The Adults-Only Travel Guide to ‘Eua

© TongaPocketGuide.com

How to Get to ‘Eua

‘Eua is connected to the rest of the world through the mainland, Tongatapu. Flights and ferries run between ‘Eua and Tongatapu every day except for Sunday. For an adults-only getaway to ‘Eua, flights to ‘Eua provide the most intimate way to get to the island. As for getting around, there is no public transport but car rentals, island tours and accommodation transfers fill the gap.

Flights to ‘Eua

The flight from the domestic terminal of Fua’amotu Airport, Tongatapu, to ‘Eua Kaufana Airport is approximately 7-10 minutes making it one of the shortest commercial flights in the world. Flights are scheduled several times a day, except on Sunday. Learn more about flying around Tonga in our guide, Domestic Flights in Tonga: Your Guide to Interisland Flights.

How to Get Around ‘Eua

Considering there is no public transport on the island, accommodations provide their own transport services. Transfers are available to and from the airport/wharf, while many accommodation providers offer their own transport to attractions and hikes in the form of an island tour. Check out some of the land tours available in The Best Guided Tours in ‘Eua.

A limited few grocery stores on ‘Eua offer car rental services that are ideal for getting between villages. Due to the very rough road conditions to ‘Eua’s natural attractions, especially in the ‘Eua National Park, we recommend taking an island tour over a rental car to these attractions. For more information on rental cars, as well as other forms of transport, see the 5 Ways to Get to (& Around) ‘Eua.

© TongaPocketGuide.com

Land Activities for Adults

Any of the land activities that you do in ‘Eua are unlikely to be teeming with overenthusiastic children. The island is pretty quiet in terms of tourists altogether! Nevertheless, if you want to ensure a more tranquil or intimate experience, a good option is hiking. For something more specialised, rock climbing routes have been established in ‘Eua and are well worth investigating for the experienced climber!

Hikes in ‘Eua

‘Eua is famous for its hiking, especially being home to incredible land formations, such as natural archways, dramatic cliffs, sinkholes, caves and ancient tropical forests. While half of the hikes in ‘Eua can be tackled alone, the other half require a guide who knows the way. Some of the hiking highlights include the ‘Eua National Park Hike to Lokupo Beach, which is a full-day excursion with sensational views. The Fangatave Beach and Caves Hike is also an amazing experience, featuring 11 limestone caves to explore on the way down to a stunning beach. Find out more about each walk in the 5 Best Hikes in ‘Eua.

Rock Climbing

Keen rock climbers, don’t miss the opportunity to ascend the dramatic cliffs of ‘Eua. Some of the best climbing cliffs can be found at Fangatave Beach boasting incredible limestone climbing in the range of grades 18 to 23. More than 50 routes are established in ‘Eua, where most have been recorded on thecrag.com. Climbers will not only need their own equipment, but they’ll also need a guide to access areas like Fangatave Beach. ‘Alakoka Tahi Moana Guest House (Kiko’s) can provide guides for a fee, or inquire about guides through your accommodation or the Tonga Tourism Authority on ‘Eua.

© TongaPocketGuide.com

Water Activities for Adults

Most of the activities that are more aimed toward adults are out on the water. ‘Eua experiences some of the clearest waters in Tonga for scuba diving and whale swimming, as well as amazing opportunities for spearfishing.

Whale Swimming in ‘Eua

An experience mainly aimed at adults who are strong and confident swimmers, which is also intimate with a maximum of eight passengers on the whale swimming boats, whale swimming in ‘Eua is a must! Between July and October (sometimes November), humpback whales migrate through the waters adjacent to ‘Eua to mate and calve. Join whale tour operators to swim with these gentle giants in their element. Compare experiences in The Best Whale Tours in ‘Eua.

Spearfishing in ‘Eua

Catching the whoppers in the waters around ‘Eua is no place for a kid. So rest assured, you’ll often have charter boats all to yourself or with like-minded travellers. Fishing tours, and spearfishing in particular, are available to catch large reef fish with Blue Water Retreat and Kiko’s Whale Watching. We delve more into ‘Eua’s fishing scene over at The Complete Guide to Spearfishing in Tonga.

Scuba Diving in ‘Eua

Update: ‘Eua no longer has scuba diving operators available. Inquire about freediving excursions with operators such as Blue Water Retreat and Kiko’s Whale Watching.

‘Eua is home to some of the best dive sites in the islands of Tonga. Being the oldest island in Tonga and formed by volcanic activity, ‘Eua has an exciting and interesting underwater seascape. Famous dive sites include Cathedral Cave, the largest underwater cave in the South Pacific, with three large holes in the top sending beams of light through the water to reveal sharks, groupers and schools of fish. There are also amazing dive sites to drop-offs with all kinds of tropical fish and coral. Learn more in The Guide to Scuba Diving in Tonga.

© TongaPocketGuide.com

Dining on ‘Eua

Although you’ll be hard-pressed to find any “adult-only” restaurants and private dining experiences on ‘Eua, you’ll find that accommodations offering food in their restaurant are boutique enough for overenthusiastic children to not be an issue. For the ultimate private experience, however, ‘Eua offers plenty of supplies for self-catering.

Restaurants on ‘Eua

‘Eua is home to an incredibly small selection of eateries. Talei’s Restaurant (north end of Pangai), formerly Fane’s Restaurant, serves all your comfort classics, from ika kelevi (fish in sauce) to fish/sausage/chicken and chips/manioke, and all for a very very affordable price. Enjoy it all in the pleasant undercover seating area or order to takeaway. Available Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

Place your order before 1 pm and the team at ‘Alakoka Tahi Moana Guest House (Pangai) can spruce up grilled fish, chicken curry, fish and chips of a vegetarian ensemble at their on-site restaurant for guests and non-guests alike. Available Monday to Saturday.

Self-Catering on ‘Eua

Combine the facilities of one of the 5 Best Self-Catering Accommodations on ‘Eua with the food supplies available at one of the many grocery stores across Pangai or fale koloa (smaller convenience stores) elsewhere and enjoy the privacy and affordability of self-catering on ‘Eua. Learn more about food shopping in Information, Shops & Services in ‘Eua and The Guide to Food Shopping in Tonga.

© TongaPocketGuide.com

Nightlife on ‘Eua

What does nightlife look like on a traditional island in the South Pacific? The local men gather together most evenings on the island of ‘Eua for “faikava“. In other words, to sit in a circle, drink kava, sing and play the guitar. As a narcotic drink made from the ground roots of a kava plant, this is an activity usually reserved for adults; and female tourists are welcome too, even if it’s usually just the local men that get involved.

Ask your accommodation provider if they can recommend a local faikava. You’ll find that the locals are very welcoming and are proud to share their culture with visitors. Either bring a bag of kava powder, which you can usually find at local grocery stores for around TOP$25-$50, or leave a TOP$50 donation.

For those staying at Blue Water Retreat, note that they host a kava session at the retreat once a week.

For more about nightlife across the islands, check out The Ultimate Guide to Nightlife in Tonga.