According to top-mba-universities, Tonga is a country and archipelago in Polynesia (Oceania) consisting of 170 islands divided into three groups (Vava’u, Ha’apai and Tongatapu). The capital of Tonga is Nukuʻalofa. Some major cities in Tonga are: Neiafu, Havelu, Vaini and Pangai.
Tonga is a group of tropical islands. The landscape is mostly rocky and largely covered with rainforest. The islands have beautiful white beaches with clear blue water where you can dive and snorkel to many colorful fish species and coral reefs. You can also spot whales and humpback whales. Tourists often come for the tropical character, the wooden royal house and the monuments such as many tombs and a stone circle. See watchtutorials for beach holidays in Oceania.
Where is Tonga located?
Travel information of Tonga
Official name: Kingdom of Tonga
Continent: Oceania
Area: 747 km²
Capital: Nuku’alofa
Country code: TO, TON
Population: 106,095 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Constitutional monarchy (kingdom)
Highest point: 1,033 m
Distance (Amsterdam – Nuku’alofa): 16,547 km
Flight time: approximately 28 hours
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Travel offer
At the moment there are no travel organizations that offer travel to Tonga. If you want to put together your own trip or are looking for separate travel components such as hotels, airline tickets and a rental car, please visit our travel offer page.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Tonga?
Weather and climate
Tonga has a tropical climate. Temperatures are around 20 to 30 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Tonga can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of the Tonga can be found at Climate info.
Best time
May, June, July, August, September and October are the best months to travel to Tonga. This avoids the rainy season and gives you the best chance of spotting humpback whales.
Language
Tongan and English are both an official language in Tonga.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Tonga.
A visa is not required if you stay in Tonga for less than 31 days. A visitors visa is issued free of charge upon arrival.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in New Zealand (also for Tonga):
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Tonga in the United Kingdom (also for the Netherlands):
rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
It is advisable to get one or more vaccinations before visiting Tonga.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
In Tonga, payment is made with the pa’anga (TOP).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Tonga can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Tonga are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -36% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (57% cheaper), food (7% cheaper), imported beer in catering (10% cheaper), cigarettes (25% cheaper) and public transport (86% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Tonga it is not customary to tip.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 11 hours later in Tonga.
During our winter time it is 13 hours later in Tonga.
Summer and winter time in Tonga are opposite to those in the Netherlands.
The local time, date, time zone and exceptions for Tonga can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic
In Tonga you must drive on the left.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Tonga.
Electricity
In Tonga you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Tonga can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 922 or 911
– Fire: 911
– Ambulance: 933 or 911
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Tonga can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Tonga can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Tonga end in.to.
Official Tonga websites: thekingdomoftonga.com and tongaholiday.com.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Tonga is 00676 or +676.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Tonga? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Tonga.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Tonga.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Tonga can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Tonga, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Tonga?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Tonga. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Tonga can be found on Protected Planet.
Tonga is not on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Tonga? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Tonga.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buy from 18 years, use all ages.
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Not allowed for men (imprisonment up to 10 years), allowed for women.
Did you know that…
…the Dutch were the first Westerners in Tonga?
…Tonga has always had its own government?
…Rugby is Tonga’s national sport?
…99% of the inhabitants of Tonga can read?
… That a new island was created in Tonga in 2015 due to a volcanic eruption?
