Tongan countdown

We’re counting down the days until we fly to Tonga for this year’s annual spring vacation. We fly out on Saturday morning for two weeks of leisurely island hopping. We’re spending our first three nights in Nuku'alofa, the national capital located on the main island of Tongatapu.

The following Tuesday we fly to Ha’apai, an island atoll 170km to the north. Here we’ll spend nine days living off the grid in a simple beachside fale (hut) at Matafonua Lodge. We’ve been warned that electricity and internet access are only available in the lodge’s central services building. We’ll also be sharing a central bathroom and amenities block with other guests along the beach.

While on Ha’apai we’re taking a day trip to swim with humpback whales. These magnificent creatures migrate to Tonga’s warmer waters to mate and calve between July and October every year. I hope our experience reflects what we’ve seen online. Check out the image above.

On 10 September we’ll catch a flight back to Tongatapu to lie by the pool at the capital’s largest hotel for a final three days. I’ve also booked us a private tour of the island on our penultimate day in Tonga. My grandfather served in Tonga during the Second World War so I’m hoping we’ll visit a few wartime locations along the way.