Dive Review of Sandy Beach Resort in
Tonga/Ha'apai, Foa Island

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Sandy Beach Resort: "Whale Swim in Tonga", Oct, 2023, by Bill Rigby, CA, US ( Reviewer 5 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 12736.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This trip was originally booked in 2019 with Cindi LaRaia at Dive Discovery. After being cancelled due to covid we finally got re-booked for 2023 and made the trip. We stayed at Sandy Beach Resort on Foa island in the Ha'apai group. We were there to snorkel with humpbacks. The whale swims are 6hrs long (9-3)with lunch & drinks provided. The boats are 24ft inflatables/twin outboards (no head) with sun covers over the rear areas. The bow area is fully exposed to the sun(bring sunscreen). There are 8 people per boat plus captain & guide. Only 4 people allowed in the water 15 minutes at a time. When whales are spotted you gear up as fast as you can, slide over the tubes and follow the guide to the whales kicking as fast as you can for 50-75 yards sometimes farther. You're required to stay 15 ft from the whales but often they swim by closer before you can move away. We had one playful female baby charge at us multiple times coming very close then veering off at the last second as if playing chicken with us. Very exhilarating! Food at the resorts was very good and plentiful the only downside were the dozens of flies at breakfast & lunch. Matafonua Lodge,(sister resort) had a better lunch menu. Less flies here probably due to being on the windward side & use of flypaper. We snorkeled Matafonua's lagoon, hence the 3 star rating for snorkeling. Everything in the lagoon was small. No large fish or corals anywhere. Staff at both lodges were very friendly and Peta helped us greatly when we had to re-book a cancelled flight.
Websites	[same]
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Multiple Caribbean, Mexico, California, Galapagos, Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Australia, Truk, Yap, Palau Indonesia
Closest Airport	Lifuka Island Ha'apai	Getting There	Fiji Air- USA to Nadi,-L/O-Fiji Air to Tonga-L/O-Lulutai Air to Ha'apai
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, cloudy, dry	Seas	calm, choppy, currents
Water Temp	71-74°F / 22-23°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	60-120 Ft/ 18-37 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Stay with whale guide at all times. No freediving down to whales allowed.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	> 2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	We were snorkeling from inflatables. There were no accommodations for UWP. Most people would lay their cameras on seats or floor of the boat. Rinsing and battery charging were likely done in the fales.

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Dive Review of Sandy Beach Resort in Tonga/Ha'apai, Foa Island

Sandy Beach Resort: "Whale Swim in Tonga", Oct, 2023,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Sandy Beach Resort in
Tonga/Ha'apai, Foa Island