The ‘Friendly Islands’ of Tonga are home to some of the most beautiful, unspoiled and secluded beaches in the South Pacific – just perfect for couples celebrating a honeymoon holiday or romantic getaway.
Create your own footsteps in the gorgeous white sands of Vava'u, where hilly islands lie amid fjord-like channels.
Play ‘Robinson Crusoe’ on the tiny sugar-white coral atolls of Ha'apai and Vava'u or sunbathe and beach comb the long, surf-pounded white-sand beaches that fringe the pristine coastline of Tongatapu.
The best beaches in Tonga, include…
(Tongatapu) – Choose your own spot to sunbathe on the gorgeous white-sand beach that surrounds this picturesque palm-fringed atoll.
Enjoy safe swimming and perfect snorkelling in the crystalline water of Tongatapu lagoon.
Come for the day with a picnic or stay longer at the 4-star Fafa Island Resort. Fafa Island is located just 30 minutes by boat from the capital of Nuku'alofa.
(Tongatapu) – Dig your toes into the powder-white sand of this gorgeous beach that fringes a long peninsula on Atata Island.
Sunbathe on the soft sand and swim, snorkel or dive in the sheltered waters of Tongatapu Lagoon.
Atata Beach is located just minutes by boat from Nuku'alofa. Come for the day or stay longer at the beachfront 2-star Royal Sunset Resort.
(Tongatapu) – Make your own footprints in the pristine sugar-white sand of this marvellous beach that encircles the tiny, palm-fringed atoll of Pangaimotu.
This picture-perfect atoll is just a short ferry ride from Nuku'alofa and is simply perfect for swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing.
(Tongatapu) – Sink your toes into the fine white sand of this 1.5km-long beach that fringes the western tip of Tongatapu Island.
Here, in this protected marine reserve, you can swim and snorkel among more than 130 different species of tropical fish and coral.
Further south, discover world-class surfing conditions from April to October and offshore breaks between November and March.
Located just 21km from the capital Nuku'alofa, Ha'atafu Beach is perfect for a day trip.
Or stay longer at one of the charming budget-style resorts, which offer traditional thatched-roof fales (bungalows). Try the charming Ha'atafu Beach Resort.
(Tongatapu) – Unwind on this gorgeous pocket of white sand, which stretches between large coral rocks, palm groves, steep cliffs and the crystalline waters of a stunning turquoise lagoon, in one of Tongatapu Island’s most scenic areas.
The beach is also known as ‘pigeon’s gate’, named after the natural coral land-bridge that hangs above the crashing surf.
Hufangalupe Beach is located near a village of the same name on the south coast of Tongatapu.
(Vava'u) – Enjoy the natural solitude of this perfect crescent of white sand that shelves gently into the clear waters of the lagoon. Do nothing at all or enjoy swimming, snorkelling, diving, sailing or fishing.
Savour a cocktail from the beachside bar of the Blue Lagoon Resort, which sits beneath palm trees overlooking the beach. Foe’ata Island is located in the Vava'u group, around 45 minutes by boat from Neiafu.
(Vava'u) – Play 'Robinson Crusoe’ on this perfect crescent of white sand that nestles between the palm-fringed beach and the clear waters of the sheltered lagoon, which offers perfect conditions for swimming and snorkelling.
Come for a day’s excursion or stay longer on a chartered yacht anchored in Port Maurelle Bay. Port Maurelle Beach is located in the Vava'u group.
(Vava'u) – Dig your toes into the velvety sugar-white sand of this gorgeous beach and cool off with a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the aquamarine lagoon that is perfect for snorkelling and kayaking.
Come for the day or stay longer at the beachside 3-star Tongan Beach Resort. Utungake Island is accessible on a causeway from mainland Vava'u, just a 10-minute drive from Neiafu.
(Vava'u) – Pick your own spot to sunbathe on this gorgeous palm-fringed white-sand beach that edges the northern tip of tiny Eueiki Island in the Vava'u group.
Go swimming in the calm crystalline waters of the turquoise lagoon, snorkel amid colourful reef fish above pristine coral gardens and savour a range of creature comforts at the beachside Eueiki Island Eco-Resort.
(Vava'u) – Play 'Robinson Crusoe’ during the day on this gorgeous and secluded white-sand beach that surrounds a tiny coral atoll.
Go swimming in the clear waters, snorkel or kayak above a pristine coral garden in the shallow lagoon, then savour a range of creature comforts at the award-winning 4-star Mounu Island Resort, a luxury eco-resort that nestles hidden beneath palm trees just meters from the beach.
Mounu Island is located in the southern waters of the Vava’u archipelago.
(Ha'apai) – Make your own footprints on the pristine soft white sand of this gorgeous palm-fringed beach that fringes the northern tip of Foa Island in the Ha'apai group.
Go swimming and snorkelling in the turquoise waters of the sheltered lagoon. Admire views across the lagoon to Nukunamo Island.
Go horseback riding along the beach, ponder the ancient burial mound at the southern end of the beach and look out for dolphins at any time of year and whales from August to November.
Come on a day trip with a picnic or stay longer at the beachfront 3-star Sandy Beach Resort.
(Ha'apai) – This idyllic island offers a string of beautiful white-sand beaches that are accessed on foot or by bike across a causeway from neighbouring Foa Island.
Start by discovering the gorgeous white-sand beach on tiny Uoleva Island, easily reached by wading across the reef from the southern point of Lifuka.
The west coast of Lifuka offers an uninterrupted stretch of unnamed white-sand beaches that offer excellent swimming and snorkelling in the lagoon.
While currents along the east coast do make swimming dangerous, the 3km-long beach offers great beachcombing. A series of 16th century burial mounds can be found in the middle of the island.
Historical note: It was on Lifuka Island that Captain James Cook dubbed Tonga ‘The Friendly Islands’; and it was in the waters off nearby Tofua Island that the mutiny on the Bounty occurred in 1789.
Latest update: Best Beaches in Tonga: 13 January, 2023
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