Ha’apai reminded me most of the Polynesian islands I love: Fakarava, Rangiroa, Makemo… It is mostly flat, mostly coral, mostly narrow, super sunny and very laid back…
I stayed in one of the rooms of a small and simple fale in Ha’apai Beach Resort. Bathroom was shared but clean and the group that I shared it with were these really cool Aussies from Sydney that I absolutely loved sharing dinners and breakfasts with at the resort’s restaurant.
I went whale watching and swimming with whales daily and was madly in love with the sweetness of their staff who loved the ocean and the whales and had a wonderfully easy way about them. The whales were everywhere and easy to get to. Curiously, Vava’u is the most popular place to go for whales in Tonga yet both Eau and Ha’apai are so much easier to do whale-swims in…
❤The escorts accompanying a mama and a baby could be:
– a male trying to mate with mom: unlikely from the gentle swim around the baby and mom’s relaxed attitude;
– a year-old baby who keeps accompanying his mom and his new brother; curiously, this escort is as big as mom.
– another adult female helping mom with the baby and swimming together: very likely. Females are larger than males and, occasionally, a calfless female can be spotted dotting on another mom’s baby.
The main village was a short stroll (or short bike ride in my case) away. The town (really small village) of Pangai was quiet, green and its inhabitants friendly, religious and uncomplicated. My favorite Pangai hang was the Mariner’s Cafe. I took an instant liking in the proprietor and the cook (and waitress) Magda, a Polish expat who concocted some wonderful dishes in the tiniest kitchen. She grew her own veg and cooked everything from scratch. A sweet American expat, Lefty Leroy Pfisterer, a long-term Tonga resident and owner of a tiny Ha’apai island of Lafuka, became an instant friend.
Vagabonding Zwindling 