Wednesday: Spent all day on a flat bottomed boat with 12 people (including all the same people as yesterday) whale watching. We saw 5 adult humpbacks and a mother and calf. Swimming with them was amazing. I can’t say much more- just look at the pictures / video (they don't convey how amazing they were). We ended the day going to Mariners cave where the entrance is underwater and you have to dive down 2 meters and in 2 meters to get in. It was scary but I’m glad I did it. [View Full Entry]

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So the flight up to Va va’u had a grand total of 18 seats in it. We got up at 4am to get it so I slept all the way and missed out on some great scenery. We stayed in Adventure backpackers which was really nice with a big shared kitchen still with Hot water and powerful showers and has a large balcony looking over the harbor (lots of big boats). That evening we went to the Mermaid bar and even though we had to get up early we stayed late as the King had died that day and it would [View Full Entry]

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I arrived in Tonga and got picked up and taken to Heilala Lodge- luxury compared to my last week. My own room, a fan and a share bathroom -with flushing toilet and HOT water!! The next morning I had breakfast (toast and fresh fruit) and got talking to a couple from Brighton Nancy and Stuart (in their early 30s but didn’t look it). I said I was going up to Va va’u which is either a 21hour choppy boat ride or a 100 Pound flight. They decided that they would fly up and so we ended up all booking to go [View Full Entry]

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A Tongan paradise dwells on the forgotten island of Uoleva.....swaying palm trees, sweet coconut milk, cobalt skies, pink and white clouds floating overhead, a soft lullaby of waves at the tips of your toes and miles and miles away from civilization. Time has stopped. There are no queues, no traffic, no noise, and virtually nobody around except a few languid backpackers......a beach bum's dream come true and a workaholic’s worst nightmare. The five tanned bodies of my English travel buddies are stretched out in various stages of sleepiness, all glistening with tanning oil or the smarte [View Full Entry]

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Painted banners crisscrossed the road, balloons floated from downtown storefronts, ringing kettle drums beat out the “Happy Birthday” song.........although I wasn't perched next to the King when he blew out his birthday candles, I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed with the birthday bonanza in Nuku’alofa. Royalty sure know how to throw a party, especially when they are commemorating an 88th birthday of a highly regarded monarch. Tongataupo was decked out in all its glitter and glam for the week long gala affair, also known as the Heilala festival. Excited locals ca [View Full Entry]

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It's a while ago, but because TONGA was such an amazing place to be, i would still like to put my trip in a blog. The year 2005 i was fortunate enough to spend in new zealand, where after a lot of hard work, i had collected enough money to treat myself to a pacific holiday. I choose Tonga because it was the least touristy one, the only kingdom in the pacific, and well, air new zealand had a good offer. I left christchurch on the 31st of may, in clear weather, wich gave me an amazing view over the mountainranges. [View Full Entry]

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Today the Crystal Serenity docked at the last set of islands before we get to New Zealand. Our travel notes say Captain Cook sailed around these islands, but they were never (unlike the other Polynesian islands) colonized by the British or any European country. Net result today is a very laid-back community of handsome happy Polynesian people without the blessings of Walmart or KFC - or paved roads, for that matter. There is a small capital city, Nuku'alofa, where we docked, but it has been minimally invaded by the tourist industry. Our guide said they have cruise ships "fairly often - [View Full Entry]

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Tonga is a group of Polynesian islands, a paradise in the Pacific. On the main island of Tongatapu, people smile (the gold in their teeth flash) and say hello on the street. After a week some would even know my name. This is a beautiful place; the sea, the walkway, kids swimming, the cool breeze, the palms, the ships off shore all add to the atmosphere. The shops open late and close early, and on Sunday the streets are empty, - huge bars on protect the doors and windows. Musical bells call congregations to church. The services are famous for the [View Full Entry]

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Tonga was much cooler than Samoa. Although still hot, the heat was not so intense and I was not complaining about that! Below is a copy of my report: The Kingdom of Tonga (also known as the Friendly Isles) consists of 171 islands (less than 40 are inhabited) and 4 main island groups: Tongatapu, Ha’apai, Vava’u and the Niuas. Tongatapu (population: 68,000) is the main island, constituting a third of Tonga’s land mass. A third of the island’s population lives in the capital, Nuku’alofa (population: 22,000). It has a cooler climate than Samoa. Sport wi [View Full Entry]

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