Sailing Times and Distances for Tonga
The great South Pacific journey awaits with The Kingdom of Tonga sitting at the centre of it all. Tonga is a hub for sailing in the South Pacific, not only for its own incredible sailing grounds across the archipelago but also for its famous Port of Refuge. The island group of Vava’u alone sees some 500+ yachts passing through in the season between May and October. So how long does it take to get to this sailing mecca? How long does it take to sail to Tonga? We go over the sailing times and distances in the lists below.
About Sailing to Tonga
Tonga has five ports of entry: Nuku’alofa (Tongatapu), Neiafu (Vava’u), Pangai (Ha’apai), Falehau (Niuatoputapu) and Futu (Niuafo’ou).
It is compulsory for yachts visiting from overseas to submit an Advance Notice of Arrival (Small Craft) form to Tonga Customs at least 24 hours prior to their ETA. Citizens from selected countries get a free 31-day visa upon entry into Tonga.
Yachts are required to clear in and out of each island group visited in Tonga, known as a domestic check-in/check-out.
Approaching a whale any closer than 300 m (330 yards) and/or swimming with whales is prohibited unless on a licensed vessel.
For more details on the formalities and restrictions, see The Sailing Guide to Tonga.
© TongaPocketGuide.comSailing Distances in the South Pacific
The South Pacific is a popular sailing destination with sails between various island groups taking less than a week. Tonga is in the centre of the action, making it an excellent base for South Pacific voyages. The Port of Refuge in Tonga’s Vava’u is where many haul their vessels for safe anchorage during the cyclone season.
So how long does it take to sail to Tonga from Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa and more? Check out the below distance and time calculations. Note that all of the below times and distances are calculated when the vessel is doing an average speed of 10 knots. The Tongan destination is Nuku’alofa on Tongatapu.
- Niue to Tonga: 232 nautical miles / 24 hours
- Wallis and Futuna to Tonga: 439 nautical miles / 1 day 20 hours
- Fiji to Tonga: 487 nautical miles / 2 days 1 hour
- American Samoa to Tonga: 485 nautical miles / 2 days 30 mins
- Samoa to Tonga: 512 nautical miles / 2 days 3 hours
- Tokelau to Tonga: 747 nautical miles / 3 days 3 hours
- Tuvalu to Tonga: 821 nautical miles / 3 days 10 hours
- Cook Islands to Tonga: 864 nautical miles / 3 days 15 hours
- Vanuatu to Tonga: 956 nautical miles / 4 days
- New Caledonia to Tonga: 1,048 nautical miles / 4 days 9 hours
- French Polynesia to Tonga: 1,468 nautical miles / 6 days 3 hours
- New Zealand to Tonga: 1,099 nautical miles / 4 days 14 hours
- Kiribati to Tonga: 1,521 nautical miles / 6 days 8 hours
- Solomon Islands to Tonga: 1,615 nautical miles / 6 days 18 hours
- Nauru to Tonga: 1,629 nautical miles / 6 days 19 hours
- Australia to Tonga: 2,255 nautical miles / 9 days 10 hours
- Papua New Guinea to Tonga: 2,409 nautical miles / 10 days 1 hour.
© TongaPocketGuide.comSailing Distances from the Pacific Rim
For the adventurous sailor, getting to Tonga from other Pacific Rim countries/regions will take you less than a month. That’s whether you’re sailing from Asia or the Americas.
Note that all of the below times and distances are calculated when the vessel is doing an average speed of 10 knots. The Tongan destination is Nuku’alofa on Tongatapu.
- Hawaii to Tonga: 2,752 nautical miles / 11 days 11 hours
- Indonesia to Tonga: 3,571 nautical miles / 14 days 21 hours
- Philippines to Tonga: 4,154 nautical miles /17 days 7 hours
- Mexico to Tonga: 4,513 nautical miles / 18 days 19 hours
- Los Angeles to Tonga: 4,634 nautical miles / 19 days 7 hours
- Hong Kong to Tonga: 4,910 nautical miles / 20 days 11 hours
- Singapore to Tonga: 5,123 nautical miles / 21 days 8 hours
- Chile to Tonga: 5,684 nautical miles / 23 days 16 hours.
More on How Long it Takes to Sail to Tonga
That’s it for our guide on how long it takes to sail to Tonga. For more on the subject, take a look at the following:
- How Long Does it Take to Travel Around Tonga?
- The Sailing Guide to Tonga: Tips for Yachting in Tonga
- The Complete Travel Guide to Tonga
Finally, for more ways to get to Tonga, take a look at Getting Here: How to Get to Tonga.
