Matafonua Lodge & Dive Resort
Ha'apai, Tonga · Dive Center★ 4.5
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- Dive Center
- Team
- 1 PADI Instructor
Highlights
- PADI Resort
- 1 PADI Instructor
- 1 languages spoken
- House reef
About Matafonua Lodge & Dive Resort
Set right on the water in Ha'apai, Tonga, Matafonua Lodge & Dive Resort runs its own PADI Scuba Diving Centre onsite, with dive trips heading out from the resort every day. A remodelled dive boat — now fitted with new engines and bigger fuel tanks — reaches sites both close to home and further afield, while an onsite classroom and PADI instructor make it a natural fit for learning and building skills.
Diving around Ha'apai
Many dive sites sit close by, from coral gardens and pinnacles to swim-throughs and tunnels. Divers can look out for sharks, dolphins, turtles and mantas, plus macro-critters like nudibranch and shrimp. With a maximum of 24 guests at the resort, the house reef and surrounding sites never feel crowded.
There's more above the surface, too: you can snorkel with humpback whales that return to the waters around Ha'apai each year to mate, with experienced captains guiding boats to stop around 200m from these gentle giants. Air fills, scuba equipment rental, free Wi-Fi, food and onsite accommodation round out a relaxed, waterfront base for divers of all levels.
Marine life
Facilities & amenities
Location & contact
Faleloa, Ha'apai, Tonga
+676 69-766
Reviews · 2
★ 4.52 guest reviews
★ 4 · Laurel B. · 2019-04-07The location was spectacular. The diving was amazing, meaning there were many unspoiled reefs, amazing structures and an abundance of wildlife on the reefs. The lodge fales were undergoing renovation and we had the opportunity to spend the majority of our time at the sister resort Sandy Beach. There were individual European style beach cottages with en suite bathroom and 24 hour power. At Matafanua, you share a bathroom and the fales are very basic. No screens. Just a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in. Power ends at sunset. I’m uncertain what the upgrades will be. The food was all made from scratch. The kitchen was manned by chef trained staff. The bread was excellent. Vegetables are hard to get on Tonga and they did good things with what they had. If you want to go camping or like roughing it, I recommend Matafonua. If you want basic comfort and easy accessibility, I recommend Sandy Beach. There is no accommodation at these resorts with a/c. Water is catchment only (rainwater) and filtered. The staff was excellent. March is still in cyclone season, so we had rain but dove anyway. We also had sunny beautiful days and partly cloudy days. Water temperature was in the low 80s. Used a 1 mil as jellyfish were present that time of year. Very warm water. Visibility depended on rainwater and ocean temp/algae growth. A note, these lodges are renowned for snorkeling with whales so the dive center is small but adequate. They have been booked solid during the whale season (May-Oct) for the next two years but diving in shoulder months is likely open.
★ 5 · Renee R. · 2017-10-07Awesome diving & crew!
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