Can You Rent a Motorbike in Tonga?

Motorcycle Hire in Tonga

Can you rent a motorcycle in Tonga? The short answer is no. You can, however, rent scooters/mopeds, mountain bikes and cars to make your way around the beautiful islands of Tonga. With scooters being the closest thing to renting a motorbike in Tonga, we go over some scooter hire tips in this guide.

Before we jump into whether you can rent a motorbike in Tonga, be sure to bookmark our Tonga Transport Guide: 10 Ways to Get Around Tonga for even more transport tips.

Vehicles You Can Hire in Tonga

While unfortunately, motorbike hire is not on the list of vehicles you can hire in Tonga, here are a few vehicles you can rent:

Small cars
Medium cars
Intermediate cars
Vans
SUVs
4WD
Trucks
Scooters/mopeds
Mountain bikes
E-bikes
Horses (just to get around? Yes!)

Scooter/Moped Hire in Tonga

The closest vehicles to motorbikes that you can hire in Tonga are scooters, otherwise known as mopeds.

Where to Hire a Scooter in Tonga

Scooters are available to hire on the islands with the largest network of roads: Tongatapu and Vava’u. In Tongatapu, scooter hire is available with M&N Scooter Rental (on Viator and Tripadvisor), Island Cars & Scooter Rental and the NOA Guest House. Find out more about these scooter-hire companies in The Guide to Renting a Scooter in Tonga.

Scooter Hire Inclusions

Scooter rentals in Tonga typically come with the following inclusions:

A full tank of fuel
A helmet
Unlimited kilometres

Note that insurance and puncture repair kits are not usually included, so you will need to organise these yourself if desired.

What Types of Scooters are Available in Tonga?

The scooters available in Tonga are Forza Ciclone Scooters or something similar. They usually come at 45-50cc, with some rentals offering scooters as high as 125cc.

What Do You Need to Hire a Scooter in Tonga?

To hire a scooter or any motor vehicle in Tonga, you will need to have either a full valid driving licence from a visitor visa-exempt country or a Visitor’s Driving Licence. With the correct overseas licence, you are allowed to drive in Tonga for up to 12 months, while the Visitor’s Driving Licence allows you to drive in Tonga for up to three months. To get a Visitor’s Driving Licence, you need to go to the Ministry of Infrastructure in Nuku’alofa (Tongatapu) or the Police Station in Neiafu (Vava’u) along with your driving licence, your IDP (if your licence is not in English), and TOP$40. Learn more about the driving licence process in How to Get a Tonga Visitor’s Driving Licence.

For scooter rentals, you need to be at least 18 years old, while the car hire age restriction is typically 21 years old.

Travellers wishing to hire a vehicle will also need to be prepared to pay a bond, this can either in cash, preauthorised with a credit card, or some scooter rental companies prefer to hold onto your passport while you hire the vehicle. The bond/passport will be returned to you upon return of the vehicle providing there is no damage to the vehicle.

Alternative Self-Drive Options in Tonga

So maybe your dream of road tripping around Tonga on a motorbike isn’t coming true anytime soon, and perhaps scooters are not quite your style. What other ways can you enjoy a self-drive tour of Tonga?

Car Hire

Car rentals can be found in abundance in Tongatapu and with less offering in Vava’u. Car hire companies in Tongatapu include Star Rental, Avis, FAB Rentals, Jetsave, Little Italy Rentals, Me Rentals and more – check out The Best Car Rentals in Tonga for a comparison. In Vava’u, have a look at Coconut Rentals, Illena Rental, ‘Ana Tevunga Rental, Tim Ellis Rental and more as listed in The Best Car Rentals in Vava’u. While some fleets are small, offering standard small cars, some rental companies have a wider choice from small cars to SUVs.

Bicycle Hire

Bicycle hire is something that’s available in just about every island group in Tonga, making an especially good way to explore smaller islands such as in Ha’apai. While you might not be able to get quite as far a car or scooter, you’ll be able to at least explore a quarter of Tongatapu in a day, for instance. Bicycle hire rates range from TOP$15 a day to TOP$30 a day. Some resorts, especially in Ha’apai, offer guests free bike hire. Find out more in Where to Rent Bikes in Tonga.

More About Renting a Motorbike in Tonga

Author

Laura S.

This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor in chief and co-founder of Tonga Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in the South Pacific over 10 years ago with nothing but a backpack and a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to explore a paradise such as Tonga. She knows the islands inside-out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience Tonga’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also editor of several other South Pacific travel guides.

Contact Laura via our contact page