Nukuʻalofa
Nukuʻalofa is the capital of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southernmost island group of Tonga.
Tonga is situated about 5000 miles south of "nowhere" and approximately 1000 miles East of 'nothingness'.
And that's what I like about these hidden gems. Unspoiled
The Royal Palace in Tonga is located in the capital, Nukuʻalofa. It was constructed from wood in 1867 and is the official residence of the King of Tonga. Arriving in Tonga via cruise ship, the palace is right there, next to the pier.
No difficult security, just a fence, that's it. Just the way it should be; simple and uncomplicated.
The Royal Palace in Tonga
While it may not be a perfect Pacific paradise, Tonga's capital (aka 'Dirty Nuke') has hidden charm and promise if you blow the dust from the surface.
I'll be honest: it's one of the lesser favorite islands to visit since there isn't much to do; there are no paradise look-alike beaches as you see when visiting other islands. It's rather poor and under developed but at least it has a rich culture and history.
Like any of the other places in the area: have an open mind when visiting these places. Realize that it's not like home where AC and 4G are standard. As long as you realize this, this will be good place to visit.
Be warned to bring gallons of sun lotion. Temperatures can get in the 100's and humidity can get up to 95%. I ran half a marathon in these conditions last year, and swore never to do that again....but when I returned on February 5, 2018 I did it again and.....under the same conditions; forget about trying to break world records here. It won't happen under these conditions.
One never learns :)
Tahiti is the largest island in French Polynesia, the South Pacific archipelago. Shaped like a figure-8, it's divided into Tahiti Nui (the larger, western section) and Tahiti Iti (the eastern peninsula). With black-sand beaches, lagoons, waterfalls and 2 extinct volcanoes, it's a popular vacation destination. Explored by Captain James Cook in the 18th century, it was also often painted by French artist Paul Gauguin.
