Tonga Scuba Diving
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Tonga scuba diving is good in places but there are not a great many dive sites or scuba diving operators around the islands. Tonga is most renowned for its caves, drop-offs and pinnacles, as well as the opportunity of diving near whales.

The main island of Tongatapu lacks any outstanding dive features, although there are some excellent walls around the offshore islands with an abundance of marine life. For those after caves, the island of 'Eua to the south offers some good diving.

The Ha'apai Group offers the best colourful coral and small marine life in Tonga around its countless coral reefs. There is just one scuba diving operator in the group, Ha'apai Happy Divers based at Sandy Beach Resort on Foa Island and they arrange transfers for those staying at the guesthouses at Pangai on adjacent Lifuka Island.

Vava'u offers some excellent drift dives along walls and drop'offs where you'll encounter lots of large marine life including humpback whales (July to Oct), as well as the interesting wreck of a copra steamer right off Neiafu. There are also some good coral reefs with lots of fire coral and several areas with large gorgonian fan grottos. Visibility is usually excellent, often exceeding 40m. A couple of dive operators are based at the main town of Neiafu and offer full dive courses.

Vava'u also offers some exceptional snorkelling sites which are popular stop offs on the regular day tours of the island. Coral Gardens off Nuapapu Island and the reef off Mala Island are both excellent for clams, corals and other smaller marine life, and you'll usually be able to hear the singing humpback whales when their around between May and October. Other good snorkelling can be found off Ha'atafu Beach on Tongatapu and around the offshore islands which are all noted for their small marine life.

In all, there are just a handful of scuba diving operators around Tonga. A two tank dive with all equipment will cost from T$120. Expect to pay T$500 for a PADI open-water certification course (5-days). There are no live-aboards operating in the islands.

There is no decompression chamber in Tonga - the closest is in Fiji and low-flying aircraft will be used in cases of emergency.



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Last Updated
27 August 2009


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