Reading Time: 7 Minutes
Written and Photographed by Mark Knoff-Thomas.
Ok, so you’re feeling a bit burnt out, you need a break, some sun, a quick getaway, a cocktail or 5 – but you don’t have quite enough time for a week or more, and you don’t want to have to deal with the time zone lurch and lose a day, that you get when you return from Australia… Well, the answer just might be Tonga. The island paradise that is only 3 hours away, in almost the same time zone, many degrees warmer than here and beaches that will glow up your ‘gram. It’s a perfect long weekend escape.
As you touch down at Fua'amotu International Airport you descend over acres of tall and lush coconut palms. If it was a movie, you’d think they’d gone overboard with CGI, but no, this is the real deal. You have no doubt you are landing deep in the heart of the pacific. Tonga is the less touristy island cousin to Fiji and Samoa, and as such has a less commercialised, more intrepid, tourism offering – but it is so worth it.
Getting from the airport to town takes half an hour or so by taxi and costs around $50 pa’anga, the local currency, or NZ $35 ish. There are also car hire places at the airport. (Just check the “return clean vehicle” clause carefully!).
Nuku’alofa, the capital city, is nestled on the north coast of Tongatapu island. Tongatapu is just one of over 170 islands that make up the Tongan group. When looking for places to stay Nuku’alofa ranges from guesthouses to 4-star hotels. I stayed at the 4-star Tanoa International Dateline, part of the Reddy Group’s chain across the pacific – it was excellent, overlooks the sea, and walkable to everything in town – plus has great restaurants and a superb did-I-really-just-eat-3-breakfasts buffet.
Nuku’alofa is a unique blend of bustling commerce, watermelons, street stalls, markets, BBQ food galore, watermelons and island-time charm. The endless watermelon stalls… did I mention the watermelons? Watermelon is singly the greatest food on earth – especially with lemon juice, or some feta and mint. Don’t try and change my mind – or we duel at dawn.
As I was only here for a long weekend, I focused on Nuku’alofa township on the first day and spent ages wandering through the Talamahu Market. It is a sea of vibrant colours and a sensory feast of tropical fresh fruit, vegetables and handmade wares by local artisans. I scored myself a shirt and a tupenu (lavalava/ sarong), some watermelon…, and an original dyed tapa artwork which now proudly adorns the hallway in my apartment. The stall holders are invariably also the artists/ artisans, so it’s a great opportunity to have a chat and learn about their work. You can also watch local women working on tapa strips from ngatu tree branches, that get meshed together to become giant tapa cloths decorated in cultural emblems. They are magnificent and watching it 'live' gives you a greater appreciation of the amount of work that goes into creating them.
21,000 steps later, and after an obligatory thirst-quenching fresh coconut (and maybe a Maka or two – one of the local beers) by the hotel poolside, we ventured out into the night for sustenance. In the evenings carparks along the waterfront area (Vuna Road) have a number of pop up food stalls. I had some of the best BBQ chicken I’ve ever eaten. Let your nose do the ordering and get taken on a Pacific journey sampling things like ‘Ota Ika (raw fish with coconut cream), Lu Pulu (beef in taro leaves), talo (baked taro) and keke (Tongan doughnuts), plus try local drink Otai (watermelon and coconut milk).
Day two started with another walkabout around the town and a coffee at Friends Caf. on Salote Street. The cafe is long established, but the building its housed inside, dates back to the 1860s! It would look right at home in Russell in the Far North of NZ. More steps... and a peek at the Royal Palace of Tonga, it’s a Victorian-style wooden building overlooking the sea. Though not open to the public, it’s a symbolic cornerstone of Tonga’s status as the only remaining Polynesian monarchy. You can get some good photo angles from the park just to the side of it. Having a hire car makes getting around easy – as is parking, but so far had walked everywhere. So, in the late afternoon I took a drive to the far north-west tip of Tongatapu to visit Ha’atafu Beach to watch the sunset – about a 30–40-minute drive in good traffic. It was stunning. A coconut palm-lined beach with an expansive stretch of golden sand. Sunsets in the pacific just hit different. There’s nothing like the pressure of a fast-setting sun to get the photo angles right... As the old adage goes, take only photographs, leave only footprints.
Back to the big smoke, and time for dinner, I discovered The Top Restaurant & Lounge, a rooftop bar/restaurant, one block back from the waterfront with great views out to sea. A perfect place to sit back and enjoy the warm evenings and some excellent seafood, special mention of the coconut prawns and the Ikale beer(s)!
The following day was Sunday, and I was lucky enough to attend mass at Malia Tupu Imakulata (Cathedral of St Mary) in my newly purchased tupenu. Trust me, you don’t need to be religious to be uplifted by this church – the singing was insane. I’m Welsh, so am known to be.. errr … expressive… and appreciate a belting anthem or two. I was brought up on a serving of Welsh Male Voice Choirs, Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones (although the singing gene didn’t just skip me it recoiled away from me). The singing here – on that morning, the pitch-perfect harmonies – had these Welsh/Kiwi eyes tearing up.
You won’t find neon lights or shopping malls here – this is the South Pacific unplugged and basks in its authenticity, history, and wonderful laid-back hospitality. The roads are generally in pretty good condition, for the most part drivers are very courteous, but traffic can be busy and slow (It’s always good to leave your sense of urgency and hurried angst at the departure gate back in NZ). Tonga is deeply Christian, so Sundays are sacred. Almost all businesses close, including petrol stations. Dress respectfully (especially in villages and churches) and always ask before taking photos of people. Wearing a light tupenu is not just practical in the heat for both men and women – it also shows respect.
Nuku’alofa isn’t trying to be the next Bali or Denarau – and that is precisely its charm. It’s a place for slow mornings, genuine conversations, and proud cultural richness. After a long weekend, you’ll leave with sand in your shoes (ok, best clean them before you get shoulder barged by Customs on return to Auckland Airport), a phone full of great new pics, and the Tongan phrase “Mālō ‘aupito”– thank you very much – rolling off your tongue. This is Tonga: real, raw, and refreshingly untouched. Your kiwi dollars will do a lot of good for the economy here. So why wouldn’t you? Book it.
This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of NEWMARKET. magazine, to view the latest issue, click here.
Tags: travel
