When we decided to spend this extra year in the South Pacific, we wanted to find quiet places similar to the Tuamotus group of French Polynesia, where we were for two weeks in 2016. Two of the main island groups we missed that are less-traveled are the Ha’apai group of Tonga and the Lau group…
Tonga is one of our favorite cruising grounds in the world! It’s underdeveloped compared to many other places we’ve been to. Its people are friendly, and it holds onto its culture. Plus, Tonga is where humpback whales come to give birth and raise their young every year. Tonga Sailing Itineraries You should spend at least…
David and I took a short flight from the Big Island to Honolulu, Oahu. We settled into our Airbnb in Waikiki. We didn’t have big plans for the next few days, except our one goal: Pearl Harbor. Oahu Geography Lesson Oahu is the small island where Honolulu is located. Honolulu is the major airport in Hawaii,…
We’d just arrived in Hawaii on our first ever visit. We had a week planned, and that started with a four day Big Island road trip! Disclaimer: I will not get a commission if you book any of these Airbnb site. However, if you’ve never used Airbnb before, you can get a $40 USD credit…
Aside from a 6-hour layover in San Francisco, David and I had never been, so we jumped on the opportunity to spend one day in San Francisco while passing through on a sailboat. San Francisco Public Transportation It was incredibly easy to get around in SF. Tickets to the trolley and bus are interchangeable and…
We flew back to the states for our first paid crewing gig on a sailboat – we’ve been hired to help the owners of another FP Helia from Portland, Oregon to Hawaii. Arrival in Salpare Bay After spending some time in Seattle with David’s grandmother and then at an Airbnb in Portland with David’s parents,…
While attempting to fly from Vava’u, Tonga to the west coast of the US, we encountered some travel fails, giving us a 30-hour layover in Tongatapu. Thankfully we could make the best of it – stay in a hotel and attend the Oholei Beach Resort Dinner & Show. Where to Stay The closest hotel to…
Geography lesson: Tonga is made up of four main island groups. The southern island group and big island are both called Tongatapu, with the capital named Nuku’alofa. The biggest cruising port is in the Vava’u island group, on Ê»Utu VavaÊ»u island, the town of Neiafu. Traveling full time is wonderful for the most part, but it can be…