A modest cairn above a mangrove inlet near Holonga village marks the spot where Captain Cook came ashore in 1777 (on his third trip to Tonga) and where Queen Elizabeth II popped by to commemorate it in 1970. Up-close access was inhibited by a padlocked gate when we visited.
Captain Cook Landing Site
Tongatapu
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
11.23 MILES
On an especially good day at Mapu’a ‘a Vaea (Chief’s Whistles), hundreds of blowholes spurt skywards at once. Time your visit for a windy day with a…
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6.75 MILES
The South Pacific’s equivalent of Stonehenge, the Ha’amonga ‘a Maui (Maui’s Burden) trilithon near Niutoua, is one of ancient Polynesia’s most intriguing…
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5.83 MILES
Want to see the real of Nuku’alofa? Wander through the aisles at Talamahu, Tonga's main fresh-produce hub. You’ll find produce piled into handmade woven…
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15.6 MILES
On the sunset side of the island, Ha’atafu Beach is a sandy slice protected by a reef, where some of Tonga's best surf peels in (experienced surfers only…
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4.99 MILES
Near nowhere in particular is this impressive arch, aka ‘the pigeon’s doorway’ – a natural land bridge over the pounding Pacific waves, formed when the…
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1.25 MILES
The Mu’a area contains Tonga's richest concentration of archaeological remnants. In AD 1200, Tu’itatui, the 11th of the Tu’i Tonga kings, moved the royal…
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7.3 MILES
Honeymooners, start your engines! Fronting onto a magnificent beach, Fafá Island Resort is the most elegant on Tongatapu’s offshore islands, but it makes…
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4.93 MILES
The closest island resort to Nuku’alofa, Pangaimotu makes an easy day trip. Daily departures (including Sunday) chug out from the wharf beside the Fish…
Nearby Tongatapu attractions
1.25 MILES
The Mu’a area contains Tonga's richest concentration of archaeological remnants. In AD 1200, Tu’itatui, the 11th of the Tu’i Tonga kings, moved the royal…
2.15 MILES
Tongatapu’s most famous cave is an over-loved, slightly eerie place full of stalactites and stalagmites, and blackened from the soot of flaming-frond…
4.75 MILES
St Mary's Cathedral, near Faua Jetty, is worth visiting for its beautiful rose gardens, stained glass and vaulted ceiling.
4.93 MILES
The closest island resort to Nuku’alofa, Pangaimotu makes an easy day trip. Daily departures (including Sunday) chug out from the wharf beside the Fish…
4.99 MILES
As you round the coast to the north of Mu’a, keep an eye out for Tonga's famed fishing pigs. When the tide is out, these unusual porkers trot out into the…
4.99 MILES
Near nowhere in particular is this impressive arch, aka ‘the pigeon’s doorway’ – a natural land bridge over the pounding Pacific waves, formed when the…
5.83 MILES
Want to see the real of Nuku’alofa? Wander through the aisles at Talamahu, Tonga's main fresh-produce hub. You’ll find produce piled into handmade woven…
8. Basilica of St Anthony of Padua
5.89 MILES
Nuku'alofa's most distinctive structure is the Basilica of St Anthony of Padua, opposite the Royal Tombs. It has a beautiful interior of stained glass,…