Travel and Tourism

Travel and Tourism in Tonga

Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Tonga.

Practical Information

Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.

Travel Alert Status: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Time Difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Currency: pa'anga (TOP)
Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Language(s) Spoken: Tongan is the language used for everyday communication, while Tongan and English are both official languages. The majority of Tongans are of Polynesian descent. Tongan is spelled with a Latin script, and sounds the way it looks.
Ethnic Groups: Polynesian, Europeans about 300
National Holiday: Official Birthday of King TUPOU VI, 4 July (1959); note - actual birthday of the monarch is 12 July 1959, 4 July (2015) is the day the king was crowned; Constitution Day (National Day), 4 November (1875)
Geographic Coordinates: 20 00 S, 175 00 W
Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Airports: 6

Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Medical facilities, including medications, in Tonga are extremely limited. The cities of Nuku'alofa and Neiafu have hospitals with limited emergency and outpatient facilities. Local residents and visitors with serious medical problems are often referred to New Zealand for treatment. For additional information on medical visas for New Zealand, contact the Embassy of New Zealand, 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008, (202) 328-4800 or the Consulate General in Los Angeles (310) 207-1605. Serious medical conditions requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost thousands of dollars. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.
Accessibility: While in the Kingdom of Tonga, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. There are no legally mandated provisions for services for persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, or mental disabilities. There also are no programs to ensure access to communications and information for persons with disabilities. The Tonga Red Cross Society operates a school for children with disabilities and conducts occasional home visits. There is no specific government agency with responsibility for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.