The second largest island in the Tongatapu group, 'Eua has a completely different character from Tongatapu. It is rugged and mountainous, with Tonga's largest areas of natural bushland and rainforest, and is great for hiking, climbing and abseiling. Tufuvai Beach has a lovely white sand beach and its reef makes a great swimming pool at high tide. The ruins of 'Anokula Palace on the top of 120m (393ft) cliffs give you a view of the whole island. Birds and flying foxes hitch a ride on thermal currents around the cliffs. Central 'Eua harbours myriad caves and sinkholes, and bush tracks crisscross the area. 'Eua's best beach is on the south coast at Ha'aluma, and it has the best beach camping on the island. Many people fly to 'Eua from Tongatapu and take the ferry back to Nuku'alofa, as the ferry trip to 'Eua can be very rough.

This one's for the history buffs, with what must be the largest concentration of archaeological sites anywhere in the Pacific. Pyramidal stone tombs at Mu'a were traditionally used for burying royalty, and there are 28 (15 of them monumental) at Mu'a. Just outside the archaeological site is a shallow ditch, which was once the moat surrounding the royal capital. Tonga's most impressive ancient burial site is at Paepae 'o Tele'a, thought to contain the body of Ulukimata I, who reigned during the 16th century. Tongan oral history preserves tales of the slave labour used to undertake this massive construction.One of Polynesia's most intriguing monuments stands at the eastern tip of Tongatapu: the Ha'amonga'a Maui Trilithon. If you thought you'd had your fill of trilithons at Stonehenge, you were wrong, because one pops up here of all places. This trilithon was constructed at the turn of the 13th century under Tu'itatui, and each of the stones weighs about 40 tonnes (88,000lb). While speculation about the purpose of this one has been rife, when swathes of vegetation between it and the sea were razed, the sun was seen to rise and set in perfect alignment with the clearings at winter solstice. While you're in the area, the fishing pigs of Talafo'ou are quite a hoot; porkers that have learned to go searching for shellfish at low tide, putting a whole new spin on the concept of pork and seafood. The area is easily accessible by bus from Nuku'alofa.

Sitting on a promontory facing the Pacific and backing onto the Fanga'uta Lagoon, Nuku'alofa ('Abode of Love') is gradually swallowing up surrounding wetlands and agricultural land, and shanty towns are springing up on the outskirts. You won't exactly get caught in traffic jams in the capital, but the 'pumpkin-led boom' of recent years has put a few more cars on the streets. Most of the town's main features are found within a compact rectangle.The Royal Palace on the waterfront is arguably the most impressive building in town. The white Victorian timber building was prefabricated in New Zealand in 1867 and has become a symbol of Tonga to the world, although it is closed to visitors. On the slopes of Mt Zion, just behind the palace, is the Sia Ko Veiongo, the 'royal estate', which, over its 600 year history, has been sacked repeatedly. Next to the palace is the Pangao Si'i, a public park used for kava ceremonies, feasts and Saturday sporting events. The Royal Tombs or Mala'ekula, contain the graves of all the Tongan sovereigns since 1893, as well as their spouses and close relatives. The town common contains the Tongan War Memorial, commemorating those killed in both world wars.Many travellers tend to join Tongans at church on Sundays because everything else is closed, and the churches in town are impressive; you can't miss the Basilica of St Anthony of Padua opposite the royal tombs, where inside the stations of the cross are carved of coconut wood inlaid with mother of pearl. The Centenary Chapel behind Mt Zion accommodates more than 2000 people, and St Mary's Cathedral is worth visiting for its beautiful vaulted ceiling, stained glass and rose gardens.Yellow Pier is a great snorkelling site close to town, although it's not as spectacular as the reefs further out. If you're into markets you shouldn't miss Talamahu Market, which sells the best of Tonga's agricultural produce - it will give you a crash course in tropical fruits and vegetables. Go early to the Saturday morning flea market for the best selection of junk, treasure and collectables.While you can get reasonable accommodation and eat well in the city centre, you shouldn't forget the resorts around Tongatapu and on off shore islands. You have the option of staying in an apartment or townhouse with its own kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms and lounge, and they can be rented short or long term. The abode of love has plenty of good restaurants catering to all budgets and tastes, and you can visit one of the waterfront bars to kick off the evening. The Tongan National Centre, the International Dateline Hotel and the Good Samaritan Inn all put on great nights with island buffets and traditional music and dance, and if you haven't tasted the local kava (the stuff that dreams are made of) already, these places give you the chance to get into it (or out of it).

The site of Tonga's most active volcanoes, Tofua was also the site of the mutiny on the Bounty in April 1789. Although the island is no longer occupied, some of Tonga's best kava plantations are here, and are tended part time by people from nearby islands. You can visit Mutiny on the Bounty Beach, where quartermaster John Norton was clubbed to death by islanders, if it tickles your fancy, but the main reason to come here is the large freshwater lake. You can fly into it by seaplane, and at the landing near the northern shore there's good swimming beneath the rim of a gaping volcanic vent. Tracks lead through pristine rainforest full of bird life and gigantic ferns. Fly via seaplane from Nuku'alofa to reach Tofua, in the Ha'apai group, or arrange the trip by sea from Lifuka.

Vanilla plantations west of Hufangalupe once produced Tonga's primary export crop, but vanilla has now been surpassed by pumpkins. You may spot red shining parrots at the Tongan Wildlife Centre Bird Park, which promotes conservation and carries out captive breeding of rare and endangered species. The Kolovai Flying Fox Sanctuary might remind you of a Boris Karloff movie, with hundreds of the nocturnal fruit bats hanging upside down from the trees. Or it might not. The bats are sacred (tapu) in Tonga, one of the few places in the Pacific where they are not eaten, except by royals who can hunt them for sport.Keleti Beach is great for a dip, and a series of clear pools trap a variety of eccentric marine life at low tide. Near the village of Hoiuma you'll find the Mapu'a 'a Vaca blowholes, which, on a good day, will shoot sea water 30m (98ft) into the air. You could easily walk around the west of Tongatapu in a few days, but there are frequent buses from Nuku'alofa.