Island adventurers want a unique experience, and the Kingdom of Tonga is perfect for them. While South Pacific destinations like Tahiti, Fiji and Hawaii may be seen as overtly commercial, the Kingdom of Tonga retains much of its rich and beautiful culture, and its exotic environment remains largely unchanged from the days of Captain Cook and Captain Bligh.

So while the European myths of the South Pacific are recreated in the other Pacific destinations, Polynesian culture lives on in "Tonga Time" with swaying palm trees, coconuts, glorious sunsets, dancing, surfing, and young people wearing colourful shirts with flowers in their hair. You'll discover that Polynesian culture in Tonga is not an act for tourists: it's a way of life.

The 100,000+ people who live on Tonga's 170 or so islands haven't lost much of their culture at all. Men maintain plantations to feed their families, women produce tapa and mats in the traditional way for wedding and funeral gifts and for their houses, and young boys and girls learn the traditional dances - the highlight being the Tau'olunga, which is a beautiful solo female dance.

This exotic, remote location is far more accessible than one could be led to believe. Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Airlines service the Kingdom of Tonga with flights six days a week. Peau Vava'u offers regular flights between Tongatapu, Ha'apai and Vava'u (with extra flights supplied on demand).