Surfing Guide to the Kingdom of Tonga

 

• Summary

• When to go

• Where to stay

• Getting there

• Safety/things to know

• Surf spots

   

Summary

An absolute diving and whale-watching paradise, the Kingdom of Tonga is also a good option for an off-the-beaten-track surfing destination.

 

Located just south of Fiji, Tonga is exposed to swells from all angles making it a pretty consistent destination. However, those swells have to travel a fair bit before reaching the archipelago and it usually takes a powerful storm to translate into nice waves down in Tonga.

 

Most of the surf on the main Island of Tongatapu is found on the north-west side of the island near Ha’atafu beach. All breaks are on the outer reef which is accessible just by paddling. There is also a small beach break on the inside that only gets surfable on larger swells for kids or beginners.

 

 

When to go

The best time to surf Tonga is pretty much any time of the year as it is exposed to two different swell season. The first one is the Hawaiian winter season from November to March. However, as mentioned above, swells travel way further to reach Tonga and usually a 10ft swell in Hawaii will result in a 3-5ft swell in Tonga.

 

The second season brings storms from Australia and New Zealand and runs from April to October. This season is also much drier.

 

 

 

Where to stay in Tonga 

Most accommodation in Tonga are located in Nuku’alofa which is about 15 miles away from Ha’atafu beach. Some good hotels in Nuku’alofa include Tanoa International and Emerald Hotel and Restaurant

 

 

 

Getting there

The international airport, located in Nuku’alofa runs flight to and from some major cities like Auckland, Nadi and Sydney. The capital city is about a 30 to 45 minutes drive from Ha’atafu beach.

Safety/things to know

-For visa information, visa the official Tongan tourism website.
-Mostly reef breaks
-Like most tropical places, Dengue fever is possible.

 

 

 

Surf Spots in Tonga

Corners

Just like every other waves in Ha’atafu, Corners has two distinct personalities depending on the season. In winter, this is an epic barreling left while in winter it is a mellow fun wave.

Wave direction : Left
Bottom : Reef
Best tide : Mid to high
Skill level : Intermediate and advanced
Optimal swell direction : S
Optimal wind direction : E

 

 

 

Lighthouse

Two different take-off spots. Outside Lighthouse and Inside Lighthouse. In between is an unsurfable close-out section. Both sections are hollow and epic on a good SW swell.

Wave direction : Right
Bottom : Reef
Best tide : Mid to high
Skill level : Intermediate and advanced
Optimal swell direction : SW
Optimal wind direction : SE

 

 

Motels

A consistent and fun, while challenging wave.

Wave direction : Left
Bottom : Reef
Best tide : Mid to high
Skill level : Intermediate to advanced
Optimal swell direction : SW
Optimal wind direction : SE

 

 

The Pass

Another consistent break in Ha’atafu, The Pass works on smaller swells and closes out on medium size swells. Fun wave with a hollow section.

Wave direction : Left
Bottom : Reef
Best tide : Mid to high
Skill level : Intermediate to advanced
Optimal swell direction : SW
Optimal wind direction : SE

 

 

The Bowl

Ha’atafu’s most challenging wave, The Bowl gets hollow and offers an amazing tube on a good SW swell.

Wave direction : Left
Bottom : Reef
Best tide : N/A
Skill level : Advanced
Optimal swell direction : SW
Optimal wind direction : SE