Where to Cycle in Tonga: 5 Awesome Bicycle Routes
Thanks to this archipelago’s small islands, mostly flat gradients and (usually) incredible weather, Tonga is an amazing place to cycle. Bike rentals are available in most of the island groups where cycle routes follow Tonga’s quiet roads. Do a bit of historical sightseeing on Tongatapu or ride to gorgeous beaches in Ha’apai. Or how about a mountain biking mission down the dirt roads of Vava’u? It’s all possible on these awesome bike trails in Tonga.
While you are here, don’t forget to bookmark our complete bible to cycling in The Guide to Cycling in Tonga.
1. Nuku’alofa to Mapu ‘a Vaea Blowholes (Tongatapu)
Length: 15 km (9.3 mi) one way.
Average cycling time: 1 hr 15 mins (without stopping) one way.
Nearby bike rentals: ANT Bicycles. See Cycle Tonga: Where to Rent Bikes for more details.
The Mapu ‘a Vaea Blowholes is an excellent day ride out of Nuku’alofa with plenty to see along the way. Starting in the centre of town, check out the Royal Tombs before following Taufa’ahau Road south.
As you reach the outskirts of Nuku’alofa, you’ll see the Royal Residences perched on a manicured hill. After you reach the Costlow Supermarket, where you can pick up a Philly cheese steak from their takeaway, take the first right (west) following the road until you reach Loto Road.
At Loto Road, turn right (west) where you’ll ride to the village of Liahona. As you ride through the village, you’ll see the grand building of the Latter-Day Saints Temple, the Nuku’alofa Tonga Temple. On the other side of the village, you’ll see signs for the Three-Headed Coconut! Take a photo of the bizarre coconut tree with three heads, before turning left (south) straight after it.
You’ll cycle past various tropical plantations on your way to the village of Houma. Once you reach Liku Road, head straight across the road and follow signs for the Mapu ‘a Vaea Blowholes. You’ve made it! Now enjoy the blowhole show!
For more bike trails on Tonga’s main island, check out The Best Cycling Routes in Nuku’alofa & Tongatapu.
© Google Maps2. Pangai to Homale’eia Beach (Ha’apai)
Length: 14 km (9 mi) one way.
Average cycling time: 1 hr 10 mins (without stopping) one way.
Nearby bike rentals: Ha’apai Beach Resort, Matafonua Lodge and Sandy Beach Resort. See Cycle Tonga: Where to Rent Bikes for more details.
Several resorts offer bike hire along this route, making this trail between Pangai and Homale’eia Beach a popular ride in Ha’apai.
Starting in Pangai, ride north on Holopeka Road for about 800 m (870 yards) where you’ll reach the Shirley Baker Monument, a monument to the first prime minister of Tonga. Continue past the Ha’apai Beach Resort. You’ll eventually reach the runway of the Salote Pilolevu Airport, which, yes, you just cycle straight across (if the gates aren’t closed, of course)!
A couple of hundred metres north of the runway is the turn-off for the Port au Prince Memorial Beach. It’s a quick side trip down a short dirt road lined with mandarin trees worth checking out. After Port au Prince, continue back on Holopeka Road and across a causeway onto Foa Island where you’ll journey past various plantations and small villages. The ride ends where the road ends at Homale’eia Beach and Matafonua Lodge. Have a bite to eat at the resort’s cafe and enjoy some sensational snorkelling on the beach.
© Google Maps3. Neiafu to ‘Utula’aina Lookout (Vava’u)
Length: 10 km (6.2 mi) one way.
Average cycling time: 50 mins (without stopping) one way.
Nearby bike rentals: Cafe Tropicana. See Cycle Tonga: Where to Rent Bikes for more details.
Despite only being 10 km, treat this as a half-day ride to compensate for the various hill climbs involved in this ride in Vava’u.
Starting from Neiafu, be sure to pick up a picnic from the market, supermarkets or cafes. Then it’s time to hit the road, cycling north on Tui Road. When you get to a crossroads in the village of Mataika, go straight (north) and straight again at the next crossroads, following the road to Holonga. In Holonga, follow the brown signs for the ‘Utula’aina Lookout taking you onto a well-formed gravel road.
Enjoy the gravel portion of the ride, still heading north as you pass several kava and taro plantations. When you come to a fork in the road, follow the sign pointing left to the ‘Utula’aina Lookout. Look into the bushes on the side of the road to see historic tombs. You’ll soon come across a stunning lookout of the north coast and beaches of ‘Utu Vava’u. You can head back to the fork in the road and also check out the lookout signposted “‘Esi ‘o Salote”.
© Google Maps4. Nuku’alofa to Ha’amonga ‘a Maui (Tongatapu)
Length: 35 km (21.7 mi) one way.
Average cycling time: 2 hrs 55 mins (without stopping) one way.
Nearby bike rentals: ANT Bicycles. See Cycle Tonga: Where to Rent Bikes for more details.
For those of you feeling fit and looking for a longer cycling adventure on Tongatapu, a good route is following Taufa’ahau Road. The 35 km (21.7 mi) road runs between Nuku’alofa town centre and the village of Niuatoua where the famous Ha’amonga ‘a Maui Trilithon is located.
Starting in Nuku’alofa town centre, check out the Royal Tombs and fuel up with a bite to eat at one of the cafes in Nuku’alofa before following Taufa’ahau Road south. On the way out of Nuku’alofa, you’ll spot the Royal Residences on a hilltop.
In the village of Pea, continue on Taufa’ahau Road east where you’ll travel through various coastal villages. Just before you reach Mu’a, stop by the Captain Cook Landing Site for a dose of history written on a plaque and good views of the lagoon. Mu’a is worth spending extra time in, famous for its fishing pigs! Look out for the pigs with their heads in the water just off the coast. You’ll also see a few historical sites signposted off the road, including the Mu’a Langi Tombs and Paepae ‘o Telea’a Terraced Tombs.
Continue following Taufa’ahau Road north where you’ll pass through numerous coastal villages, observing a slice of life in Tonga. Finally, you’ll reach the Ha’amonga ‘a Maui Trilithon, also known as the Stonehenge of the South Pacific, just outside the village of Niutoua. There are convenience stores and roadside fruit stalls should you need a snack for the way back to Nuku’alofa.
For more bike trails on Tonga’s main island, check out The Best Cycling Routes in Nuku’alofa & Tongatapu.
© Google Maps5. Tufuvai Beach to the Rock Gardens (‘Eua)
Length: 14 km (8.7 mi) one-way.
Average cycling time: 1 hr 10 mins (without stopping) one way.
Nearby bike rentals: Currently, there are no bicycle rentals on ‘Eua. See Cycle Tonga: Where to Rent Bikes for updates.
We’re starting this route near Tufuvai Beach where accommodations are nearby (see Where to Stay on ‘Eua). You can also pick up this trail from the central villages of ‘Eua where you’ll find most of the island’s accommodations, which knocks off about 5 km (3 mi) from the ride.
The ride takes you south along the main road of ‘Eua, passing through various villages and plantations. Your destination is the southern tip of the island where you’ll find the Rock Gardens and Lakufa’anga Cliffs, whose dirt roads can be cycled with mountain bikes and follow a route described in the 5 Best Hikes in ‘Eua. Leave enough time at the end of your ride to explore the destination.
© TongaPocketGuide.comMore About Bike Trails and Cycle Routes in Tonga
That’s it for our guide to the best cycle routes and bike trails in Tonga. But that’s not the end of our advice! Learn more about having two-wheeled adventures in The Kingdom in the guides below:
Finally, if there’s anything we’ve missed, you’re likely to find it in Tonga Transport Guide: 10 Ways to Get Around Tonga and the 101 Best Things to Do in Tonga.
