'Eua (say it: 'Eh-ooa') sits just south of the main island Tongatapu and feels like a completely different world. While most Tongan islands are flat and coral-ringed, 'Eua has hills, ravines, and cliffs - the kind of landscape that makes you feel like an explorer. Its rainforest is home to parrots, doves, and the Polynesian megapode, a shy bird that buries its eggs in warm volcanic soil to hatch them.
The hiking trails wind through shady forest where tree roots twist across the path like giant fingers and ferns grow as tall as a grown-up. Every so often you step out of the trees and suddenly you are standing at the edge of a cliff looking straight down to the sea below. The cliffs on 'Eua's eastern side drop sharply into the ocean, and on a clear day you can see other islands on the horizon.
Because 'Eua has fewer visitors than other parts of Tonga, the forest is still very quiet and full of wildlife. Local guides know where to find rare plants, unusual insects, and the best spots to wait and watch for flying foxes (which are actually large fruit bats) swooping through the trees at dusk.