Things To Do & See > Traditional Dinner and Cultural Shows

Traditional Tongan food regularly consists largely of root vegetables (yam, taro, banana, sweet potato) and fruit vegetables (banana, breadfruit) usually boiled with coconut cream. A feast is incomplete without Tonga’s delicacies such as roasted pork and seafood. A seafood speciality is ‘ota ika’ (raw fish marinated in lemon and coconut cream). Another favourite is ‘lu pulu’ – corned beef and coconut milk wrapped in taro leaves. Like most of the traditional dishes in Tonga, it is cooked in an underground oven (‘umu).

Dancing is still very much a traditional affair and an important part of the culture of the Kingdom of Tonga. Dancing in the Kingdom of Tonga is an art in which the movement is a visual extension and enhancement of sung poetry based on complex arm movements. Unlike the vigorous tamure of Tahiti and the Cook Islands or the swaying hula of Hawaii, dancing in the Kingdom of Tonga is a dignified, graceful portrayal of the choreographer’s art. Another characteristics of Tongan dancing is the importance of two kinds of hand clapping each of which is named – a flat high pitched (called pasi in Tongan) and a cross clap with cupped hands which emits a lower hollow sound (fu). There are eight main types of dances and in all dances the performers where costumes made from traditional handicrafts and local vegetation.

Make sure you get to a traditional dinner and cultural show whilst you are in the Kingdom of Tonga!

Good Samaritan Inn

Phone +676 41 022
Friday night buffet dinner and cultural show by the beach at Kolovai.
Cost is $30/person.
Pick-up from your accommodation can be arranged by Toni’s Guest House (phone +676 21 049 or +676 27 068) for TOP$15/person return trip (minimum two people).
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International Dateline Hotel

Phone +676 23 411
Wednesday night buffet dinner and cultural show at the Hotel, located on Vuna Road, Nuku’alofa.
Cost is $30 per person.
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Keleti Beach Resort

Phone +676 29 400
Friday night buffet dinner and cultural show, overlooking Keleti Beach and just 7km from Nuku’alofa.
Cost is $30 per person.
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Liku’alofa Beach Resort

Phone +676 41 967
Wednesday and Friday night buffet dinner and cultural show at Kanokupolu, 21km from town. Sunday lunch umu/barbecue.
Cost is $35 per person (Wednesday & Friday) and $30 per person (Sunday).
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‘Oholei Beach

Phone +676 7711 783 or +676 28 864
On Wednesdays and Fridays eat a traditional Tongan dinner on ‘Oholei beach and then watch the traditional Tongan-only cultural show in Hina Cave.
Cost of dinner and the show is $35 per person. Transport from Nuku’alofa to ‘Oholei (22km from town) is TOP$15 return.
There’s also a umu/barbecue on Sunday for $30 per person.
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Vakaloa Beach Resort

Phone +676 41 233/41 234
Friday night buffet dinner and cultural show every Friday evening by the beach at Kanokupolu on the western side.
Cost is $40 per person.
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Tonga National Centre

Phone + 676 23 022
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday night buffet dinner and cultural show.
Located at Tofoa just along the main street opposite the Vaiola Hospital.
Cost is $35 per person.
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