4WD Tours in Tonga
Roads are kind of overrated in Tonga. If you want to get to the less-visited areas, see the ruggedly beautiful forest and cliffs of the islands and do it in a pretty exciting way, then try one of the off-roading tours in Tonga. Admittedly, all of the 4WD tours are on the island of ‘Eua, as the jungle-clad island’s top sights can only be accessed on gnarly dirt roads. Let’s dive into more detail in this list of the best off-road tours in Tonga!
By the way, if you’re looking for more ways to see the sights across all island groups, check out the 10 Best Sightseeing Tours in Tonga.
1. Blue Water Retreat Island Tour
Making their guests’ stay all too easy, Blue Water Retreat offers island tours of ‘Eua in their beasty and very capable 4WD vehicles, which are necessary to get to the island’s hard-to-reach sights. Their signature tour is a half-day escapade to Lakafa’anga Cliffs, Rock Gardens and the Li’anga Huo a Maui natural archway all the way at the bottom of the island. Keep your eyes peeled for wild horses among the rock formations.
For a full-day excursion, and the most “off-road” of the two tours, you’ll venture into the ‘Eua National Park to see the likes of the Big ‘Ovava Tree which is an 800-year-old banyan tree, a sinkhole called the “Smoking Cave”, and the Lokupo Lookout and Rats Cave – see Sightseeing on ‘Eua: Top 10 Sights & Natural Attractions for more information on these attractions.
Location: Tours depart from Blue Water Retreat, Tufuvai, central west coast of ‘Eua.
© TongaPocketGuide.com2. Kiko’s Land Tours (‘Alakoka Tahi Moana Guest House)
Another off-roading tour of ‘Eua is with Kiko from Kiko’s Whale Watching and ‘Alakoka Tahi Moana Guest House. When the local family are not taking you out to swim with humpback whales during the whale season, they take you on 4WD tours of the island. There are two main tours available:
- Tour #1: Approximately a two-hour tour to Matamahino Hopo Lookout and Fangatave Beach and Caves. This is quite an adventurous tour with a steep guided hike through caves and cliffs.
- Tour #2: A full-day tour to see the sights of the ‘Eua National Park and south coast, including Lakufa’anga Cliffs, Rock Gardens and Wild Horses, Li’anga Huo ‘a Maui Natural Archway, The Smoking Cave, Big ‘Ovava Tree #2, Rat’s Cave and Lokupo Beach Lookout.
Location: Tours depart from ‘Alakoka Tahi Guest House, Angaha, central villages of ‘Eua.
© TongaPocketGuide.comOther Accommodations With 4WD Island Tours
Offering informal island tours, several accommodations either have their own 4WD tour or can organise one with an eager local. Many of these are much more informal than the previous tours mentioned, providing a quintessential Tonga tourism experience. With that, they are also usually a bit cheaper.
Bring your own refreshments and cash to pay your driver/guide, even if they haven’t stated a price; you’ll at least want to pay your way for fuel.
Off-Road Island Tours of ‘Eua with Accommodation Providers
- Highlight Guesthouse – Affordable island tour lasting 4-6 hours
- Falakiko Guesthouse – Affordable island tours open to non-guests stopping at four sights on the east and/or south coasts
- Seta’s Guesthouse – Can organise island tours on your behalf
- Toafa Lodge – One of the cheapest island tours on ‘Eua.
© TongaPocketGuide.com7. ‘Eua Visitor Information Centre
The staff at the ‘Eua Visitor Information Centre, located just up the road from the ferry terminal in ‘Ohonua, may also be able to organise an island tour on your behalf. They sometimes put visitors in touch with locals who they know are excellent tour guides, however, these guides are not always available. Otherwise, the staff can organise tours with the operators listed above.
© TongaPocketGuide.com[UPDATE] Explore Vava’u Land Karts
[Update: Explore Vava’u no longer offers the tour described below.]
Vava’u isn’t just about islands and beaches. Explore its wild side on a self-drive quad bike or UTV tour with Explore Vava’u! You’ll follow your guide through ‘Utu Vava’u (the main island of Vava’u) on the various dirt roads around the island, passing plantations and tropical forest on your way to some stunning lookouts on the northern and eastern side of the island. Check out more guided tours in Vava’u here.
More About Off-Road Tours in Tonga
That’s it for our list of the best 4WD and off-road tours in Tonga (and more specifically, ‘Eua). For more tours like this, as well as more about Tonga’s oldest island, take a look at the following guides:
- 10 Epic Adventure Activities in Tonga
- 50 Best Things to Do on ‘Eua
- 10 Less-Travelled Islands of Tonga
Finally, discover more unforgettable experiences in the 101 Best Things to Do in Tonga: The Ultimate List, as well as how to plan a getaway to The Kingdom in The Complete Travel Guide to Tonga.
