commission, Nuku'alofa

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

Travelling to Tonga?

Tonga Travel Advisory

Travelling Tonga is (relatively) safe

Regional Situation: 2.5 / 5

Current informationen on Covid-19 in Tonga

Advice scoring history for Tonga