September 24, 2012
For almost all the Puddle Jumpers (cruisers who have crossed the South Pacific), Tonga is the last stop before the passage to New Zealand. And the vast majority of these cruisers check into the country in the town of Neiafu, Vava’u.
Neiafu is crowded with waterfront bars, restaurants and business catering to yachties and tourists. It’s a good place to shop, and a great place to eat out and socialize! It’s also a home base for exploring the islands of Vava’u as most cruisers will go out and spend a few days in the islands, then come back to re-provision and spend more time in town.
Most people arrive here with a month or two to spend before they have to head south. Thus, there is no real feeling of hurry or worry at this stage of the game (well, there’s plenty of worry about the New Zealand passage but it’s still far enough away to ignore for awhile longer). We’ve now made it across the South Pacific, and all there is to do is rest up and enjoy life for awhile.
As a Puddle Jumper in Neiafu, you can expect to run into pretty much everyone you’ve met along the way, friends past and present. Plus, you’ll make fun new acquaintances who may well become friends. Thus, Neiafu has a reputation for being Party Central of the cruising fleet, and we would find this reputation is well deserved!–Cyndi
