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Ha’apai Tonga has been described as a South Pacific paradise, and I couldn’t agree more!
From the moment I set foot on Ha’apai during my 2 week Tonga trip I knew I was in a magical place. The people are friendly, the beaches pristine and the snorkeling was unbelievably amazing.
Ha’apai (pronounced ha-pie) is the kind of place where you can kick your shoes off and relax into island time. If you’re planning a trip to Ha’apai you’re in for a real treat! I’ve got you covered with a 2025 travel guide for Ha’apai: how to get there, where to stay and what to do!
Ha’apai Tonga at a Glance
Here’s your quick overview into the Ha’apai island chain, for more details make sure to keep scrolling!
Location: Northern Tonga, South Pacific
Number of islands: 51 (only 17 are inhabited!)
Main town/island: Pangai, Lifuka
How to get there: Flight or ferry from Tongatapu
Best resort: Matafonua
Best budget resort: Dianas (Tongan owned!)
Best activity: Whale Swim!
When to Visit Ha’apai Tonga
Tonga is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the winter season is June – Oct. Because Tonga is close to the equator, there’s warm weather here year round. The winter/summer season could really be called the dry/wet season or the whale/no whale season!
If you’re keen on experiencing Tonga’s #1 activity, swimming with humpback whales, aim to visit Ha’apai late July – end of Sept.
If you visit during the summer (around the start of the new year) you may be in for wetter weather but it will be hotter out…. Not to mention you’ll probably have the place to yourself!
Where is Tonga in the South Pacific?
Tonga is located in the South Pacific, some 1,000 miles northish of New Zealand, and a few hundred miles SE of it’s more popular neighbor Fiji. Tonga can be hard to find on a map, and the Ha’apai island chain is an even tinier spec in the north!
The only international airport is on the main island of Tongatapu.
There are several international flights in and out of the country every day. While there are occasionally direct flights from LAX, if you’re flying from the U.S. the most common way to get to Tonga is by flying through New Zealand or Fiji.
How to Get to Ha’apai Tonga
Once you’re in the country, there are 2 main ways to get to Ha’apai, a 45 minute flight or a 12 hour ferry!
Flights to Ha’apai
The local airline is Lulutai airlines, a sub par airline that totally has a monopoly on air transportation in the country. As of 2025 they are the only domestic airline. Flying with them is the fastest way to get anywhere in the Kingdom.
You can book your flight online and it’ll cost you around $240 USD for a round trip ticket during the whale season.
Ferry to Ha’apai
The 3 ferry companies are Tofa Ramsey Shipping, Malau Shipping and Friendly Island Shipping Company.
You can’t buy tickets in advance and there’s little info about them online. The best way to see their schedule is through their facebook page. When you purchase a ticket (done in person at the ticket booth) it’ll cost you around $30 USD.
Heads up, in 2025, Wednesday was the designated “cargo only” day. There are also no flights or ferries on Sundays in Tonga.
Accommodation in Ha’apai Tonga
While Ha’apai is not as popular as the Va’vau chain, accommodation still books up far in advance. While you likely don’t need to book in advance for a backpackers hostel like Evalonis (which was operating in 2025), most of the resorts book up years in advance.
If you’re like me and you’re planning a trip to Tonga at the last minute, contact the resort or lodge you wish to stay in as they likely have some cancelation spots!
Here are the top resorts in Ha’apai I recommend based on either my own experiences or by hearing positive reviews from other travelers I met.
Best Resorts in Ha’apai
Matafonua: I spent 5 nights at Matafonua Lodge and absolutely loved it!
With an amazing beach right outside your fale (fa-lay, pictured above), Matafonua is a dream come true at a great price point! While the fale’s are private you will have to walk to a shared bathroom area. Matafonua is a great option if you’re looking for a mid-tier priced resort with a top tier experience!
Sandy Beaches: Sandy Beaches is the sister resort to Matafonua. You get the same peaceful beach and access to amazing snorkeling, but with a more upscale and private accommodation. Dinner is also included in the cost of your room!
Sea Change Eco Retreat: Located on a separate island from where the airport is, Sea Change Eco Retreat offers a relaxing getaway with everything from whale swims to massages. Guests will get a pick up from the airport and then a water taxi out to the island.
Serenity Beaches Resort: You probably won’t want to leave this gorgeous resort, with its beach front rooms and miles of pristine white sand beaches, this is the ultimate getaway! I’ve heard the staff are kind and the atmosphere is magical, they also run whale swim trips!
Diana’s Resort: Located on a different island than the main island of Lifuka, Dianas is the most affordable resort that I heard about! Not only are they Tongan owned but they have beachside fales and offer whale swims as well!
Food on Ha’apai
Admittedly the food discussion is a bit nuanced. I’ve talked at length about the difficulty of obtaining westernized foods in Tonga because, hello, it’s in the middle of the Pacific.
True Tongan meals will include the staples of fish/meat, taro and papaya. I personally found the local cuisine to be difficult to navigate as a vegetarian, and honestly a bit bland in general.
But if you’re on Ha’apai odds are you’re at a resort, in which case all your food will likely be catering to the western palate – hello any spices at all.
Speaking from my experience at Matafona, the food was absolutely stellar and not at all like the food I experienced in the rest of the country. This is of course good and bad as you’re not getting a true taste of Tonga at the resort.
Matafonua and Sandy Beaches have actually started doing a traditional Tongan feast on Friday nights!
I did venture into the town of Pangai on a day trip to see what the food in town was like. The grocery stores were just 2-3 isles of mostly processed foods (this is consistent throughout Tonga). There were a few restaurants and an ice cream shop, which we stopped at.
For the most part the cuisine you’ll be eating will be at your accommodation as the resorts boast the best rated restaurants in town.
Things to Do in Ha’apai Tonga
The specificities of what exactly you can do in Ha’apai depends on which island you’re on and what your accommodation offers. Ha’apai is a hub of ocean activities, so if you want to go beyond relaxing on the beach there are plenty of amazing experiences awaiting!
Swimming with Whales in Ha’apai
The #1 activity in Tonga is of course swimming with whales. This is a magical (and dare I say life changing) experience!
Aim to plan your trip from late July – Sept for the best chances of getting in the water with a whale!
Whale swimming is WORK. I recommend reading my article “10 things to know before swimming with whales” to decide if it’s the right activity for you.
We had an amazing whale swim on Ha’apai. We spent 5 hours on the boat, sometimes going close to an hour without seeing any whales. But we got to get in the water 3 times with various moms and calves!
One young whale breached dozens of times in front of our boat! It was amazing!! I’ll truly never forget the experience!
Biking in Ha’apai
If you want to get beyond the resort, see if your accommodation has courtesy bikes or if you can rent them! We got to use the bikes at Matafonua/Sandy Beaches for a full day and it allowed us to see all of Lifuka.
The (Secret) Treasure Beach
There’s a not so secret, secret treasure beach on Foa (the island connected by bridge to Lifuka where Matafonua is). This is not a beach for swimming but rather a beach for treasure hunting! Unique seaglass and other ocean treasures often wash up here! Ask at Matafonua for the exact directions to get there!
Kayaking / SUP
Almost every resort is going to have the option of taking a kayak or stand up paddle board (SUP) out on the water. This is a great way to see more ocean animals but stay a bit drier!
Snorkeling and Diving
There are plenty of outfitters that you can scuba dive with (if you’re certified) in Ha’apai! Matafonua has a beautiful lagoon that’s perfect for both snorkeling and diving. Most resorts will have free snorkel gear to use.
Churches in Ha’apai
If you’re in Tonga on a Sunday I highly recommend getting yourself out to a church service!
Even if you’re not religious this is an incredible service you won’t forget. The sermon will be in Tongan so you don’t need to worry about taking notes. The real joy of being there is hearing the amazing singing from the congregation! As one guy put it – “it’ll curl your toes!”
Sundays in Tonga
A note about Sunday.
It is actually law to rest and spend time with family on Sunday in Tonga. As a tourist to the Kingdom you will have more leniency with this, but it will still affect you.
Everything is closed on Sunday such as grocery stores, restaurants and shops. Secondly there are no flights or ferries. And lastly you may not do any sort of physical activity for recreation, but walking or biking somewhere practical (like church or a neighbor’s) is permitted. Basically you gotta take it slow and relax! Not too bad!
How to Get Around Ha’apai
You can rent a car on the main island of Lifuka, but if you’re staying at a resort I don’t think there’s a need to!
Not only will you have an airport transfer but most resorts are happy to drive you into town (for a fee of course). Not to mention most of the things you’ll be doing will be right there on site at the resort!
And of course there’s always hitchhiking! When we would walk around Tonga a local would usually stop to ask if we wanted a ride! Not a reliable way to get around and you should be cautious when accepting a ride.
Pictured left: us and some friends in the back on a truck on the island of ‘Eua!
Can You Get Cash out on Ha’apai?
Cash is king in Tonga!
While some resorts will take a card payment, other accommodations may ask for all cash.
You can get cash out at the main airport in Tongatapu or at any ‘Bank of South Pacific’ of BSP offices scattered around the villages. I would recommend asking your accommodation where they recommend getting cash from and plan on getting it out before you travel to an outer island.
Do I Need Travel Insurance in Tonga?
Do you need travel insurance for Tonga? This is a resounding YES!
I use SafetyWing and it’s less than $2 a day! As my favorite travel blogger says, if you can’t afford travel insurance you can’t afford to travel!
Also ensure to plan yourself travel buffer days as well as flexible international tickets for your departure in case you get hung up on an outer island (like we did).
Are There Stray Dogs in Ha’apai?
Lastly, there were a ton of stray dogs throughout Tonga.
Thankfully, most of the dogs in the villages are very habituated to people and likely won’t do more than sniff around at you. We didn’t see any strays out at Matafonua because they have a big friendly guard dog that likely keeps any wild dogs away!
The stray 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.
Have I convinced you to travel to Ha’apai yet? It really is a South Pacific island paradise. I was in heaven from the moment we stepped onto the beach and truly didn’t want to leave! I think a little part of me is going to live there forever!
To book a stay at one of Ha’apai many beautiful resorts, send an email over to
[email protected] , [email protected] , or browse availability at the other resorts I listed above.
Happy Tonga travels!
Ahoy! I’m Bree and I’ve started this blog to help you plan your next great outdoor adventure. With a background in marine science, I’ve got an aptitude for all things ocean, but you’ll find land based adventures here too! Everything you see here is based on my own travel experience and paid for myself. I hope you stick around!