Friendly Islands
Kayak Company
Tonga Office
(Local Enquiries)
Private Bag 10
Neiafu, Vava'u
KINGDOM OF TONGA
South Pacific
Ph/Fax: 676 70 173
New Zealand Office
(International Enquiries)
PO Box 142
Waitati, Otago 9069
NEW ZEALAND
Ph/Fax: 64 3 482 1202
tours@fikco.com
© 1998-2004 FIKCO
Last updated 04/11/2003.
Please send any comments about this web site to the Webmaster
Back to main article listingNewsletter |
| Small is Beautiful by Doug & Sharon Spence, Directors |
| Mission Statement |
| Ten Good Reasons to Visit the Kingdom of Tonga |
| The Adventure Centre - Vava'u |
| Adventure Week - Vava'u |
| Help in Tonga: Just Five Digits Away by Kerry Quin, Guide |
| Whale and Dolphin Watching in Vava'u by Charlie Van Straubenzee, Guide |
| Ha'apai and Vava'u: A Comparison by Epeli Lavaki, Guide |
| Nicola's Niche by Doug & Sharon Spence, Directors |
| Trip Diary: Grandma's Candle by Nigel Levick, Guest (Dunedin, New Zealand) |
| Environmental and Charitable Support |
| What I Did on my Summer Vacation by Haley Kabus, Age 7 (Kabonga Tribe, Sausalito, California, USA) |
| Family Trips |
| Postal Mail List |
| E-Mail List |
| Contact Details |
| Quotes from our Guest Book |
| Revised Web Site |
| New May Trip |
by Doug & Sharon Spence, Directors
One of the highlights for us this past year was attending the Tenth Annual World Congress on Adventure Travel and Eco-tourism in Anchorage, Alaska last September. Forums such as this enable tourism operators to keep pace with the rapidly evolving international adventure travel market place. Travelling the vast distance from the Kingdom of Tonga, a mere dot in the South Pacific, to attend the World Congress in Alaska was confirmation of our niche in this growing worldwide industry.
The World Congress also provided many opportunities for professional development; not the least of which was to check the pulse of Friendly Islands Kayak Company's environmental and cultural impact in Tonga. At our monthly team meetings we regularly review this aspect of our presence in Tonga and our minimum impact guidelines. We believe that such ongoing awareness and monitoring is the responsibility of any eco-tourism business, and is especially relevant in the light of our company's expansions.
In addition, two from the World Congress hit chords with us. Firstly, small is beautiful. Among the ways in which we keep our business small and personal are controlling the number of paddlers in the small geographic areas of Vava'u and Ha'apai, and delivering our service in a friendly professional manner.
The second message became obvious in thumbing through the list of World Congress attendees wherein we appeared to be the only western operator at the World Congress that is actually based in a developing country. We believe that our contribution to Tonga's economy is significantly greater as a result of choosing to base and register our operation in the Kingdom (and paying local sales and income taxes, supporting local retailers, providing local employment etc.) than if it were based offshore. Friendly Islands Kayak Company's annual donations to tourism, environmental, and charitable organisations and activities (see enclosed article) is another way in which we contribute to the local economy as well as worldwide economies.
As we enter our eleventh season in Tonga our newsletters are designed to keep you informed of our company ethics, Tongan people and culture, and our trips. Just as the World Congress invited us to check our own pulse, we in turn invite you to check ours.
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"The promotion of fun, safe sea kayaking within an atmosphere of harmony and unity, specifically between the indigenous people, their natural environment and their guests."
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- The only tropical Kingdom in the world!
- The only South Pacific nation never to have been colonized.
- 700,000 square kms of sea and reef and 170 idyllic islands, only 47 of which are inhabited.
- 100,000 friendly locals.
- Only 14,000 visitors per annum.
- A safe haven for travellers.
- The best sea kayaking in the Pacific.
- Pleasant weather May to Jan (mean temperature 22 degrees C., mean humidity 75%).
- English is widely spoken.
- It's off the beaten track!
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This is a concept that has been evolving for a few years now with the introduction of our mountain biking tours and with receiving the last of six whale watch licenses late last year. The Adventure Centre is situated one kilometre from the Paradise Hotel overlooking the Port of Refuge. For the past six years this locale has been our office, but now it is a place where the adventure traveller can come to:
- relax on our sundeck overlooking the Port of Refuge and, over a cold drink or cup of coffee, peruse our library books on a variety of subjects including sea kayaking and Tongan language, culture, legends, history, geography, geology, reefs, flora, fauna.
- partake in a number of day time activities including mountain biking, whale watching, snorkelling and sea kayaking.
- write post cards and just hang out.
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New for the upcoming 2001 season of fun in Tonga is our 'Adventure Week in Vava'u' which includes:
- Return airport transfers between Lupepau'u Airport and your resort/motel in Vava'u.
- Five nights accommodation on days 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (camping days 2, 3, & 4) at either Marcella Resort or Twin View Motel depending on availability.
- An orientation talk by your guides.
- A guided walking tour of Neiafu town ship and environs with your Tongan guide.
- A four day guided kayak tour of Vava'u Islands including quality kayaks and kayak accessories plus safety equipment.
- Professional western and Tongan guides (guide:guest ratio 1:5) on the kayak tour.
- Snacks and three meals per day on the kayaking portion of the tour.
- A traditional 'umu feast with Tongan singing and dancing in an outer island village.
- A celebratory dinner at the Mermaid restaurant on Neiafu's waterfront.
- A full day guided whale watching and snorkelling excursion on our purpose built stable vessel with knowledgeable naturalist guides including lunch.
- Either a full day guided bicycling excursion on Vava'u Island on quality mountain bikes with front suspension forks or on foot including lunch.
- Either a half day two tank dive with Beluga Diving (lunch on own) or a full day of sailing and snorkelling aboard the trimaran Orion including lunch. See enclosed insert for dates and costs.
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by Kerry Quin, Guide
Whether it's raining, you're loaded down, or just plain old lazy, help is only five digits away: 70-153, 70-136 or 70-240 will always get you a taxi, never more than a 20 minute drive from any point in Vava'u, Tonga. Our most influential link to the Tongan community, the taxi drivers in Neiafu are the backbone of our social lives.
We know them by name. We know their families. We know whom we can trust and rely on. We know who speaks good English and who knows the most gossip. We know who charges too much, who drives too fast, and who slows for speed bumps. We know who drives while smoking with the windows up. We know who doesn't mind carrying heavy boxes. We know who swerves for pigs and who drives on Sundays. We know who has a car, a truck, a van, or a mini van. We know which taxis have radios, doors that open, doors that stay closed, and don't smell of exhaust fumes. We know which taxis let us hold onto their roofs while we ride our bikes alongside. We know that if a taxi is 15 minutes late it's normal, but if it's 30 minutes late he's probably forgotten us.
The taxi drivers are our friends, our informants, our confidants, our providers, and our health consultants - I was once told by a taxi driver to start smoking as I was "getting fat"! They have no qualms about doing our grocery shopping, delivering to our house, and collecting payment later. They always know who has what and when and why. They are our real estate agents, our airport welcome committee, and our garbage collectors. Tongan taxi drivers are at once a great source of convenience, frustration, and entertainment.
In return, we are their link to the western world. They are always eager to learn the way of the 'palangi' and often seek advice on immigration ("Is it easy to get into New Zealand?"), geography ("Where is New Zealand?") and economics ("How much you pay rent?"), politics ("Did Clinton do it?"), and, heaven forbid, even relationships ("Hello. I love you. I want to marry you. What your name?").
It's a "lucky dip" when you phone a taxi here. You may get a bonus tour of the island or a wheel might fall of your cab. Either way, anytime you call one of those magic five digit numbers rest assured that another unexpected adventure is about to unfold.
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by Charlie Van Straubenzee, Guide
You'd be hard pressed to find an experience in life that matches the thrill of paddling in the presence of humpback whales or spinner dolphins in Tonga. The hearts of those in kayaks can't help but beat faster when humpbacks rise out of the water at eye level. Second to none is watching spinner dolphins perform aerial acrobatics in unison.
Although we don't guarantee whale sightings by kayak there have been numerous sightings this past season, and a few dolphin sightings as well. This experience is one of the highlights in everyone's trip diary.
For more reliable sightings join our knowledgeable naturalist guides on board our purpose built whale watch vessel for a memorable day of whale watching. Learn about humpback whale migration, mating, surface activity, and song. There may also be opportunities to see spinner dolphins and green turtles! As well, we may slip into the tropical waters and snorkel over some of our favourite reefs.
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by Epeli Lavaki, Guide
Unlike the Vava'u Islands, which are hilly and relatively populated (population 20,000), the Ha'apai's are low-lying coral atolls with fewer villages (population 10,000) and even less evidence of western culture. Tongans in general are a friendly folk, and you would encounter this friendliness in both island groups. Vava'u's hilly terrain is perhaps more interesting and scenic, however if you especially appreciate expansive white sand beaches there's no shortage of these in Ha'apai.
In the Lifuka Group of Ha'apai, we paddle along the lee side of the forty kilometre long archipelago, occasionally venturing offshore into more exposed waters to access remoter islands. In contrast, the Vava'u Group is a cluster of fifty odd islands, most of which are protected from the ocean swells by a semi-circular fringing reef on the eastern side of the group. The paddling in Ha'apai is slightly more challenging (longer legs, stronger currents), though with our stable double kayaks and experienced guides even novice paddlers manage well.
Snorkelling is superb in both island groups, but soft corals and sizeable fish are more abundant in Ha'apai waters owing to the swifter currents. On the other hand, Vava'u's relatively sheltered waters are conducive to more reliable whale sightings between June and October.
It's a difficult choice, but if a feeling of remoteness and unparalleled snorkelling are what you're seeking then Ha'apai is definitely the place for both experiences. In contrast, if you're wanting a few comforts (e.g. cafes, restaurants, a cold beer along the way,and handicraft shops) and or to participate in a variety of water sports (e.g. our Adventure Week) then Vava'u is for you.
If you're still undecided and you've got time up your sleeve, consider taking advantage of our 20% discount on back-to-back trips in both island groups.
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by Doug & Sharon Spence, Directors
Most folk who book our trips spend their pre-trip time corresponding with Nicola Ratlidge, our Reservations Manager. Nicola is entering her third season with Friendly Islands Kayak Company, and wears many hats in our absence. Nic has lived in Tonga for twelve years, and now lives in our village of Toula with Saimone, her seven year old son. We would like to share with you some classic lines from Nic's e-mail correspondence with us.
"I took the plunge on Wednesday and bought a tiny fridge. It's so neat - well, as neat as a fridge can be, I guess! It was so exciting to wake up to ICE CUBES in the freezer compartment! Mone kind of likes it too. I'm curious what my power bill will go up to though! Probably not much - considering I won't be wasting any more food, I will save in the long run. Bye for now and enjoy the supermarkets! I can't wait 'til my turn!"
"Any advice re washing machine?" When it gets to the second spin cycle (before the final clunk) it doesn't spin. It sounds like it is, but when you open the lid a tiny bit and peer in you can see that it's just pretending. It wasn't over-loaded as all that was inside was a double sheet and some t-towels from Kerrys' trip (what a wet trip she had too!)."
"I found yoghurt mixes for $2.68 at the Fua oe Fonua store in Neiafutahi. Only strawberry flavor, but now I don't have to nag people to bring me yoghurt from overseas!!'"
"I've got to get some sleep as tomorrow's sales tax day. Hope the whale watching was spectacular! From your cheerful secretary. Nic"
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by Nigel Levick, Guest (Dunedin, New Zealand)
The Tongans we met along the way were the most laid back people I've met anywhere. I'd heard about "Tonga Time" before leaving New Zealand; a phenomenon where the relaxed attitude of the islanders means that "urgent" as a concept doesn't exist and where everything can be done later - generally much, much later! It's not difficult to slot into this mode and the ensuing genuine state of relaxation is wonderful.
On my first day of paddling, my magnificent torch was rendered useless from water getting into it. My wife's mother, Betty, who is 86 years old made a conical candle at her rest home activities session which she'd given to me as a present. Darkness is swift in the tropics, and at night in my little tent my only light source for reading was this candle. Relaxing, after paddling, looking out from my tent onto a beautiful beach and reading by the flickering light of a candle is a therapeutic experience. This taste of Tonga Time was such a contrast from today's hurly burly lifestyle that it has fixed a great trip in the Friendly Isles forever in my mind.
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During its 2000/2001 season, Friendly Islands Kayak Company (FIKCO) fulfilled its goal of contributing funds annually to local and international environmental and charitable causes in the following ways:
- Proceeds of the International and Adventure Travel Show and BCTV travel auction, including FIKCO's trip donation for two people valued at CAD$2795 and Air New Zealand's donation of two return air fares to Tonga ex Los Angeles valued at CAD$4000 (total joint trip prize CAD$6795 - the auction's largest), went to the Variety Club Children's Fund.
- Proceeds of the Generous Adventures (an Internet travel broker) travel auction, including FIKCO's trip donation valued at USD$750, went to the Natural Resources Defense Council - www.nrdc.org - and the Centre for Alaskan Coastal Studies - www.akcoastalstudies.org.
- FIKCO's annual donation of TOP$100 to the Vava'u Agricultural Show.
- FIKCO funded the cost, TOP$100, of photocopying of the guidelines on Whale Watching in Tonga which were prepared by local tour operators with the assistance of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme and Whales Alive and approved by the government of the Kingdom of Tonga.
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By Haley Kabus, Age 7 (Kabonga Tribe, Sausalito, California, USA)
This summer, my mother and father, took my little brother, Griffin, and me on a sea kayaking adventure in Tonga. We spent four days paddling around the Vava'u Islands with our guides, Kerry and 'Ave. Our campsite was on the beach just down from a village. I usually sat in the front of 'Ave's double kayak and helped paddle once in a while. One day we went out to catch some fish, just 'Ave and me. We saw some humpback whales very close by so we put on our masks and snorkels and went underwater with the mother whale and her baby. They were big, but not scary at all. I think if you are with Ave, you will be safe from anything! He told us about the time when he killed a giant shark that was attacking him because he was spear fishing; I believe it! I will always remember the sound of the whales singing.
Each day we would kayak to an island and have the entire beach just to ourselves. We'd play on the beach, collect shells and go swimming and snorkelling. We had fun playing Survivor, the show in America where the last person on the island would win a million dollars. We were the Kabonga tribe and my parents kept telling me that I was going to be the first one voted off. The beaches in Tonga were so beautiful and we saw lots of fish when we went out snorkelling. Kerry made us grilled cheese sandwiches on her beach stove and taught us the Griffin's Gingernut song. Singing is very big in Tonga. We went to the church in the village near our campsite and they can really belt out the songs! We liked meeting the kids from the village and went to visit their school. We all sang "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!" My brother and I still think about Tonga all the time and want to go back. We had a great family trip. It was just so nice to be together in such a beautiful place playing on the beach, reading Harry Potter, playing cards and meeting the nice people of Tonga. We miss 'Ave and Kerry and hope to see them again some time soon.
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Vava'u's sheltered warm waters are ideal for family kayaking and camping holidays. This past season the demand for exclusive family trips was higher than ever before with children on board ranging in age from 3 to 14. Give us a call if you're thinking of a special family getaway, and we'll customise a trip to suit your children's abilities.
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Let us know if you wish a friend or relative to receive our literature, if your contact details have changed, or if you wish to have your name deleted from our mail list. This newsletter and previous ones are also available on our web site.
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Request that future newsletters be sent to your e-mail address instead and help us save a tree or two.
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This year we experienced shutdowns with our Tonga server, Kalianet, as well as service problems with Tonga Telecom. If you're unsuccessful in contacting us via our Tonga e-mail address kayaktonga@kalianet.to, or if you do not receive a reply within 24 hours (except weekends) please try our New Zealand e-mail address fikco@clear.net.nz. Similarly, if you're unsuccessful using our Tonga 'phone/fax number +676-70-173 please try our New Zealand 'phone/fax number +64-3-482-1202.
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"Wow! A trip of a lifetime! Beautiful Tonga will remain in my warmest memories!"
Debi Groom, Alaska
"Thank you for a very pleasant week! Good food, snorkelling, lots of whales, wonderful weather and very good guiding."
Jessika Petren, Sweden
"This is the end of our year's adventure . . . And what a fantastic conclusion."
Lesley, Scotland.
"Thanks for a fantastic week away. Your friendliness and enthusiasm is contagious. You made it happen."
Phil Vimpani, Australia.
"'Ave, Kerry, Sharon and Doug, You guys are amazing. From red-fire nights to sun latticed days over the coral reefs, I was blown away! Thanks for everything! I'm rejuvenated, energized & fizzing all over."
Jan, Auckland.
"You know what it is like . . . you return from an experience like this and you think "life is good"! Trips like this don't happen by chance. It takes good organisation and people to make things happen. Charlie and Ave were fabulous guides & companions. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip with every day bringing new adventure and fun . . . kayak surfing, wonderful snorkelling, magnificient food, games galore. A great team. Thank you!"
Helen Kettles, New Zealand
"What a spectacular trip. Charlie, always positve and willing. Vaikele was a joy and a fountain of local knowledge. We were in good hands."
Karen Pettersen, Vermont, USA
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If this newsletter wan't enough reading please peruse our revised web site to be posted before the new year according to our web master, Veryan Haid.
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In response to demand, we have added an additional trip early-mid May. Our 2001/2002 trip dates and costs can be found on our Tours and Prices Page.
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