Tonga Packing List

Photo credit: Kim Powell

SUGGESTED PACKING LIST: TONGA

Think Light! One checked bag not to exceed 33 lbs and one carry on at 11 lbs
Laundry services available mid trip. Details on luggage, excess baggage fees and laundry at: More Info

Packing List Printable Version

___ Rain gear (durable, not a flimsy thin plastic style–bring both a top and bottom )
___ 1 Bathing suit
___ 2-4 T-Shirts (at least two that are loose fitting short sleeved t-shirts, no shirts that reveal the midriff)
___ 1 Long-sleeved shirt (quick dry and light weight; cotton is ok)
___ 1-3 Pairs of shorts (quick dry and light weight; at least one pair that does not go above the knees and no “short” shorts as they may be considered offensive).
___ 1 Pair of long pants lightweight cotton pants; jeans are heavy, add weight and are not recommended
___ Pajamas– Pajamas or sweatpants are nice in the event that part of our stay is during a possible cold snap and
___ Lightweight boxers or equivalent for sleeping on warm nights
___ One Skirt, Dress or Sarong for church or other cultural activities ( dress should come to knee or lower, if dress is sleeveless
plan to wear something over dress such as a sarong or long sleeve shirt that covers shoulders) a sarong may be used as a skirt for church, long pants and sleeved shirt for men
___ 1 Medium fleece sweater that keeps the body warm even when wet
___ 1 Pair of hiking shoes (either a sturdy tennis shoe with good tread or lightweight hiking boot )
___ 1 Pair of water shoes: old tennis shoes, Aqua socks/ surf bootys or sandals with a back strap for support — any style is fine but they will get wet;
we don’t recommend Crocs as they offer little support; We do recommend Keens (such as the Newport H2) that provide toe protection See More Info
___ 1-2 Pairs of socks (for hiking and to use with fins if needed)
___ Bandana or a Buff headwear–great for sun protection and flare! We have our new Blue Water version of a Buff, our “blue rag” available for purchase
___ Windbreaker –or you may use your rain gear as a windbreaker
___ Clothes worn on your travel days
___ Toiletries (toothbrush, paste, lotions, aloe, etc–think small and lightweight, hard to purchase during first leg of trip)
___ Sunscreen ( 20 strength or stronger) & lip balm with sunscreen, while snorkeling in Tonga , consider coral safe sunscreens reviewed here: Corals and Hawaii Bans Harmful Sunscreens
___ Sunglasses with leash
___ Convertor Plug, plugs are the heavy, angled type used in Australia and New Zealand found at hardware stores. More details under Electrical Outlets at More Info
___ Hat with visor or wide rim
___ Ski Cap or beanie for warmth will help warm us up if we get chilled on boat trips
___ Insect repellent (small amount 3oz, Anti- itch cream (i.e. benedral) – for insect bites see recommendations at More Info
___ Personal medicines ( anti diarrhea, band aids,neosporine, pain reliever; keep prescriptions in their original bottle with RX number labeled)
___ Sea sickness prevention medicine – if you are prone to sea sickness; enough to last for 7 boat excursions and 2 charter flights in small plane see recommendations at More Info
___ Day pack or small dry bag to protect personal gear such as camera, extra clothing and binoculars while boating; line the inside of a day pack with a garbage bag
we like heavy style compressor bags for waterproofing our daypacks
___ Quart size water bottle
___ Personal Snacks that pack easily to supplement the three meals provided; we have limited space so we will not be bringing our usual supply of healthy snacks
___ Wetsuit – 3mm long sleeve with short pants or full body wetsuit for comfort while snorkeling see more details at Wetsuits at More info link
___ Duffel bag for your clothing and other personal gear — lined on the inside with a garbage bag to waterproof; duffel with rollers is acceptable but wheels add weight
___ Mask fins & snorkel – check with a local dive shop for proper fit, some fins require booties and a dive shop can help with that. Review details at More info
___ 2 Garbage bags & a few gallon ziplocs for organizing stuff
___ Flashlight or head lamp and extra batteries

OPTIONAL GEAR

___ Cameras– we like the Olympus Tough Underwater Camera with the round lens rather than square lens, GoPro cameras work great, Review details at More info
___ Extra Camera Battery and memory card; camera battery charger
and adaptor if you plan to charge in your hotel room with international adapter (see Electrical Outlets at More info link)
___ Binoculars
___ Journal and several pens/pencils
___ Mesh dive bag
___ Favorite adult beverage-you may re supply along way or purchase in Duty Free while in New Zealand or Fiji, very limited choices in Tonga
___ Favorite Tea or instant Starbuck Coffee packages to add additional strength to coffee provided on trip
___ Baby powder--great during travel in the tropics for removing sand and treating heat rash, small amount
___ One small camp towel purchased at outdoor stores to take on boat rides
___ Ear plugs
___ Waterproof flashlight or dive light-we may offer a night walk among the intertidal if conditions permit
___ Waterproof watch
___ 1 Sarong
___ Paperback book — we will carry a small library of field guides
___ 1 Pair of flip flops
___ Dive booties to wear with your fins if using those that require booties such as fins with a heel strap
___1 Rash Guard —can be purchased at surf shops, Kayak Connection or REI; provides sun protection and warmth in water;
we like Mysterioso rash guard tops that are lightweight and provide extra warmth
___ Light weight synthetic jacket such as the Patagonia Nano Puff could be used along with a light weight fleece instead of a heavier medium fleece
___ Scuba Certification Card for certified divers; scuba gear can be rented on Ha’pai and Vava’u
LOST LUGGAGE: Just in case your luggage is misplaced during airplane transfers, consider packing in a carry on bag: mask & snorkel, 1 pair of shorts, 1 t-shirt, bathing suit, 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 pair of pants, camera, personal medications.

SUGGESTED READING LIST FOR TONGA

TONGA: GENERAL : INFORMATION
Tonga (Other Places Travel Guide) ~~ Kate Asleson
Tonga Islands Travel Reference Map (International Travel Maps)
Ken’s Comprehensive Cruising Guide for the Kingdom of Tonga
Frommer’s South Pacific~~ Bill Goodwin
The Lonely Planet Tonga
Lonely Planet Rarotonga Samoa & Tonga (Multi Country Guide) ~ Craig Mclachlan

NATURAL HISTORY
Marine Life Of Tonga Video Series
Reef Creature Identification~~Paul Humann
Hawaii’s Humpback Whales ~~Gregory D. Kauman & Paul H. Forestell
Reef Fish Identification~Tropical Pacific ~~Paul Humann
Indo Pacific Coral Reef Field Guide~~Dr. Gerald R. Alen and Roger Steene
Sailingbird’s Guide to the Kingdom of Tonga — Vava’u Group Charles Paul (Author) , Katherine Pham-Paul (Author)
Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific: Animal Life from Africa to Hawaii Exclusive of the Vertebrates ~ Terrence M. Gosliner
Beautiful Whale ~ Bryant Austin
Winged Leviathan: The Story of the Humpback Whale Hardcover Phil Clapham
The Marine Biology Coloring Book– Thomas M. Niesen

CULTURAL HISTORY
Intensive Course in Tongan: With Numerous Supplementary Materials, Grammatical Notes, and Glossary
Becoming Tongan: An Ethnography of Childhood~~Helen Morton
St Cartmail: The Art of Tonga ~~ Keith St Cartmail

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