Tonga consists of four major island groups, and the Vava’u group lies about 70nm north of Ha’apai. In addition to the maze of islands that offer a multitude of protected anchorages, Vava’u is home to the main town of Neiafu.

Town dinghy parking
Neiafu mooring field, busy with cruising boats visiting Tonga

With nearly 5000 residents, Neiafu is easily the largest settlement visited by Oso since Papeete back in French Polynesia. Everything is relative – by US standards, Neiafu would be a sleepy outpost – but for sailors working their way westward across the Pacific the town is a vibrant, bustling metropolis compared to the last few stops. Neiafu is the most popular spot in Tonga for opportunities to swim with humpbacks, and that means that there is basic infrastructure in place to support visitors.

St Joseph’s Cathedral
Pigs and chickens wander through the streets town
Resting Tongan dogs

Back in the late 1700’s, Captain Cook knew of the existence of Vava’u but never visited. He reportedly asked the king of Ha’apai about visiting, and the king cautioned him against it on the grounds that there were no protected harbors for Cook’s ships. In reality, the town of Neiafu is built along the side of large, deep, and very well-protected harbor, easily the best anchoring option for large ships in the entire country. It turns out that Tongans are good at keeping secrets…

Oso’s crew enjoying a Tongan Maka beer
Mike can’t pass up an opportunity for an ice cream

Four or five restaurants line the waterfront, several with dinghy docks for visiting sailors to use whether eating at the restaurant or not. And nine or ten small grocery stores dot the grid of streets that make up town – not each shop has a full selection, but it’s possible to find most things in at least one of the shops.

Local fishing charter boat dropping off the fresh catch for ‘fish of the day’ to the Kraken Restaurant
The Kraken chef posing with the beautiful wahoo just before he and a coworker fillet  and prep it for the restaurant kitchen

There is a boatyard just around the corner from town that can lift small to medium size sailboats. Some sailors haul their boats and leave them in Neiafu for hurricane season – the boatyard digs a pit for the keel, the hull of the boat sits on tires resting on the ground, and the entire boat is strapped to the ground against the hurricane force winds that tear through during tropical storms. There’s a small yacht services company that can handle repairs, and even a sailmaker to repair tears.

The restaurant cat making himself at home on Angie’s lap
‘Ota ‘ika- a Tongan specialty similar to ceviche or poisson cru. Fresh fish is marinated in lime juice then mixed with diced cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, peppers and onions and  coconut milk

People are friendly, and it’s nice to arrive in a town where visiting sailors feel like a positive part of the local economy.