The Kingdom of Tonga is the official name of the islands. Tonga lies south of the equator and is one of the most southerly of the tropical South Pacific islands. It lies directly to the south of Samoa, south east of Fiji and south west of Niue, the Cook Islands and Tahiti.

Total islands: 170 Total land mass: 748 km² Capital: Avarua Main Island: Rarotonga Int'l Airport: Rarotonga

Population: 18,000 Language: Tongan, English Tourists: 45,000 per year Accommodations: 25 Money: T$ (paga)

Tonga Health and Dangers
Mosquitoes are present in most parts of Tonga, although trade winds keep these to a minimum on coastal areas.

The country is free from malaria, yellow fever and most other diseases endemic in tropical countries.

Tap water is generally safe to drink and few tourists suffer from stomach upsets, although bottled water is available and much healthier. In the tropics it is advisable to drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. The only real threat is the Sun - sunstroke, prickly heat and other skin irritations are quite common, the latter especially so in the more humid season between December and April. Take light, airy clothes. Local private doctors and pharmacies are good although hospitals can provide only basic accident and emergency operations.


Tonga Electricity
Electricity is 240 volts AC50 cycles (same as UK, Australia and New Zealand) but if you come from the US you will probably need a convertor. Sockets are three pronged, the upper two prongs being angled and flat, the lower prong being circular. However, several of the German managed resorts have imported their own European style plugs.


Tonga Communication
Tonga is 13hrs ahead of GMT
The country code for Tonga is (+676).
Telephone lines are reliable with direct international calls and international calling cards which can be used a public phones around Nukualofa Internet Cafes are available in Nuku'alofa and Neiafu but are painfully slow and not that cheap either. Few resorts or guest houses offer internet access for their guests. Sending cards and letters abroad is exceptionally cheap and handling is efficient, although the quality of post cards is poor.

Sunday in Tonga is a strict day of rest and any commercial business from restaurants to taxi operators are closed. There are no international or local flights on Sunday.



Tonga Resort Listings

Airlines, Car Rental & Transfers

Tonga Travel Agents

Tonga Tour Companies

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