Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga or in Tongan: Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga. Its 176 islands can be found way off the beaten path in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean not far from Fiji (Approximately a 2 Hour Flight). Only 52 of these islands are inhabited and the the population is quite small at 104,058. Tonga was named the “Friendly Islands” by Captain James Cook after his first visit there in 1773. Captain Cook arrived during the insasi festival and was invited to the festivities. It turned out the Tongan chiefs had wanted to kill Cook during the gathering, but could not agree on a plan. Some may revoke the “Friendly Islands” name after hearing that story. Continue reading →