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Nukualofa Town
Tonga Islands
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Nuku'alofa Town is the capital of Tonga, sitting on an narrow isthmus facing the Pacific Ocean to the north, and the turquoise but polluted Fanga'uta Lagoon to the south. With a population of just 30,000, it is a quiet, sprawling and functional town with few tourist attractions except for the Royal Palace and bustling market, few shops and lots of accommodation mostly aimed at business people and Tongans visiting from their new-found homes overseas.
The most unique attraction is the Royal Palace in the heart of downtown. Although not open to the public, you get a good view from the waterfront of the colonial wooden building which was built in 1867. Another attraction is the Royal Tombs, set in a manicured park which is closed to the public though visible through the fence. If you want to get close to Royalty, attend the Centenary Church on Sunday - this is where the King and Queen worship.
Nuku'alofa town itself is unattractive with few architecturally pleasing buildings but the Talamahu market is a good place to visit on Saturdays - a busy place by Tongan standards. A few pleasant cafes and restaurants in the town centre allow you to escape the drone and an internet cafe or bus stand may be the only reason to make a second visit.
If you are after handicrafts, Langafonua, a women's co-operative in downtown, is the most reliable source with reasonable prices. The harbour wall along Vuna Road, where most of Nuku'alofa's tourist accommodation is located, is good for a stroll and spotting the offshore islands if nothing else to do but the beach is of coarse coral and often littered but is OK for swimming. The best of the city's hotels is either the large International Dateline Hotel or the much smaller and more intimate Waterfront Lodge about 10-minutes walk further away from town opposite the port. About 10-minutes walk inland, facing the inner lagoon, is Lagoon Lodges which offers spacious apartments at very reasonable prices - a good option for business people or those looking for a comfortable base to explore the island. On the other side of town, the east coast beyond the Royal Palace is another sea wall squeezed between the rocky coastline and road. Here are several small rental apartments, a restaurant and the budget Moana Beach Lodge.
On Sunday, everything closes down and Nuku'alofa becomes a true ghost town.
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Readers may also be interested in the following destinations:
Cook Islands Travel Guide
Fiji Travel Guide
Samoa Travel Guide
Tahiti Travel Guide
Hawaii Travel Guide
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