Neiafu (Vava’u) - Activities, Attractions & Shopping

Bike, car and kayak hire are offered by several companies.

Scuba diving and instruction is offered by 2 dive centers.

Kart Safaris on the main island, Zego Tours of the islands, kite-boarding at Mounu Island and a semi-submarine tour can all be organized.

Hikes:

The view from the top of Mt. Talau is not to be missed. Great for gaining some top-down perspective! Hike to the top from the trailhead takes about 5-10 minutes. Can be slippery when wet. Hand-rails on parts of the trail. Trailhead is about a 15-20 minute walk up-hill from town.

The fresh-water caves in Toula present a view of the eastern islands & local kids can often be found swimming there. Toula village is about a 25-minute walk from town.

Euakafa Island has great photo-ops from the top, where you'll also find a tomb! Good snorkel reef as well.

Whale Watching:

Humpback whales migrate here from Antarctica between June and October. There are several companies offering Whale Watching tours.  Swimming with whales can be dangerous if you get in with the wrong one so use a trained and licensed operator. Be sure to obtain and follow the local guidelines when interacting with the whales. Make contact with any other vessel present in the area and show common courtesy.

Cruisers recommend Vaka Vave Charters who charge 500TOP per person for a full day's excursion including lunch.

Tongan Feasts:

A great way to experience Tongan food, dancing, kava, handicrafts & string bands. There are numerous Feasts to choose from ranging from on the beach to a fusion-experience at one of the resorts. As a suggestion, feel free to bring your own drinks to the Beach Feasts as there may not be refreshments for purchase available and well-water may have giardia or other organisms in it.

Barnacle Beach, Falevia, Kapa Island holds one on Friday or Saturday at 6pm and Hinakauea Beach, Pangaimotu, holds one on Thursdays. Bookings can be made via VHF net.

A trip to the Swallows and Mariners Cave:

One of the most interesting places in Vava’u is Swallow’s Cave, near the Port Maurelle anchorage. It is best to explore the cave in the late afternoon when the sun shines directly into it. The distance from the anchorage to the cave is quite far if you don't have a powerful outboard. Above the water, the cave is approx. 40 feet high, 40 feet wide and goes back about 100 feet from the entrance. Dinghies go right inside and tie up to the rocks inside the cave. The water in the cave is crystal clear, the sunlight streams in from the cave entrance and there are thousands of fish swimming inside.

Many tour operators will add this to any itinerary if you ask.

Mariners Cave has a hidden entrance 6 feet under the water. To enter you need to be able to dive down 2m and swim for 4m into the dark cave mouth before coming up into the high ceilinged cave. If you can dive under a hull with a keel of 2m and a beam of 4m you should be able to do this. A little scary first time around but it helps to have someone with brightly colored fins to swim ahead of you. There is enough light coming in through the water at the cave mouth to see inside the cave and exiting the cave is easy because of the light coming in from the outside.

Last updated:  August 2023