EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: Mounu Island, Tonga

My recent trip to Mounu Island Resort was simply wonderful! It was just the tropical get away I had hoped for, and 6 nights was the perfect length stay (although I would have even been content with just 4).

Their international airport is fairly small, and basic. Their domestic airport however, is another story! Think (old) classroom sized, with a wall cut out where they dump your luggage. We had a fairly lengthy wait between flights, and went into 'town'. We wouldn't bother doing that again!

Mounu is a Tongan island, 25 minutes from Vava'u by boat. We found the island by typing in "private" and "Tonga" into Google. We were going close to school holidays, and didn't want to share our fun with kids!

The island itself is owned by a Kiwi couple, Alan and Lynne, with the help of their daughter, Kirsty (a Ponsonby local when she's back in NZ) and a couple of local Tongan staff. It is comprised of 4 Fales (traditional island housing), which allow for 2 guests each. The island is run as Eco-friendly as possible with solar powered lighting and heating.

During our time there, we consumed a lot of food! I'm quite sure I've eaten my fresh seafood quota for the rest of the year! It was all delicious! Imagine 2 or 3 courses at every meal, all accompanied by hot, fresh bread rolls and the freshest produce! On the way back to NZ, they weighed us at check in.....yup, we had certainly put on a kilo or two!

One thing that sets Tonga apart as a holiday destination, is that they are the only country in the world where you are able to swim with Humpback whales! This was a truly incredible experience! In the middle of the deepest, bluest ocean, you are instructed to 'get in' (with only your flippers and snorkel). A group of 4, plus our guide swam on the surface for 10 or so minutes while the 2 whales sat at the bottom. They eventually come up to breathe again, and as they gracefully rise to the surface it is as if you are literally about to be on top of them! To be that close to such creatures magnificent creatures was awesome (in the true sense of the word)!

We were also taken to several spots by boat, to snorkel! Beautiful reefs, and very colourful fish!

When we weren't eating or swimming with whales, we spent the long, sunny days reading on our deck chairs with a drink in hand, or playing a fierce game of scrabble! (There is a library and games room at your disposal.)

This is a holiday experience that I will continue to recommend to everyone! We really felt like we were on island time! We switched off our phones (although they do have WiFi for all you technology-addicts) and truly just relaxed!

I can't wait to go back!
 
http://www.mounuisland.com/