5 sea caves · down to 30 m · 5 suitable for an intro team
Cave diving in Tonga
- Sea caves5
- Max depth30 m
- For intro teams5
- Dive centres4
Diving and fills
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Why come here
Tonga's overhead dives are sea caves and caverns spread over three island groups: the fog-filled air chamber of Mariner's Cave, the light beams of Swallows Cave and the tunnel of Shark's Tooth Cave around Neiafu in Vava'u, the deep hydrothermal Hot Spring Cave in Ha'apai and the huge Cathedral Cave off 'Eua. In Vava'u you can dive them guided from Open Water with local dive operators; Hot Spring Cave and Cathedral Cave only begin at 25–28 m. Each island group is a trip of its own, caves and sights are closed on Sundays, and there is no chamber in Tonga: evacuation goes to New Zealand.
Don't miss
- Mariner's Cave (Nuapapu): you surface in an airtight chamber in the rock, where an eerie fog drifts through each time the surge pulls back.
- Swallows Cave ('Ana Pekapeka): beams of light fall in through the entrance and thousands of small fish hang in the space.
- Hot Spring Cave (Ofalanga): a hydrothermal vent gushes hot water into the cooler water of a deep chamber.
On a rest day
- Mt Talau (Vava'u): A 131 m peak in Mt Talau National Park, about 2 km from Neiafu, with two viewing platforms over Neiafu harbour and the Port of Refuge.
- Anahulu Cave (Tongatapu): A land cave about 400 m long on the east side of Tongatapu, signposted from Haveluliku, with a walkway and a freshwater pool you can swim in.
All 5 sea caves
| Site | Max depth | Type | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathedral Cave ('Eua)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 30 m | Backmount | Cavern |
| Hot Spring Cave (Ofalanga)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 28 m | Backmount | Cavern |
| Mariner's Cave (Nuapapu)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 16.5 m | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Shark's Tooth Cave (Kitu)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | – | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
| Swallows Cave ('Ana Pekapeka)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Open water / no overhead | 18 m | Backmount | Open water / no overhead |
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
Map
Dive centres and fill stations
4 dive centres, fill stations and instructors
AX-Factor Dive (Toula)
Lot 7, Toula Village, Vava'u
Guided dives: Mariner's Cave (Nuapapu), Shark's Tooth Cave (Kitu), Swallows Cave ('Ana Pekapeka)
SSI dive centre in Toula, 3.5 km south of Neiafu, with groups of four divers at most; according to the Tonga Pocket Guide the only SSI centre in Tonga. Trips to Mariner's Cave, Shark's Tooth Cave and Swallows Cave; also the Clan MacWilliam wreck and the SSI Advanced Adventurer course. Fills and nitrox not stated: ask.
Dive Tonga ('Utungake)
Tongan Beach Resort, 'Utungake, Vava'u
Guided dives: Swallows Cave ('Ana Pekapeka)
PADI dive shop at the Tongan Beach Resort in 'Utungake, with courses all year, four divers per guide at most and pick-ups by boat from resorts. Swallows' Cave and caverns are on its list of sites.
Matafonua Lodge (Foa)
Foa Island, Ha'apai
Guided dives: Hot Spring Cave (Ofalanga)
Lodge at the northern tip of Foa with its own diving: the house reef, boat dives to the northern pinnacles and PADI courses. According to the Tonga Pocket Guide it can arrange dive trips to Hot Spring Cave.
Riki Tiki Tours (Neiafu)
Fangafoa Marina, Neiafu, Vava'u
Guided dives: Mariner's Cave (Nuapapu), Shark's Tooth Cave (Kitu), Swallows Cave ('Ana Pekapeka)
Rental: Dive gear (according to the Tonga Pocket Guide).
Boat dives from Fangafoa Marina in Neiafu, for certified divers only and in groups of six at most; according to the Tonga Pocket Guide the only operator diving all year, also in whale season. Bring your own water and lunch.
Order: partners first, clearly marked as partner; then dive centres by distance from Neiafu (Vava'u) and independent instructors by name. Not a recommendation: check what they offer yourself.
On this list, or should you be? Get a free partner card →Where to stay
Find a place near Neiafu (Vava'u), Pangai (Ha'apai), 'Ohonua ('Eua)
Villages that work well as a base for the caves in this region. Find a place for your team:
- Neiafu (Vava'u)Booking.com ↗
- Pangai (Ha'apai)Booking.com ↗
- 'Ohonua ('Eua)Booking.com ↗
The links to Booking.com are affiliate links: if you book through one, DiveTripPlanner earns a small commission. You pay the same.
Practical info: rules, fills and emergency numbers
Emergencies
- Ambulance 933, police 922, fire 999 (the UK travel advice also gives 911). There is no chamber in Tonga: registered dive companies carry only first aid, and serious decompression sickness is flown to New Zealand (Smartraveller). The nearest confirmed chamber is the Slark Hyperbaric Unit in Devonport, Auckland, through the Diving Emergency Service (+64 9 374 6758, day and night). From Vava'u, Ha'apai or 'Eua a domestic flight or boat comes first: count on hours to a day, dive well within your no-deco limits and take insurance that covers evacuation.
Access and rules
- Sunday: Tonga keeps Sunday as a day of rest. Mariner's Cave is closed on Sundays and sights in Vava'u can't be visited then; plan your dive days from Monday to Saturday.
Gas and fills
- Gas: air at the dive operators; nitrox, trimix or CCR support is not mentioned anywhere: ask.
Water and season
- Season: cyclone season runs from November to April (to May according to the UK travel advice), but storms occur all year. In whale season Beluga Diving doesn't dive, Riki Tiki Tours does.
Getting around
- Travel: Vava'u, Ha'apai and 'Eua are separate island groups; a boat dive never reaches another group. The dive operators in Vava'u are in and around Neiafu.
Good to know
- Read this first: Tonga's cave dives are sea caves and caverns spread over three island groups: Mariner's Cave, Swallows Cave and Shark's Tooth Cave around Neiafu in Vava'u, the deep Hot Spring Cave in Ha'apai and the huge Cathedral Cave off 'Eua. Each group is a trip of its own: you dive them guided with a local dive operator; these are not cave dives in the usual sense.
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