Tonga

Overview

Tonga is an island nation in the South Pacific, between Fiji and the Cook Islands, made up of about 170 islands, only around 36 of which are inhabited. The country is the only Pacific state never to have been fully colonized, though it existed as a British protectorate from 1900 to 1970; the traditional Tongan monarchy persisted throughout this period, making Tonga the only surviving monarchy in Oceania. The official languages are Tongan and English, and the majority of the population is Christian, with Sunday observance strictly enforced for both religious and cultural reasons, with most shops and services closed on that day.

Nuku'alofa, the capital, home to the Royal Palace, a Victorian-style wooden building and the official residence of the Tongan monarchy, serves as the country's political and cultural center. The Ha'amonga 'a Maui, a monumental coral-stone trilithon gate on Tongatapu, traditionally said to have been erected in the 13th century, is one of the region's most mysterious ancient structures, its exact purpose still debated today. The Mu'a archaeological site, location of the former Tongan capital, with royal burial mounds (langi), preserves the memory of centuries of Tongan monarchical history. The Vava'u island group, with its jagged islands and sheltered waters, is a center of Tongan sailing and marine tourism.

Tonga is one of the few places in the world where swimming with humpback whales can legally be practiced under permit, a program running between July and October, when the whales migrate to the region to breed, making it one of the most sought-after attractions in Tongan tourism. The coral reefs and caves of the Vava'u island group, including Mariner's Cave, accessible only by swimming underwater, offer excellent diving and snorkeling. The Ha'apai island group, less developed and visited than Tongatapu or Vava'u, offers unspoiled beaches and coral reefs for those seeking a quieter island experience. Local cuisine is built on Polynesian staples, with lu pulu, beef and onion wrapped in taro leaves and cooked in coconut milk, as a signature dish, traditionally prepared in an underground oven known as an umu.