Fuaʻamotu International Airport sits on Tongatapu twenty-one kilometers southeast of Nukuʻalofa. The terminal operates scheduled international flights from Auckland, Sydney, Nadi, and Papeete through Fiji Airways and smaller regional carriers. Domestic flights to Vavaʻu and Haʻapai depart from an adjacent terminal operated by Real Tonga. The airport has currency exchange inside the arrivals hall but rates there typically run five to eight percent worse than commercial banks in Nukuʻalofa. A single ATM in the arrivals area accepts Visa and Mastercard. Customs officials inspect bags with emphasis on food products, plant material, and declared medications. Tonga prohibits importation of fresh produce, seeds, soil, and animal products without advance agricultural permits.
Ground transport from Fuaʻamotu to Nukuʻalofa operates through taxis only. No public bus serves the airport route. Taxi fares to central Nukuʻalofa run between forty-five and sixty Tongan paʻanga depending on negotiation and time of day. Drivers do not use meters. Establish the price before departure. Hotels on Tongatapu arrange airport pickups ranging from fifty to eighty paʻanga. Rental car companies including Avis and Budget maintain desks at the airport but require advance booking to guarantee vehicle availability. Driving in Tonga occurs on the right side of the road. International driving permits are recognized for thirty days when accompanied by a home-country license.
Visa policy for Tonga grants automatic entry permits to citizens of most countries for thirty days upon arrival. This includes nationals of New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, and European Union member states. Extensions to the initial thirty-day permit require application at the Immigration Office in Nukuʻalofa and cost fifty paʻanga for each additional thirty days up to six months total. The process takes two to five business days. Proof of onward travel within the permitted stay period is technically required but enforcement varies. Confirmation of accommodation for at least the first nights is advisable to present if asked. Official visa information appears at https://immigration.gov.to.
Currency throughout Tonga is the Tongan paʻanga which divides into one hundred seniti. As of late 2024 the exchange rate holds approximately one point seven paʻanga per United States dollar and two point one paʻanga per New Zealand dollar. Bills come in denominations of one, two, five, ten, twenty, fifty, and one hundred paʻanga. Coins exist in one, two, five, ten, twenty, and fifty seniti as well as one and two paʻanga. New Zealand dollars circulate informally at some businesses but change is given in paʻanga. No other foreign currency operates in daily commerce.
ATMs exist in Nukuʻalofa at branches of ANZ Bank, Bank South Pacific, and Tonga Development Bank. Machines dispense paʻanga only in amounts of ten, twenty, fifty, or one hundred paʻanga up to a maximum single withdrawal of four hundred paʻanga. Foreign cards on Visa and Mastercard networks function but each transaction incurs both a local fee of approximately five paʻanga and whatever international transaction fee your issuing bank charges. Bank South Pacific operates the most reliable ATM network with machines that remain stocked on weekends. Outside Nukuʻalofa only Neiafu in Vavaʻu and Pangai in Haʻapai have functioning ATMs. These machines frequently run empty on Fridays and remain unfilled until Monday. Outer islands have no ATM infrastructure.
Credit cards see limited acceptance in Tonga. Most hotels and resorts accept Visa and Mastercard with a surcharge between three and five percent added to the bill. Restaurants in Nukuʻalofa split roughly half accepting cards and half requiring cash. Supermarkets including Cowley's Wholesale and MK Supermarket process card payments. Fuel stations operate cash only. Tour operators quote prices in paʻanga but many accept credit cards with the standard surcharge. American Express and Discover cards have almost no acceptance anywhere in Tonga. Budget for cash transactions in all circumstances outside established hotels.
Currency exchange occurs at commercial banks during business hours which run eight-thirty to four-thirty Monday through Friday. ANZ Bank and Bank South Pacific branches on Taufa'ahau Road in Nukuʻalofa provide the standard exchange services. Both banks charge no commission but build their margin into exchange rates that fall two to four percent below mid-market rates. Presenting identification is required for amounts above one thousand paʻanga equivalent. MoneyGram and Western Union operate through agents in Nukuʻalofa for receiving transfers from abroad. These services charge percentage fees ranging from four to ten percent depending on sending country and transfer amount. The Royal Palace sits on the waterfront but currency exchange does not occur there despite proximity to the commercial district.