Is Tonga Worth Visiting: 6 Things to Know Before You Go

If you’re planning a trip to the South Pacific, you may be wondering: is Tonga worth visiting? 

The short answer here – YES! Especially if you like more adventure travel. While other countries in the South Pacific like Fiji and Tahiti are a bit more set up for tourism, Tonga operates on a much more “island time” style. 

I spent over 2 weeks in Tonga and had an unforgettable experience, but I had my fair share of travel mishaps.

That’s why I wouldn’t recommend going to Tonga without fully knowing what you’re getting yourself into. Especially if you don’t stay at a resort. As a recent palangi (the Tongan word for a visitor from overseas) in Tonga, I took note of a few things you’ll want to know before you plan a trip there. 

Keep reading to find out the top 6 things to know before you travel to Tonga. Number 5 is the most important!

1. The Language Barrier

The official language in Tonga is… Tongan! I’m not sure why, but I didn’t even think about the language barrier when I was planning my trip. 

Thankfully if you don’t have time to study Tongan, most major things will be in English. Anyone working in tourism will speak English, like your taxi driver or receptionist at your accommodation or waitress. But there were plenty of people we spoke to who had just a small English vocabulary. And even a few people at stores who did not speak any English. 

Most signs are in Tongan with the English translation underneath, but announcements and such will always be made in Tongan first, English second. If you are staying at a resort everything will of course be English-centric, but if you’re off the beaten path things will be in Tongan. 

We were in Tonga during a tsunami warning, and all the broadcast announcements were in Tongan! So we kept having to ask for updates on the tsunami from someone who could translate!

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2. Sunday is Sacred in Tonga

Sunday is for rest.

This cultural fact can either be frustrating or fun, depending on how much you lean into it. I think the best way to get the most out of your trip to Tonga is to adjust to the island life as much as possible. This means respecting their restful Sunday law!

Yes, it is a law to rest and spend time with family on Sunday in Tonga. The King actively enforces this with Tongan citizens. As a tourist there is a bit more leniency. 

What does this law entail? Everything is closed on Sunday such as grocery stores, restaurants and shops. There are no flights or ferries. You may not do any sort of physical activity for recreation, but walking or biking somewhere practical (like church or a neighbor’s house) is permitted. Basically you gotta take it slow and relax! 

Again if you are at a resort there is much more leniency with this law, we went snorkeling on a Sunday when we were at Matafonua Lodge. But the prior Sunday when we were at a more local spot on ‘Eua we went to church, played chess and sat on the beach!

3. Cover Knees and Shoulders

Modest clothing is a must in Tonga!

Again there is more leniency for tourists, but when I was wearing my shorts above my knees I felt a bit guily, because I knew it was not the norm! I pretty much always kept my shoulders covered, again because it just felt a bit wrong to be in a tank top when everyone around you is in long sleeves. 

If you are at a resort with international guests it’s much more common to just wear what you want. But around town and with locals I felt much comfortable respecting their modesty rules for dress.

I packed long linen pants and a long linen shirt which were my staples. I wore my long sleeve tops over my tank tops when we were outside our accommodation. I wasn’t perfect with this rule but like I said when I was in my shorts I wished I had long pants on. 

It’s also a bonus to wear long lightweight clothing to help protect from the UVs! For bathing suits I wore my favorite “sunsuit” from Waterlust, which is long sleeved to keep the sun off.

4. Grocery Stores / Dietary Restrictions

I’ve gone into detail about the grocery stores in Tonga in my budget breakdown, but the important thing to know is options are limited.

And it’s no wonder – Tonga is wayyy far out in the middle of the pacific! Limited produce and goods are shipped to the island. Most locals are eating food they farmed themselves. So go into the grocery stores with an open mind and prepare for many canned and processed foods.

This also makes any allergies or dietary restrictions tough while traveling in Tonga. I often did not feel satisfied as a vegetarian (until we went to a resort that is…). Which is fully a reflection of my standards as an American and not a reflection of Tonga!

I also sought out some gluten free options when I was there and found very limited options. 

If you don’t have any dietary restrictions food will be less of a challenge for you. Keep in mind that the grocery stores will still not be what you may be used to back home.

5. Transportation in Tonga Style

If you are used to westernized transportation with comfortable seats and time schedules, get ready to be frustrated. 

Ferries, taxis and even planes all operate on island time and there is a LOT of hearsay and rumors when it comes to departure/arrival times.

For example when we arrived in Tonga and our taxi driver took us to the ferry, he had no idea if the ferry would be there or not. He didn’t even know if the ticket booth would be open at 2pm on a Wednesday. 

I grew up on an island and I always knew what time the ferry was running because there was a set schedule. Well that’s not the case in Tonga! When we were stuck on ‘Eua it seemed like nobody could tell us when the next ferry was running. 

I originally found out the ferry was canceled because a woman I sat next to at lunch said “oh you want to take the ferry tomorrow? There’s no ferry tomorrow.” Which I wasn’t even able to confirm for another 4 hours. The only way to get info from the ferry company is through their facebook. 

But it’s not just the ferry! The domestic airline operator (Lulutai airlines) is kinda a mess. The week we got there they had their maintenance license suspended and then reinstated. 

Then their website had a bookable flight from ‘Eua to Tongatapu. But when we called to confirm it turned out there was actually no flight! A few days later when we took our flight from Tongatapu to Ha’apai, the flight was 40 minutes early and I almost missed it because I was waiting for a food order at the cafe! 

This brings me to my most important point: 

Have a backup plan

I cannot stress this enough – have a backup plan! Whether it be building in buffer days to your travel times (a must do), picking a backup accommodation, a backup ferry or having a second itinerary, you must be flexible if you are traveling in Tonga. Is Tonga worth visiting? Absolutely, but be prepared to meet Tonga where it’s at, especially when it comes to the kingdom’s transportation system.

6. Stray Dogs

Lastly, there were a ton of stray dogs in Tonga. I think we saw nearly 100 during the 50 minute taxi ride from the airport to downtown Nuka’lofa. 

We walked a lot during this trip – to the beach, the grocery store and just to see the sights. There were dogs everywhere we went. If you are in a village the dogs are likely habituated to people and you can just keep walking and not look at them. 

The only time we encountered a truly aggressive dog was about 5k from the nearest village on a bike ride. The dog started barking at us and running towards us from a couple hundred yards down the road. We got off our bikes and slowly backed up and eventually it stopped following us, held its line and kept barking.

After we told one local woman this she said “just carry a stick!” For the rest of the time we always had our water bottles in hand, just in case. 

The dogs don’t have rabies (from what we were told) and bite rates are low, but this is definitely something to be aware of. Especially if stray dogs make you nervous! The key is to have confidence around them.

Anywhere you go in the South Pacific is likely to have stray dogs, it’s just one more thing to be aware of before your trip. However if you’re in a resort area you likely won’t have to deal with them at all!

And there you have it! As a recent traveler in Tonga those are the top 6 things I think everyone should know before they plan a trip there. Is Tonga worth visiting? I think that depends on if you’re ready to be flexible with their transportation, rest on Sunday and brave the stray dogs. 

But if you like sandy, uncrowded beaches, crystal clear water, amazing snorkeling and friendly islanders, then yes, Tonga is worth visiting! I had the most amazing 2 weeks there despite the travel mishaps, stray dogs and cultural differences. I hope that you can make it to Tonga to see the beauty this isle Kingdom holds!