Tonga: Vava'u Group, Outer Islands

Tonga is a cruising destination not just because of the services available in Neiafu, but because of the myriad anchorages scattered among the many islands in the Vava'u Group--an archipelago south of the main island. The anchorages are beautiful: turquoise waters and wooded islands, many with beaches and/or snorkeling reefs, all within easy sailing distances of each other. Ironically, the weather turned windy and damp just as we were finally able to leave Neiafu and explore this wonderland. We didn't do as much swimming as we'd hoped, but we were happy to be back to "living on the hook" (the term for anchoring, rather than being at a dock or mooring buoy), and had a good time at several idyllic locations.

Humpback whales come here from the Antarctic to feed and nurture their calves until the young ones are strong enough to head back to the cold waters. Whale watching and swimming near humpbacks is a major attraction. We took one guided trip and got to be near a lot of breaching and tail slapping, and actually floated in the water where we could see a mother and calf with their huge male escort!  

The Blue Lagoon felt like a mini-atoll,
so of course we loved it!

The water was as blue as the name promised

          

Tucking into a cave for dinner on the beach in misty weather

At Pangai Motu South, we were able to anchor very close to the steep hills nearby, and were awakened every morning by melodious bird songs. The tranquility of the anchorage made it feel like a sanctuary.

We had a traditional Tongan feast at Vaka'eitu. It was prepared by a single family on a small island, and the huge array of food was delicious. I was especially impressed by the octopus; who knew it could be so tender and tasty?

One of their 11 children turning the spit, roasting a pig over an open fire

We had fun playing with the younger children! One little girl was immensely entertained by playing peek-a-boo with me (some games are universal), and we brought a beach ball & frisbee for them to keep.

Nearby was an area called the Coral Garden, which was a first-rate snorkeling spot. It doesn't look interesting in the photo--but just underneath the water in the center is a shallow reef FULL of fish! Even without sunlight, the underwater scenery was captivating.

 

Outside Swallows Cave...

 

...and inside

Another terrific snorkeling experience was Swallows Cave. It was possible to row the dinghy inside and slip into the water in the midst of enormous swirling balls of fish. It felt like we were in a National Geographic documentary, floating in and over the amorphous schools.

Evening at Nuku Island