The Kingdom of Tonga is a South Pacific archipelago lying to the east of Fiji, made up of 172 tropical islands. Named 'the Friendly Isles' by Captain Cook, Tonga has the distinction of being the only island group in the South Pacific never to have been colonised, although it became a British Protectorate in 1900. Today its people still follow a traditional lifestyle and their respect for time-honoured customs has helped Tonga retain its distinctive character as one of the most intact cultures of old Polynesia.

Major towns in Tonga
Map Centre: 177°03'W 19°03'S	Map Width: 520 Miles

The islands have a mixture of volcanic and raised coral origins, resulting in widely varying geography and vegetation. In the north the Niuas and Valva’u island groups are generally more mountainous supporting dense woodland. However most of the islands, particularly in the south, consist of low-lying coral formations. About two thirds of the population live on Tongatapu where the capital Nuku’alofa backs onto a large lagoon.

A number of islands are volcanically active including Falcon Island, a rare submerged volcano that periodically erupts underwater. Beautiful beaches and coral reefs also fringe most islands, while on Late and Tofua there are still some areas of high diversity native forest still standing.

The climate is tropical with rainfall in all months becoming heaviest during February and March. This is also the hottest time of the year although, with fairly constant south-east trade winds and its relatively southern location, Tonga is not as hot as Fiji and Samoa. From April to October there is a cooler drier period when it is also likely to be sunnier.

Tropical cyclones are possible from January to April, but are more likely in the north.