Vagabond Voyagesvideo
Arrival in TONGA: our first impressions... and pigs everywhere! Vlog 103
5 December 2025 · 30 min · 7K views · Vainī, Tonga
What this video covers
Tom and Anissia arrive at Vava'u, in the northern Tonga island group, aboard their 31-foot Alubat after a passage from Niue.▶ 0:01 Customs clearance at the dock involves extensive paperwork — multiple forms across health, biosecurity, and customs departments — but proves less stressful than cruiser forums suggested; officials are friendly and one pre-submitted online form is accepted by email, skipping one page.▶ 4:02 Fees total 122 Tongan dollars for biosecurity and health checks.▶ 3:16 A volunteer on the Cruiser Information Net greets them on VHF channel 16 and directs them to channel 26 for daily morning nets.▶ 1:37 Anchoring in Vava'u proves difficult: the anchorage runs 20 meters deep with heavy coral, all mooring balls are taken, and two unmarked balls turn out to be private.▶ 11:28 Leaving the customs dock, a stern line drops into the water; before Anissia can push off with the gaff, the hull contacts the dock.▶ 8:47 Stand-up paddle board mounts absorb the impact and protect the hull, though the mounts are bent and likely ruined.▶ 9:28 Ashore, the town is charming and noticeably cheaper than French Polynesia; local SIM cards cost 50 Tongan dollars for two.▶ 17:45 The No Foreign Land app is used to locate anchorages, restaurants, and shops.▶ 18:16 Free-roaming pigs are a fixture of Vava'u's streets.▶ 23:09 The crew plans to stay one month.▶ 16:43
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