Ha'afeva & the Lulunga Group

The Lulunga Group, also called the Kotu Group, is a cluster of small, low islands in the south-west of Ha'apai, with Ha'afeva the main island. The barrier reef to the south breaks up into patches, some breaking heavily and some with blind rollers. NGA names just one pass a vessel should attempt, plus a wider route for big ships, and says the Ha'afeva anchorage is for vessels with local knowledge.

At a glance

Getting in

Ava Fonuaika. NGA says it's the only pass through this part of the reef a vessel should attempt, lying immediately west of Fonuaika Islet (the southernmost of the group, about 9 miles NNE of Nomuka). It passes east of the shoal of under 1.8 m close south-east of Wickam Reef.

Tungua and Doyland Reef. NGA says large vessels should use the passage between Tungua and Doyland Reef, which is wider with a weaker tidal stream. The channel north of Doyland Reef is about 0.5 mile wide, and there's a reef awash about 0.6 mile east of Doyland Reef.

Between Kotu and Ha'afeva. NGA describes a deep channel about 0.6 mile wide between the east end of Kotu's reef and the west side of the reef fronting Ha'afeva.

Lights. NGA lists lights on Tokulu (a sand cay about 5 miles west of Fonuaika), on Nukulai Island, on a rocky islet about 1 mile north-west of Tungua, and on Foua.

Anchoring

• Off Ha'afeva village. NGA says vessels with local knowledge may anchor off the village in 49 m, sand and coral, with the south tangent of Ha'afeva bearing 269° and the north-east tangent 356°.
• The approach. NGA says the bay inside the reef off the south-east side has 38 to 51 m. A 3.7 m high rock lies in the approach, 0.3 mile north-east of the wooded islet 0.8 mile south-east of the island's south end.
• Boat landing. NGA says a boat channel leads to the beach on the south-east side, by the village.

Hazards and cautions

• Southern reef. Patches break heavily or have occasional blind rollers (NGA).
• Named dangers. NGA lists Murray Patches (3.3 miles WSW of Fonuaika, under 1.8 m), Ward Rock (nearly 2 miles north of Fonuaika, under 1.8 m, steep-to), a detached breaking reef 1.5 miles west of Fonuaika, and a reef 1 mile west of Kotu, about 3 miles long north–south, the group's westernmost danger.
• Tofua and Kao. NGA reports volcanic activity on Tofua (December 2022), about 16.5 miles north-west of Kotu.

Weather and seasons

• Cyclone season (dated). Tonga Meteorological Services' Tropical Cyclone Seasonal Outlook for 2026–2027 (released 28 October 2026, read 30 October 2026) gives the official season as 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027 and notes that cyclones have occasionally formed outside it. It expects an average season, with 2 to 4 tropical cyclones affecting Tonga and a moderate to high chance of at least one severe tropical cyclone, and the highest risk from January to March 2027. It also reports drought declarations in force for Tongatapu, 'Eua, Ha'apai and Niuatoputapu, with Vava'u and Niuafo'ou under drought warning, so plan your water. NGA Pub. 126 adds that at Nuku'alofa sudden, violent west and north-west squalls are common from December to April.

Rules in brief

• Special Management Areas. Many coastal communities manage their own Special Management Areas under the Fisheries Management Act 2002. The Ministry of Fisheries' brochure says nobody may enter or fish in an SMA's Fish Habitat Reserve without the community committee's permission. The brochure is from 2010 and shows only the first six SMAs, so ask the Ministry or the local community before you fish.
• Whales. Tonga's Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2013 say a private vessel may not approach closer than 300 m to any whale (unless it meets the swimming rules). If a whale approaches you, keep out of its path and, where practicable, keep 300 m away. Nobody may swim with whales except from a licensed whale-swim operator's vessel, jet skis must stay 2,000 m away, and when leaving whales go at idle or no-wake speed until you are 300 m clear.

Facilities

• Landing. OpenStreetMap shows a ferry landing on the north side of Ha'afeva.
• Clearance and supplies. The nearest Customs port is Pangai, on Lifuka. We haven't found an official source for supplies here.

Ashore

What's within about a 15-minute walk (1.2 km) of each marina, ramp or landing on this page, measured along streets and footpaths in OpenStreetMap. Addresses are from OpenStreetMap where it has one; where it doesn't, we show the name and distance only. Listings as fetched from OpenStreetMap on 28 October 2026; check opening hours before you walk.

Nothing mapped within the 15-minute walk of: Ha'afeva ferry landing.

OpenStreetMap shows no bars, restaurants, shops or marine stores within a 15-minute walk of the landings on this page.

No marine stores or chandlers are mapped in OpenStreetMap within the walk.

Places, types, addresses and walking distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), fetched 28 October 2026.

About this page

These are free planning notes written by a working delivery skipper from public sources. They are not for navigation. Use the current LINZ chart corrected for notices to mariners, current local notices, official tide tables and local advice. Spotted something out of date? Please use Report a correction below.

Official links

Check these before you go. They beat anything on this page.

• Ministry of Fisheries: community Special Management Areas (brochure, PDF)
• Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2013 (PDF, Ministry of Tourism)
• LINZ Notices to Mariners (cover the TO charts)
• NGA Pub. 126 Sailing Directions (Enroute) Pacific Islands (free PDF)
• Tonga Customs: private crafts (advance notice, temporary admission)
• Tonga Customs forms (Advance Notice of Arrival for small craft, C15 outward clearance)
• Tonga Meteorological Services: forecasts, tides and cyclone outlooks
• Tonga Meteorological Services: marine forecasts
• Maritime NZ: search and rescue in the Pacific (Mayday, beacons)
• TO 403 Ha'afeva and Nomuka (1:25,000)
• TO 402 Southern Ha'apai and Nomuka Groups (1:75,000)

Sources & credits

Need a delivery skipper for this coast? Get a quote from Garry Hartshorne, AMSA Master <45.