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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Radio

The government owned/run Tonga Broadcasting Commission broadcasts in Tongan and English and Radio Tonga in English only. If you want to catch up on what the rest of the world is doing you can get BBC news at 7:00am and Radio Australia at 8:00am. For the best contemporary music in the South Pacific go to FM89.1 (Radio A3V). The station is owned and run by the Vea brothers who have their fingers in a few pies (e.g. Loni’s Cinema and adjacent video shop in Nuku’alofa).
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Reef Shoes

These are inexpensive handy items to pack when heading to the tropics because you will come across reefs and shoes will protect you from coral cuts or other scratches. An old pair of sneakers also does the trick and you may wish to leave them behind prior to returning. Someone will appreciate them!
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Religion

The Sabbath is enshrined in the Constitution as sacred - it is against the law to work, hold sporting events or trade on Sundays. Contracts signed on a Sunday are not valid. Even Seventh Day Adventists take Sunday as the Sabbath (not Saturday) - they justify this by saying there is a bend in the International Dateline that allows them to pretend it is Saturday. This might simply be to have all church services on the one day because Saturday Adventists would die of boredom trying to amuse themselves on a Tongan Sunday afdter a day of worship on Saturday - or perhaps a way of reaching the goal of Tonga becoming the world’s first country with a Mormon majority. There are 16 official churches in Tonga and most Tongans attend church. The main denominations are Free Wesleyan and the other branches of Methodism. There are also Catholic, Anglican, Mormon, Assembly of God and Baha’i places of worship. If visiting and you’d like to attend a church service, Nuku’alofa’s Centenary Church (Free Wesleyan) will be memorable (service starts 10:00am). Dress in your Sunday best - however tourists aren’t expected to match the locals (the men wear coats and ties). The church choir is sensational and you may share the experience with members of the royal family. In Vava’u, head to the Free Wesleyan Church, on Tui Road, opposite the Flea Market. Both the choir and congregation here are also large, loud and lyrical.
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Resorts

There are a number of very good resorts in Tonga but don’t expect five-star island resorts like you can find in Fiji or the high-rise of Hawaii. A couple we recommend - Fafa Island Resort off Tongatapu and Sandy Beach Resort (Ha’apai). For obligation and cost free advice on accommodation in Tonga, email here.
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Restaurants

Restaurants and chefs come and go so it is difficult to provide a totally accurate up-to-date guide to dining out but we’ll try! Here’s a thumbnail guide to some establishments, thanks to Canadian travel author David Stanley who has a keen eye and a sharp palate.

  • Nuku’alofa: Akiko’s Restaurant in the basement of the Catholic basilica on Taufa’ahau Road - a budget standby with a good lunch special (no alcohol served). For Chinese cuisine, Kimiko Restaurant on Vuna Road (one of the few places open on Sunday - try the wonton) or the attractive Fakalato Chinese Restaurant above a supermarket on Wellington Road - medium-priced Cantonese dishes (while there check out the Italian ice-cream place on the nearby corner of Taufa’ahau Road). Lily’s Chinese Restaurant (opposite the fish market at Faua Jetty) has good seafood.For more upmarket options: Also for seafood, Davina’s Restaurant and the Waterfront Café (opposite Faua Jetty) and Davina’s also has great steaks. The Billfish Bar & Restaurant is also known for seafood. For tasty pasta and pizza, Pizzeria Little Italy west, on the waterfront and for an occasion or treat, the Seaview Restaurant offers the finest dining in town. It’s located at Seaview Lodge (Vuna Road, west of the Royal Palace). German chefs, Lothar and Martina, ensure both food and atmosphere are excellent. Open for dinner weekdays only, reserving a table is recommended (23 709).
  • Vava’u: While the Bounty Bar is more of a drinking spot, they serve five types of burgers. Good cafes include Ifo Ifo Bar & Café, Pua Tale Fusi Restaurant & Garden Café (known as ‘Pua’ by the locals), Lighthouse Café and Ana’s Waterfront Café. Other restaurants worth trying - The Dancing Rooster (on the water opposite the prominent Catholic church), the Mermaid Bar & Grill (the raw fish straight off the dock a specialty - T$8.50) and the Ocean Breeze Restaurant for the best upmarket option (lobster and fish curry, steak, lamb, chicken priced from T$20-32). Open for lunch and dinner, reservations recommended (Ph 70 852).
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Royal Family

The Royal Family is pretty much at the core of all things Tongan (culture, religion, government) for over ten centuries. While yet to have his coronation, the current monarch, His Majesty King Siaosi Tupou V, descends from the sacred line of the first rulers, the Tu’i Tonga dynasty. His lineage also interweaves and carries the royal bloodlines of the Tu’i Ha’atakalaua and Tu’i Kanokupolu. For information on the previous monarchs on this site, see King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV and Queen Salote. While steeped in tradition, the family has moved with the times - the Official Website of the Tongan Monarchy.
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Royal Palace

The Palace (near Vuna Wharf) is a striking Victorian building. It is closed to the public but can be viewed from a distance (head to the western side of the compound for best photo opportunities). It was actually built in New Zealand and reassembled in Nuku’alofa in 1867.
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Royal Tombs

You’ll find the Royal Tombs on the south side of Laifone Road in Nuku’alofa. Tongan royalty has been buried here since 1893
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Rugby

Both Rugby Union and Rugby League are played in Tonga but Union has the biggest following. They love the game and they are good at it. Being a small nation, Tonga is regarded as a ‘minnow’ team on the world stage but they certainly weren’t disgraced in the 2007 World Cup in France. They beat the USA 25-15, Samoa 19-15 and nearly upset the mighty South African Springboks losing 30-25. And consider how many players of Tongan descent play in other countries - Jonah Lomu, Willie ‘Ofahengaue, George Smith, Willie Mason, Brent Kite, Willy Tonga, Israel Folau, Anthony Tupou and Antonio Kaufusi. This means nothing to readers who are not from Australia or New Zealand but for those who are, how would you like to have that mob running at you at full speed?!
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