In 1777, Captain James Cook anchored his two ships, Resolution and Discovery, in a sheltered bay on the central Tongan island of Lifuka. The locals put on such a party for the Englishman and his crews that Cook named Tonga The Friendly Isles.

What the doughty English captain never knew was that the feast, hosted by a local chief called Finau, was just something to soften the Englishmen up in order to murder them all and seize their ships. However, Finau‘s plot was lost after a disagreement among the Tongans over the timing of the attack, and the English ships sailed away, forever impressed by Tongan hospitality.

The Kingdom of Tonga consists of 170 islands, only 37 of which are inhabited. The largest, Tongatapu, shaped like a medieval slipper, lies to the south of the archipelago. Here is located the principal international airport (the other is on Vava‘u, and is much smaller), the King of Tonga‘s largest palace and the capital, Nuku‘alofa. A largely flat island with a good road network, Tongatapu is excellent terrain for cycling.

Nuku‘alofa, on the northern coast of Tongatapu, is home to half of Tonga‘s population. A slow­moving, dusty, old­fashioned waterfront town, Nuku‘alofa is the main port and has a large open market, several hotels, a variety of restaurants, handicraft shops, department stores and many churches. A little way out of town is the Tongan National Centre, a good place to become acquainted with Tongan history and traditions, where there are also demonstrations of tapa making and traditional dance.

At the western and eastern extremes of Tongatapu, and on the southern coast, are some of Tonga‘s leading attractions. At the western end of the island is Ha‘atafu Beach, a beautiful and popular spot for surfers and snorkellers, and at nearby Kolovai, the trees are filled with thousands of flying foxes, which are protected in this district. On the exposed southern coast, at Houma, the sea is forced through natural vents in the rock, creating a series of spectacular blowholes.

Fascinating too is the prehistoric trilithon, two huge, upright pillars capped with a lintel, near the eastern end of Tongatapu. Known as Ha‘amonga ¡®a Maui, the trilithon is the South Pacific‘s equivalent of Stonehenge. The trilithon‘s origins and uses are similarly mysterious. The third largest and most southern of Tonga‘s many islands is Eua (pronounced Eho­ wah), 40 kilometres southeast of Tongatapu and connected to it by ferry and plane. Eua is very rugged, with steep cliffs rising to over 300 metres, and much of the island is covered in rainforest. For this reason Eua has become established as a destination for eco­travellers who are willing to sacrifice personal comfort for the appeal of a natural, unspoilt environment. The central island group of Tonga, the Ha‘apai Group, is mostly scattered atolls. They are excellent diving and snorkelling sites, and are also great cruising waters for sailing. In the west of the Ha‘apai Group are two active volcanoes, Kao and Tofua. Within the crater of Tofua is a freshwater lake, and it‘s possible to fly out to the volcano from Lifuka in a float plane and land on the lake.

The loveliest of Tonga‘s island groups is Vava‘u, a short flight north of Ha‘apai. Vava‘u is like a big piece of jigsaw puzzle, containing a network of sheltered waterways and channels that lead eventually to a central harbour, the well­named Port of Refuge.

This is one of the finest natural harbours in the South Pacific. Enclosed by hills and overlooked by Neiafu, a very pleasant port town, the harbour is perfect for sailing, sea kayaking, scuba diving and snorkelling. Around every bend on the harbour edge is another seemingly untouched island or beach.

Colourful coral reefs surround the islands, while beyond the reef from August to October is one of the best places in the South Pacific to observe the migration of humpback whales. Neiafu is very well equipped to deal with the needs of visitors, and offers all services from yacht charters to supermarkets to kava clubs, bars and cafes.

The yearly Vava‘u Festival, held in May, is a highlight in this island group. The festival celebrates all aspects of life on Vava‘u, and features traditional dancing, singing and feasting, along with the fine craft work for which Tonga is justifiably famed.