Dive Review of Happy Ha'apai Divers/Sandy Beach Resort in
Tonga/Ha'apai

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Happy Ha'apai Divers/Sandy Beach Resort, Oct, 2006, by Sandy Falen, KS, USA ( Sr. Contributor 29 reports with 20 Helpful votes). Report 3082 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Sandy Beach Resort (www.sandybeachresort.de) is a gem – and a great value for the South Pacific. The bungalows are solidly built and well thought out, with plenty of storage, a roomy shower with plenty of hot water and good water pressure, and a mini-fridge. Each of the 12 cottages faces the beach, with the covered front porch only steps from the water’s edge. Beach chairs are provided for each cottage, and bicycles are available at no charge. The beach is gorgeous, clean, loaded with seashells, and practically devoid of people, given the minimal number of travelers that make their way to Ha’apai. Food was excellent, with a generous breakfast that minimized the need for lunch (although snacks are available in the afternoon). Dinners were relatively “upscale,” and a little on the pricey side at $45/person, but they served the best lobster I’ve ever eaten anywhere. Boris and Jürgen, owners of Sandy Beach, are friendly, efficient, and graciously accommodating. I did, however, find the site of turtle shells and Tritan’s trumpets decorating the walls to be disturbing, given that both are endangered and scarce in Tongan waters. Down the road, at the tip of the island, is Matafonua Lodge (www.matafonua.com). It has the same ownership as Sandy Beach, but is a lower-priced alternative, with basic cabins, shared facilities, and an open-air, casual restaurant with a killer view of the sea. Managers Dave and Sally were warm and welcoming, and I enjoyed their hospitality as well as their food – and more than a couple Royal Bitters (one of Tonga’s local brews). Happy Ha’apai Divers (www.tonga-dive.com) is located on-site at Sandy Beach, and was just a short walk from my bungalow. The staff was fun and friendly, but the weather just wasn’t cooperative during my stay. Tonga’s islands are flat, and there is very little shelter from the wind -- the diving is more weather-sensitive here than any place I’ve traveled. For two days after my arrival, high winds prevented the dive boat from going out. I was able to do some shore diving (suiting up on my own front porch and walking to the water’s edge for an easy sand entry), and although the conditions weren’t great, there was always something to see at the bommies right offshore. The winds were still blowing on day three, and we only managed one boat dive before heading in again. Because Tongan laws prohibit working on Sunday, the dive boat can’t go out – although I was able to shore dive. Tonga has some beautiful reefs, and although they weren’t as “fishy” as I would have hoped, the coral was generally lush and very healthy. My favorite site (once the wind died and we were able to get in two boat dives daily) was a series of rolling, white sand hills and bommies. Dives are not rushed, and I was able to freely dive my own profile, with most dives running more than an hour. The surface interval was “highly civilized,” with hot coffee and tea, fruit, and cookies. The boat crew was fun and eager to please. My visit coincided with the end of the humpback whale season, and when whales were sighted, the crew was happy to spend some time following and watching them. We attempted one in-water interaction, but mother and baby humpback kept their distance. Topside time was mostly spent reading, walking the beach, or visiting with my international “neighbors” (I was the only American there). I went to church on Sunday with Jürgen and several other guests, and thoroughly enjoyed the Tongan ceremony and the incredible music. The hotel staff and other local villagers put on a traditional singing/dancing ceremony one evening. I took an afternoon walk to the nearby village of Faleloa, where the friendly locals were more than happy to let me take their pictures. And an 11-km bike ride to Pangai provided exercise and beautiful scenery the day before I headed home. I flew Air Pacific from LAX, via Nadi, Fiji, and on to Nuku’alofa (Tonga’s capital), for an overnight stop before a short and scenic morning flight to Ha’apai. Let Boris at Sandy Beach arrange your domestic air and overnight hotel, if required. For my 7-hour layover in Nadi, I got a dayroom at Raffles Gateway Hotel, right next to the airport. It’s well worth it, for the chance to take a shower and a nap between flights. Get some Tongan currency before catching your domestic flight (there is a currency exchange counter in the Nadi airport). While Sandy Beach and Happy Ha’apai Divers will take your credit card, you’ll need cash to pay for your domestic flight (approximately $140 USD round-trip), for any food and drink at Matafonua Lodge, and for your Tongan departure tax. At the international airport in Nuku’alofa, I was able to purchase a few souvenirs (coffee, vanilla beans, and local crafts). Tonga is definitely behind the tourism curve, which is, in my opinion, a large part of its charm. The dive industry is also fairly young here; many of the reefs are never dived, and many are inaccessible when the wind blows. The potential is enormous, but if you go, be prepared to appreciate your time spent topside. While I was disappointed to not have gotten in more dives, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Ha’apai, and for a South Pacific destination, Tonga is a steal. On Foa Island, there is no shopping and no nightlife. There is total relaxation, friendly local people, and stunning natural scenery.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	All over the Carribean, Fiji, Costa Rica
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	windy, rainy, cloudy	Seas	choppy
Water Temp	73-74°F / 23-23°C	Wetsuit Thickness	0
Water Visibility	70-80 Ft/ 21-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	None
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	>2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	No special setup, but crew was careful with equipment.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Happy Ha'apai Divers/Sandy Beach Resort in Tonga/Ha'apai

Happy Ha'apai Divers/Sandy Beach Resort, Oct, 2006,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Happy Ha'apai Divers/Sandy Beach Resort in
Tonga/Ha'apai