The lagoons
Turquoise and blue.
David Broad — CC BY 3.0 · dr.scott.mills — CC BY-SA 2.0 · dr.scott.mills — CC BY-SA 2.0 · dr.scott.mills — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Arne Müseler — CC BY-SA 3.0 de · dr.scott.mills — CC BY-SA 2.0
Haʻapai is a group of small coral and volcanic islands in central Tonga, between Tongatapu to the south and Vavaʻu to the north. Low green islands are ringed by coral reefs and lagoons in every shade of blue and turquoise, with empty white beaches. Haʻapai has 51 islands, 17 of them inhabited, with about 6,000 people in all. Its total land area is about 109 square km. The administrative centre is Pangai on Lifuka, which has a small airport. In the west lies the volcanic island of Kao, the highest point in all Tonga at about 1,046 m. From the plane you see the little islands as white rings in blue water, with long coral reefs. On land you walk quiet villages on dirt roads and reach white beaches with hardly anyone on them. Life here is very slow. Lifuka is about 172 km north-east of Nukuʻalofa, reached by small plane or ferry. Walking is free. Services are few, so book lodging ahead, respect the villages and dress modestly.
Turquoise and blue.
White sand.
Quiet dirt roads.
Haʻapai group, central Tonga; administrative centre Pangai on Lifuka
By small plane or ferry to Lifuka.
No, so book lodging ahead.