5 Best Things to Do in Lapaha & Mu'a

Starting with a must-see in Mu'a, the Terraced Tombs consist of around 28 pyramid-like tombs, raising Tonga's ancient rulers to the heavens above.

Paepae ‘o Tele'a Royal Tombs is one of the most famous and easiest tombs to visit, located in the Lapaha end of Mu'a.

One of the Paepae ‘o Tele'a tombs is of Tele’a, a Tu’i Tonga who reigned during the 16th Century.

Check out more fascinating places like this in the 10 Best Historical Sites on Tongatapu.

Location: Signposted along Taufa'ahau Road, Lapaha.

On the edge of the Fanga’utu Lagoon just outside of the village of Tatakamotonga is the landing site of British Explorer Captain James Cook.

A plaque is in the place where a banyan tree once stood to commemorate the event that took place in 1777.

Queen Elizabeth II also famously visited the landmark in 1970.

Location: Signposted along Taufa'ahau Road, Tatakamotonga, southern end of Lapaha.

Just north of Mu'a is the unique treehouse resort of Tukulolo Grounds. The forest offers a vibrant setting for the fire show that the crew can arrange for guests on request.

Be amazed by the skills and captivating lights of a traditional Polynesian fire show during this intimate experience away from the usual crowds these cultural shows tend to attract.

Location: Tukulolo Grounds, signposted along Taufa'ahau Road between Hoi and Makaunga, approximately 2.5 km (1.6 mi) north of Lapaha.

Another cultural experience that's very accessible to visitors is the Tongan church service. On Sunday mornings, the church halls come alive with beautiful harmonies from locals who have been perfecting their vocals their entire lives.

In our experience, any church is happy to have visitors to enjoy the service for what is usually around an hour starting around 10 am.

Learn more about experiencing a Tongan church service and about church etiquette in the 10 Best Churches in Tonga for Tourists.

Location: Churches in Mu'a include St. Michael's Catholic Church - Taufa'ahau Road, Lapaha; Free Wesleyan Church - Inland, Tatakamotonga; Latter-Day Saints - Behind the Police Station, Mu'a; Seventh-Day Adventist - Behind Siamoka Cemetery, Mu'a.

Probably one of the strangest attractions in Tonga, the Fishing Pigs are essentially a bunch of pigs in the village north of Mu'a, Navutoka, that have decided that they prefer seafood to land fodder.

With that, you can almost always see pigs wandering the mudflats along the coast, sticking their head in the water in search of briny goodness. Don’t worry; the brown tourist signs on the side of the road will point you in the right direction of this attraction that locals are extremely proud of!

Location: Signposted along Tahi Road, Navutoka, approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Lapaha.