Everything You Need to Know About Transport on ‘Eua
Sitting some 40 km (15 mi) from Tonga’s main arrival island, Tongatapu, ‘Eua presents one of the easiest islands to get to for a true outer island experience. ‘Eua, which is Tonga’s oldest and second-largest island, is accessible by domestic flight from Tongatapu, as well as by ferry. However, there are no plane and ferry services on a Sunday. As for getting around the 87 km² (34 mi²) island, there is one main road with some 15 villages scattered alongside it. To get to attractions in the ‘Eua National Park Forest, 4WD roads are your connection. Learn more about the transport in ‘Eua, in this quick guide on how to get to ‘Eua, as well as how to get around.
For more tips on visiting the island, see The Complete Travel Guide to ‘Eua.
1. ‘Eua by Plane – How to Get to ‘Eua
The quickest and often most convenient way to get to ‘Eua is by taking a flight from Tongatapu (see How to Get to Tonga on ways to get to Tonga’s main island). Flights are available from the domestic terminal of the Fua’amotu Airport where there are one to four scheduled flights per day from Monday to Saturday. Flight times are approximately 10 minutes (but more like seven minutes, making it one of the world’s shortest commercial flights). Note that flights are often cancelled due to bad weather, so have a contingency plan just in case.
See the latest airfares in How Much Does it Cost to Fly in Tonga? and learn more about booking your flight in The Guide to Domestic Flights in Tonga.
© TongaPocketGuide.com2. ‘Eua by Ferry – How to Get to ‘Eua
A cheaper alternative to flying is taking the ferry from Nuku’alofa in Tongatapu to ‘Eua. Two ferry operators, ‘Eua Sea Transportation Council (ESTC) and Tofa Ramsay Shipping, have ferries departing from Taufa’ahau Tupou IV Domestic Wharf in Nuku’alofa. Journeys are approximately two hours, the latest ferry costs for passengers and vehicles can be found in How Much Do Ferries Cost in Tonga? Although ferries run on a schedule, it’s best to reconfirm departure times – either by phone, at the ferry ticket offices or on Facebook.
Ferries depart and arrive in ‘Eua from Nafanua Wharf. Tickets can be purchased from the wharf prior to departure (keep ahold of your ticket for the entire journey, as sometimes they check tickets when you disembark). Otherwise, ESTC’s office is located in the Malau Building (across the sports field from Niueiki Hospital, Angaha).
Learn more about taking the ferry to ‘Eua in The Guide to Travelling in Tonga by Ferry.
© TongaPocketGuide.com3. Accommodation Transport – Airport/Wharf Transfers and Island Tours
Public transport is not available on ‘Eua. Nevertheless, accommodation providers fill up the demand, not only offering airport/wharf transfers as a standard but also transporting guests to attractions around the island through sightseeing tours. Airport/wharf transfers are typically TOP$0-$20 per person one way. As for island tours, these can either be half- or full-day experiences in 4WD vehicles, as most of ‘Eua’s natural attractions are only accessible via rough dirt tracks. Many accommodations’ island tours are open to outside guests, so it’s worth comparing your options.
Learn more about ‘Eua’s island tours in The Best Guided Tours in ‘Eua. Plus, start discovering the island’s accommodations and whether they offer airport/wharf transfers in our guide, Where to Stay on ‘Eua: The Best ‘Eua Accommodations.
© TongaPocketGuide.com4. Car Rental on ‘Eua – How to Get Around ‘Eua
Car rental is available on ‘Eua through a couple of convenience stores and accommodations. Although car rental can be affordable and convenient for travelling between villages and getting to the access roads of the island’s natural attractions, note that most of these 2WD vehicles are not suitable for the dirt roads to access the ‘Eua National Park, for instance. See 5 Best Hikes in ‘Eua to learn about accessing some of these attractions on foot instead.
Check out your car rental options in The Best Car Rentals on ‘Eua and get more essential tips from The Guide to Car Hire in Tonga.
© TongaPocketGuide.com5. Bicycle Rental in ‘Eua – No Longer Available
Note that bicycle rental is no longer available on ‘Eua. This page will be updated if and when bicycle rental becomes available once again. In the meantime, here’s a video with more tips to make the most of ‘Eua:
More About ‘Eua Transport and Getting Around ‘Eua
That’s it for our guide to ‘Eua transport with the ways to get around ‘Eua, as well as how to get to ‘Eua. If you have more questions about travelling around ‘Eua, check out the following guides:
- Tonga Transport Guide: 10 Ways to Get Around Tonga
- The Driving Times in Tonga You Need to Know
- A Guide to Hitchhiking in Tonga
Finally, see where your transport can take you with our itineraries: The Best Tonga Itineraries for 2 Weeks and The Best Tonga Itineraries for 1 Week.
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