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Summary
Limestone
The island of 'Eua ("aye-wah") is part of the Kingdom of Tonga. This small, rugged paradise offers steep limestone cliffs near the sea. A (very) adventurous, exotic destination for sport climbers
Description
Single- and multi-pitch sport climbing on steep limestone in a beautiful but somewhat remote area. All routes are equipped with glue-in titanium ring bolts. Since 2020, tourism has been affected by a massive cyclone, COVID and the tsunami waves which followed the massive Hunga-Tonga volcanic eruption. It's still a great place to visit however, but it'll take some planning as accommodation options are limited. You'll also need to rent a vehicle or take a bike.
Access issues
There was a T$20 climbers registration fee and an admin fee of T$5. But this fee has been postponed until a local operator is organised to collect it. Please remember that climbing is on the Kings estate and access is a privilege granted by the Kings Office, not a right. We are guests on their land - please act accordingly. Some areas are accessed via private farm land. Do not pass padlocked gates - find another way.
Approach
Make your way to Tonga, most likely by plane from e.g. Auckland or Sydney. From there you either go to 'Eua by boat (3 hrs) or plane (10 mins). Neither operate on Sundays in accordance with Sabbath law. Most tracks are rudimentary and there are no signs, so you'll need a mobile app which caches OpenStreetMap offline and some navigation skills. All climbing tracks and crags are clearly marked on OpenStreetMap.
Where to stay
The main accommodation places are:
- AirBnB houses - currently the best option for groups.
- 'Alakoka Tahi Moana' at Kiko's place with a couple of guest rooms, restaurant, pool table and possible kitchen use. (www.facebook.com/messages/t/796250797151357)
- Taina’s Place - is getting back on its feet, in the middle of the island, but may allow camping. (tainasplace@gmail.com)
- Ovava Tree Lodge was the main climber accommodation but was destroyed by a cyclone and the tsunami waves following the Hunga-Tonga eruption.
- Hideaway Resort was also destroyed.
- Bluewater Resort only accepts 7 day whale swimming package bookings.
Other useful links: Government tourism site
Lonely Planet – Tonga - Eua
Ethic
To ensure climbers can enjoy this special place it is critical that climbing is supported by the local community. To help achieve this the Kaka Maka Group has been formed as a partnership between climbers, the Kings Office and the Eua Tourism Association to develop ‘Eua as an international climbing destination. Contact them by email: kakamakaeua@gmail.com
History
In Aug 2016, a small team from NZ & Australia visited Eua and assessed the viability for climbing on it's large limestone cliffs.
Check out this video for more details on climbing in Eua: https://youtu.be/JABZrTUpZUg
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