logoDIVING & FAQs

Diving

On Tongatapu we discover sunken wrecks and colourful coral reefs!

Our Intro dive (ages 12+) is a great opportunity to see why so many people love diving. The dive is done in safe waters with an instructor right by your side.

Our bubble maker (ages 8-12) is a great opportunity for kids to learn to breath with a regulator and become comfortable under water.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Do we need to make deposits? Can’t I pay on the day?

    When booking you will get a price for the full amount and then a deposit amount which is 50%. The deposit is fully refundable within 14 days of payment. The remaining 50% will need to be paid a month before arrival (for both ʻEua and Tongatapu). Bookings in person will be subject to availability.

    To make it easier for our guests we have a NZD & AUD account number to transfer into, or we also have Paypal which has a 4% fee.

  2. What is the Minimum age for whale swims?

    There is no set age restrictions for whale watching, however depending on age and swimming abilities and the conditions on the day, floatation devices will be handed out at the guides call.

  3. What swimming abilities/strengths do you need in order to swim?

    Due to being in the open ocean, some sort of swimming experience is highly recommended. The most important thing to us, is that you are safe and that you enjoy your day with us. If you are nervous in the water, scared of being in deep water that you can’t stand in or see the bottom please let us know. We don’t want to stop anyone from having a great day, but in order for that, we need our guests to be as open and honest with us as they can. We have dealt with it all before and our crew and guides promise to look after you as much as we can. Please advise us at booking or on the boat before your swim.

  4. What are the best months to come for the Whale season?

    The whales are known to start travelling up from about May a to the most southern islands in Tonga, which are ʻEua and Tongatapu. The season usually ends around end of October to beginning of Nov. We get reports from our local fisherman that the whales are normally always seen first in ʻEua, which is usually mid-June, however the season there usually starts from about beginning of July to end of Oct.

    Tongatapu is round about the same having the whales come in around end of July to end of October. The peak seasons that we have on both Islands are Aug-September.

  5. What do the prices include?

    Whale swims = All equipment hire, lunch and refreshments

    Whale watch = Lunch/refreshments.

    Diving = 2x Tanks per person, all equipment hire, lunch and refreshments

  6. What transport options are there to ʻEua?

    There are two forms of transport to ʻEua, Ferry and Flying.

    Best way to get to ʻEua island via ferry is checking out the weekly timetable on the company’s Facebook page; ESTC MV Maui & MV ʻOnemato. They normally run daily to ʻEua, except Sundays. Timetable is set weekly, so it is recommended to phone 24755 to confirm departure times after arrival to main island Tongatapu. You may keep an eye on their Facebook page to have an idea of departure times, it changes little from week to week. Ferry is only cancelled due to weather conditions and/or main events happening.

    Flights to ʻEua with Real Tonga airlines is a 7-minute flight. If you are wanting to book , book through www.realtonga.to

    We recommend our guests that when booking either of these forms of transport that you leave a day free either way due to cancellations etc…

  7. What happens if we don’t swim?

    If you have booked in a whale swim and don’t get the chance to swim we will refund the difference between a swim and watch tour.

    If we don’t see anything at all, we will refund you 100 TOP and if time permits we will try and take you to a reef and do some snorkelling.

    But please keep in mind that we are dealing with wild animals and can never 100% guarantee you with sightings and swims. We want to have every encounter with a whale be a good one, we want them to trust and feel safe with us, and if they are showing behaviours that they want to be left alone we will let them be.

  8. What are the swims like?

    In Tongatapu from previous seasons we can guarantee you approximately a 95% chance of a whale swim, but it’s hard to have a set answer for this question. We are dealing with wild animals and therefore cannot predict what our swims will be like. But what we can almost always say is that you will leave us with a memorable unique experience whether it is whale swimming, watching or the day out in general.

  9. Diving has a minimum of 3 people. What happens if there are only 1 or 2 people booking?

    Private bookings can be arranged.

  10. Are we allowed to bring our Cameras on the tours?

    Cameras are permitted, so please bring your Go Pros so you can record these memorable moments! But please, if you are spending most of your time focusing on your camera and not the whales put your camera down and leave it up to the guides. We have a photographer on board and the guides will try and take videos in the water. So please make sure you remember the swim in your heart, trust us you do not want to miss this experience! Please also feel free to bring your USB’s!

  11. How many people can the boat hold?

    Kiu Nia 2 has a maximum capacity of 30 people. However our tours have a maximum of 20 people for Swimming which leaves 10 people for whale watching and/or being on standby for swims.