About the country
| Kingdom of Tonga (Tongan) | Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga |
| Capital | Nuku’alofa |
| Currency | Tongan Pa’anga |
As for some other Pacific islands, I couldn’t find a map of Tonga within the available maps of my plugin. Describing the kingdom of Tonga, it consists of more than 170 islands, which are uninhabited to a large extent. Multiple islands obtain white beaches and tropical rainforest, while coral reefs are directly connected to the islands. The main island is Tongatapu with its capital Nuku’alofa. This is also where the international airport is located.
Tonga offers some boat trips from Tongatapu to some of its other islands, especially in the context of diving with whales. However, when I walked along the streets checking by at the harbor, I happily refused to board such a boat as they all looked very crappy. I haven’t had planned any time for diving with whales in Tonga, but it was the first time when I realized that firstly, it is possible, and secondly, that we were in the season for it. I managed to snorkel with whales at a later time during my trip, starting from Moorea (island of French Polynesia).
Tongatapu is not too special with respect to landscapes, however, you find plenty of markets in Nuku’alofa and moreover, even a travelers’ café (Friends Café & Tourist Center). The culture of Tonga is still too far away from treating men and women equally, it was interesting to experience how convinced men are that they’re doing the right thing.
Since I started the blog not too long before my Sabbatical leave, it might take a while until I manage to write up everything.