Vava'u 'Pearl of the Pacific' |
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| Vava'u is the second largest island group in the Kingdom of Tonga, with 50 islands closely nestled together. Vava'u is known as the "Pearl" reflecting both it's natural beauty and it is the only place in the Kingdom where pearls are grown. |
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Port Refuge harbor which is up to 70 meters deep in the center make it a common stop for yachts heading towards New Zealand. The bay is very clean, and lined with shops and restaurants. Neiafu is the capital of Vava'u and is located at the Port of Refuge Harbor.
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| "Close encounters on a special kind" Tonga is one of the few places in the world where you get to swim close to the humpback whales. The Tonga Whales Watching Association adhere to regulations set by the government and swimming with the whales is only permitted with a licensed whale watching operator. Only four persons plus a guide are permitted in the water a one time. |
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We toured the north side of the island on dune buggies with Ben our tour guides from Vava'u Adventures. We saw the north shore where the bats (flying foxes) hand out during the day, went through plantations of pineapple, vanilla bean, bananas and coconuts trees. We were nine dune buggies and the noise of our engines brought the kids running to the road as we went by their homes. |
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The Vava'u Group has over 40 beautiful anchorages where we can hike, snorkel, fish and swim. The sea life is spectacular and we really enjoyed snorkeling and seeing all the pretty colors of the sea. |  |
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