Sandy Beach Resort is located on the quiet northern tip of Foa Island in the Haʻapai Islands group. The 12 fales (bungalows) at Sandy Beach Resort are situated in a beachfront tropical garden setting. The comfortably furnished rooms have tiled floors and each fale has a private terrace with a view of the crystal clear Pacific Ocean. Fales may be configured with two twin beds or one king-sized bed and each has it’s own table and chairs, fan, wardrobe and tea and coffee making facilities. Spacious ensuite bathrooms have a washbasin, WC and shower. There is plenty of solar-powered hot water.
The main building incorporates the reception, office, restaurant and bar. The large dining terrace invites you to rest and relax at any time of day. The bar and restaurant are open from early until late offering a selection of food, beer, wine, cocktails and soft drinks. The resort also has a continuous supply of chilled green coconut water, which is renowned for its health properties and is a refreshing drink. For something with more punch, try Juergi’s special coconut cocktail! Tonga is famous for its abundance of excellent fish and lobster and these are showcased daily in the resort’s fine dining restaurant. The chef prepares fresh specialties which change daily and can cater for most dietary needs. Sandy Beach Resort has 2 fully licensed boats each able to take 8 guests to watch and swim with Humpback Whales. The whale boats are staffed by a certified captain and an experienced and knowledgeable whale guide. Each whale trip is around 4 hours (may be morning or afternoon) and 4 guests plus 1 guide are allowed in the water at a time.
Humpback Whales migrate to the clear, warm and calm waters of Tonga every year to mate, give birth and nurse their young. The pregnant mothers find a safe place to give birth and then concentrate on getting their babies fit and strong for the 5000km trip back to the feeding grounds in Antarctica. They achieve this by providing the calf with an amazing 500 litres of milk a day. The mature males have only one thing on their mind and that is to find a willing female to mate with. Large pods of males can be seen regularly chasing a female wrestling and jostling for position in what’s called a “heat run”, these can last for days, finally the dominant male having chased off all his rivals gets his prize. Ha’apai, situated in the middle of the Tongan archipelago, provides a terrific nursery for the Whales during their stay. With plenty of Whales and few operators the Ha’apai Islands provide the perfect place to encounter the Whales. Most days from the resort’s beach you can see the Humpbacks frolicking in the shallow water surrounding Foa Island.
