Met on arrival, you'll be transferred directly to Ha'atafu Beach Resort, with its eight traditional-style fales, or bungalows, situated directly in front of the Tongatapu northwest coast's best reef breaks, which picks up swells year round. Fales are simply and tastefully furnished with all linens, towels, and mosquito nets supplied. Guests share a centrally-located amenities blocks with solar showers also available. Steve Burling, your host and surf guide, treats every guest with legendary Tongan hospitality, providing the very best in culture, cuisine (both Western and traditional) and most importantly, waves.

Over nine breaks lie within walking and paddling distance of Ha'atafu, Grinding lefts, short, intense right barrels, peaks and long walls-there's no better place to hone your tropical reef break style. This region gets waves year-round, with south swells dominating from March through October, swells generated out of the North Pacific best from November through February. During the north swell season, several seldom-ridden breaks are accessed by the resort's boats.

The weather on Tongatapu, Tonga's main island, is cooler and dryer than on its neighboring islands in the South Pacific due to its close proximity to the Tongan Trench, one of the deepest points in the Pacific Ocean. Upwellings from the trench keep water temperatures cooler, at approximately 74 degrees year round.