Tonga A-Z Visitors Guide - Small Guide to a tropical paradise
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 Tonga A-Z - The Tonga Visitors Guide

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National Flag

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National Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of Tonga was designed in 1875 when the constitution was enshrined. Draped either side by the Tongan flag there are five main components. There are three swords (crossed) that represent the three dynasties of the kings, a dove and olive branch that represent peace, three stars to represent the main islands of Tonga, a crown to represent the monarchy and text in a scroll at the bottom that reads Ko e ‘Otua mo Tonga ko hoku Tofi’a (“God and Tonga are my inheritance”). (More info...)
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Neiafu

Neiafu (Vava’u) is Tonga’s ‘second city’ but with a population of just 6,000 it’s a n easy place to explore. It’s a prettier and more peaceful town than Nuku’alofa. There’s a really nice ‘flow’ and rhythm to this town and a feeling of eccentricity - well worth a few days to soak the place in, even though there are no swimmable beaches nearby.
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Nightlife

In Nuku’alofa there’s lots of nightlife if you go looking - at island resorts and the quieter places (like Neiafu), the place(s) to go are more obvious.

  • Nuku’alofa: Ambassador Night Club (behind Tonga National Centre) has a nice lagoon location. The most popular nightclub is the Blue Pacific International Night Club. Couples and single women should give the Phoenix Disco a miss - could be an experience for single males with an independent streak. You get the occasional brawl between the local Tongans.
  • Vava’u: Vava’u Club is a blokey watering hole with two large pool tables and a few local barflies looking for a tourist to ‘shout’. On Fridays and Saturdays a live dance band plays at the Puataukanave Disco (opposite Tonga Visitors Bureau) and a slightly older clientele patronises the Funga i Vava’u Nightclub at the Garden Bay Village on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.
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Niuas

The Niuas are a group of three isolated volcanic islands between Vava’u and Samoa. Coconut trees are called niu and it’s not difficult to see why the islands received their name. Fine sand beaches, clear turquoise waters, rugged backdrop scenery make this a special a part of the planet and if you make the effort, it will be practically all yours and the culture here is far more traditional than other parts of Tonga.
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Numbers

The Tongan number system, once you get around the language, is pretty simple. Once you get the first 10, you are okay for 100. Numbers zero to 10 are noa, taha, ua, tolu, fa, nima, ono, fitu, vala, hiva and hongofulu (10), which can also be taha noa (one, zero). From here just add the prefix as if spelling the number - for example, 11 is taha taha; 21 is ua taha; 31; tolu taha and so on. 69 is ono hiva, 89 is vala hiva and if you are playing Bingo, ‘two fat ladies’ is vala vala and hiva hiva will give you Top of the House (99).
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Nudity

Public nudity is more than naughty, it’s a no-no. It is even illegal for men to appear in public without a shirt. If naturism is your niche, New Caledonia might be nice.
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Nuku’alofa

Nuku’alofa means ‘Abode of Love’ and is the capital and main town on Tongatapu (population 24,000). Some people love it, others hate it and head out of town or to the islands as soon as they can. It is certainly worth a couple of days exploring and there are some good dining and accommodation options as well as sightseeing. It is the centre for tourism, industry, commerce and government. It has a ‘colonial’ feel in parts (without having been colonised), and while not as pretty as, say, Port Vila, it manages to function pretty efficiently with a South Pacific pace. For tips on some of the main sights, go to Sightseeing.
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