Tonga is a kingdom. The islands lie south of Samoa and are about one-third of the way from New Zealand.  It is the only South Pacific group of islands (170) that has always ruled itself. Several of the islands are volcanic, with active craters, but most are coral atolls. The entire island is population- just over 100,000.

It became a British protectorate in 1900 and gained independence as a constitutional monarchy in 1970. There is exceptional sailing and snorkeling, and many tiny islands with gorgeous beaches. There’s laid-back resort life around Tonga’s marvelous whale-watching. A relaxing holiday, a fishing trip, an exhilarating dive. There are private resorts, guesthouses, making it a much less populated and more relaxing place to visit.