/* eslint-disable */
// Auto-generated destination data — tonga
window.TONGA_DATA = {
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    "hero": {
      "kicker": "HowTo:Travel · Oceania · Kingdom of Tonga",
      "h1Lines": [
        "The whale road.",
        "Where humpbacks breach",
        "and kava circles close at midnight."
      ],
      "issueLabel": "Issue Nº 47 · Kingdom of Tonga guide · Updated April 2026",
      "lede": "Tonga is not on the way to anywhere. Three archipelagos, 170 islands, fewer than 100,000 people, and the last Polynesian kingdom still ruled by a hereditary monarchy. July brings the humpbacks; year-round brings kava ceremonies in tapa-walled fale, coconut plantations that haven't changed in a century, and the kind of silence that makes you remember why you came.",
      "stats": "3 archipelagos · 170 islands · 2 cities · 1 royal palace · 0 traffic lights",
      "metaRows": [
        {
          "k": "Currency",
          "v": "Paʻanga (TOP)"
        },
        {
          "k": "Plug type",
          "v": "Type I, III (AU, NZ standard)"
        },
        {
          "k": "Visa for US/UK",
          "v": "None (30 days visa-free)"
        },
        {
          "k": "Best for first-timers",
          "v": "Tongatapu, then Vava'u"
        },
        {
          "k": "Language",
          "v": "Tongan · English widely spoken"
        }
      ],
      "frames": [
        {
          "img": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1506905925346-21bda4d32df4?w=600&auto=format",
          "cap": "Vava'u · Humpback whale breach · July"
        },
        {
          "img": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1559827260-dc66d52bef19?w=600&auto=format",
          "cap": "Ha'apai · Vailheu Beach · Golden hour"
        },
        {
          "img": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1469854523086-cc02fe5d8800?w=600&auto=format",
          "cap": "Tongatapu · Coconut palms and limestone cliffs · Afternoon"
        }
      ]
    },
    "anchor": {
      "label": "In this guide",
      "items": [
        {
          "id": "intro",
          "label": "Letter"
        },
        {
          "id": "drives",
          "label": "Drives"
        },
        {
          "id": "when",
          "label": "When to go"
        },
        {
          "id": "food",
          "label": "What to eat"
        },
        {
          "id": "language",
          "label": "Phrases"
        },
        {
          "id": "festivals",
          "label": "Festivals"
        },
        {
          "id": "faq",
          "label": "Questions"
        }
      ]
    },
    "intro": {
      "lead": "Tonga has been independent since 1875, and it shows. No colonial statuary. No resort chains. The King still has real power, the hereditary nobility still owns the land, and tourists arrive in hundreds per week, not thousands. You'll see more faces than flags. The three archipelagos — Tongatapu in the south, Ha'apai in the middle, Vava'u in the north — are close enough to interisland hop but far enough that each has its own rhythm: one capital, one fishing, one whale season.",
      "side": "Plan around the humpbacks (July–October, peak August). Bring cash — many islands have no ATM. Kava ceremonies happen nightly in villages; visitors are welcome but sit quietly, drink the bitter root tea, and leave within the hour. The monarchy is real and respected; avoid criticism of the royal family.",
      "credit": "— The editors · Nuku'alofa · March 2026"
    },
    "signoff": {
      "h2": "Leave your schedule at the dock.",
      "body": "Tonga rewards slow travel and random encounters. A day trip becomes an overnight stay. A lunch invitation becomes a family ceremony. Ferries run when they run. The whales come in July. Everything else comes when it comes. Sit in a circle, drink kava, and wait.",
      "credit": "— The editors"
    }
  },
  "drives": [
    {
      "id": "tongatapu-south",
      "num": "01",
      "name": "The limestone loop",
      "nameEm": "Tongatapu",
      "region": "Tongatapu",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "from": "Nuku'alofa",
      "to": "Nuku'alofa",
      "km": 45,
      "hours": 3,
      "elevMax": 65,
      "elevMin": 0,
      "season": "May–Oct (dry)",
      "surface": "Sealed main road, unsealed laterals",
      "car": "Any rental — no mountain passes",
      "blurb": "Counterclockwise from the capital. Stop at 'Anahulu Cave (limestone sinkhole with freshwater pool), the royal palace grounds (view from gate only), and 'Apai's fish market for lunch — snapper, wahoo, whatever came in that dawn. End at 'Akau Cliffs at sunset, waves on limestone 40 metres below.",
      "stops": [
        "Nuku'alofa",
        "'Anahulu",
        "Mala'e Noi",
        "'Apai",
        "Pangai",
        "'Akau",
        "Nuku'alofa"
      ],
      "tip": "Markets close by noon. Go early or eat at a roadside fale. No rental company is open on Sunday.",
      "profile": [
        0,
        15,
        45,
        65,
        50,
        30,
        15,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "vavau-north",
      "num": "02",
      "name": "Whale and village trail",
      "nameEm": "Vava'u",
      "region": "Vava'u",
      "regionId": "vav",
      "from": "Neiafu",
      "to": "Pangaimotu",
      "km": 12,
      "hours": 0.5,
      "elevMax": 20,
      "elevMin": 0,
      "season": "Jul–Oct (whale), May–Jun (calm)",
      "surface": "Footpath, island ferries, water taxi",
      "car": "Feet and small boat",
      "blurb": "Neiafu is the only town. Walk the harbour front in early morning (whale-watch boats leave 6am), take the ferry to Pangaimotu (10 min, TOP $2), hike the limestone ridge, swim at deserted coves. In July, book a boat tour — humpbacks breach without warning.",
      "stops": [
        "Neiafu",
        "Pangaimotu",
        "Swallow's Cave",
        "Keleti Beach"
      ],
      "tip": "Whale boats fill fast. Book through your guesthouse the day before, not in town. Cheaper and more reliable.",
      "profile": [
        0,
        5,
        15,
        20,
        15,
        5,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "haapai-middle",
      "num": "03",
      "name": "The quiet chain",
      "nameEm": "Ha'apai",
      "region": "Ha'apai",
      "regionId": "haa",
      "from": "Pangai",
      "to": "Lifuka",
      "km": 8,
      "hours": 2,
      "elevMax": 10,
      "elevMin": 0,
      "season": "May–Oct (dry)",
      "surface": "Sealed between main towns, unsealed laterals",
      "car": "Scooter or rental car (small)",
      "blurb": "Ha'apai is the least-visited group, which means it's the realest. Pangai is a village, not a town. Lifuka is next door by ferry. Between them: coconut plantations, fishing beaches, no tourists. Sleep in a fale, wake to roosters, eat tropical fruit from the ground.",
      "stops": [
        "Pangai",
        "Pangai Beach",
        "Lifuka",
        "Keleti Beach",
        "Fishing villages"
      ],
      "tip": "Ferries between islands leave once or twice daily. No schedule — ask at the dock. Bring water. Mobile signal is spotty.",
      "profile": [
        0,
        5,
        10,
        8,
        6,
        4,
        2,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "tongatapu-sacred",
      "num": "04",
      "name": "The royal route",
      "nameEm": "Tongatapu sacred sites",
      "region": "Tongatapu",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "from": "Nuku'alofa",
      "to": "Mu'a",
      "km": 15,
      "hours": 2,
      "elevMax": 40,
      "elevMin": 0,
      "season": "Year-round",
      "surface": "Sealed main, unsealed laterals",
      "car": "Any rental",
      "blurb": "East along the old royal road to Ha'amonga 'a Maui (the Stonehenge of Polynesia — three basalt slabs, 37 tonnes, purpose unknown, 13th century). Eat at a roadside fale. Visit the grave of Captain Cook's friend, Tu'i Kanokupolu. The royal palace is nearby but closed to visitors except during official events.",
      "stops": [
        "Nuku'alofa",
        "Ha'amonga 'a Maui",
        "Royal Palace gates",
        "Mu'a",
        "Cooking demonstrations"
      ],
      "tip": "Bring a guide if you want to understand the archaeology. Hire at the market in Nuku'alofa for TOP $20–40 per day.",
      "profile": [
        0,
        20,
        40,
        35,
        25,
        15,
        5,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0
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    },
    {
      "id": "vavau-boat",
      "num": "05",
      "name": "The island cruise",
      "nameEm": "Vava'u by water",
      "region": "Vava'u",
      "regionId": "vav",
      "from": "Neiafu",
      "to": "Neipu Islands",
      "km": 25,
      "hours": 4,
      "elevMax": 0,
      "elevMin": 0,
      "season": "May–Oct (calmest)",
      "surface": "Water — traditional boat or speedboat",
      "car": "Chartered boat (daily tours available)",
      "blurb": "The Neipu Islands are limestone, uninhabited, and ringed with anchorages. Day tours loop through Swallow's Cave (stalactites, humpback roosting site in season), Kapa Island, and Ovaka — a beach that appears and disappears with the tide. Snorkel, kayak, or beach-sit all day.",
      "stops": [
        "Swallow's Cave",
        "Kapa Island",
        "Ovaka Beach",
        "Blue Lagoon"
      ],
      "tip": "Book the boat through Neiafu guesthouses. Shop around — prices vary wildly (TOP $80–200 per person). Morning departures get the calmest water.",
      "profile": [
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0,
        0
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    }
  ],
  "when": [
    {
      "m": "Jan",
      "n": "Summer, hot, cyclone season. Avoid.",
      "s": "Wet, humid, flight delays."
    },
    {
      "m": "Feb",
      "n": "Cyclone tail end. Intermittent.",
      "s": "Rain afternoon. Schools closed."
    },
    {
      "m": "Mar",
      "n": "Tail end, occasional showers.",
      "s": "Still warm, fewer tourists."
    },
    {
      "m": "Apr",
      "n": "Warming up, transition month.",
      "s": "Unpredictable but thinning crowds."
    },
    {
      "m": "May",
      "n": "Dry season starts. Ideal.",
      "s": "Calm seas, whales approaching."
    },
    {
      "m": "Jun",
      "n": "Cool-ish, dry, light winds.",
      "s": "Whales arrived. Book boats."
    },
    {
      "m": "Jul",
      "n": "Peak whale season. Book early.",
      "s": "Humpbacks in Vava'u. Most tourists."
    },
    {
      "m": "Aug",
      "n": "Height of whale season.",
      "s": "Schools hold whaling festivals."
    },
    {
      "m": "Sep",
      "n": "Whales depart by month end.",
      "s": "Still good whale odds."
    },
    {
      "m": "Oct",
      "n": "Last whales, cooling. Excellent.",
      "s": "Clear water, low crowds."
    },
    {
      "m": "Nov",
      "n": "Warming, occasional showers.",
      "s": "Transition; quiet before summer."
    },
    {
      "m": "Dec",
      "n": "Hot, humid, cyclone setup.",
      "s": "Holiday chaos, expensive."
    }
  ],
  "food": [
    {
      "dish": "'Ota ika",
      "where": "Tongatapu, Vava'u, Ha'apai",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "note": "Raw fish cured in lime juice and coconut milk, served cold with tomato and onion. Breakfast or lunch. The Pacific's answer to ceviche.",
      "emoji": "🐟",
      "span": 1
    },
    {
      "dish": "Lū sipi",
      "where": "Tongatapu",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "note": "Taro leaves wrapped around lamb, steamed in coconut cream for hours. Heavy, warm, the backbone of family meals. Every fale cooks it differently.",
      "emoji": "🥬",
      "span": 1
    },
    {
      "dish": "Topai",
      "where": "Vava'u, Ha'apai",
      "regionId": "vav",
      "note": "Coconut-baked banana parcels, wrapped in coconut leaves, sticky-soft, served as dessert or morning snack. Street vendors, morning only.",
      "emoji": "🥥",
      "span": 1
    },
    {
      "dish": "Fake",
      "where": "Tongatapu, Ha'apai",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "note": "Breadfruit cooked with sea urchin roe in coconut cream. Creamy, umami-forward, seasonal (November–March). Requires advance warning from your host.",
      "emoji": "🦑",
      "span": 1
    },
    {
      "dish": "Kava",
      "where": "All islands",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "note": "Root ground, mixed with water, strained through hibiscus fibres, drunk at night in villages. Numbs the mouth, earthy, ceremonial. Not food but the centre of Tongan social life.",
      "emoji": "🥤",
      "span": 1
    },
    {
      "dish": "Palusami",
      "where": "All islands",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "note": "Taro leaves and young coconut steamed in coconut milk, silky and subtly sweet. Sunday lunches, family gatherings. Light but decadent.",
      "emoji": "🌴",
      "span": 2
    },
    {
      "dish": "Lu'au",
      "where": "Tongatapu, Vava'u",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "note": "Spinach-like leaves with fish or octopus in coconut milk, wrapped in taro leaves. Earthy, creamy, a staple of formal meals and royal feasts.",
      "emoji": "🐙",
      "span": 1
    },
    {
      "dish": "Tropical fruit",
      "where": "All islands",
      "regionId": "ton",
      "note": "Papaya, mango, pineapple, coconuts picked fresh. Better at dawn at village markets (Nuku'alofa 'Apai). Eat ripe, not imported.",
      "emoji": "🥭",
      "span": 1
    }
  ],
  "language": [
    {
      "lc": "Malo e lelei",
      "tr": "Hello (respectful)",
      "note": "The universal greeting. 'Oku I Malo e lelei is the reply. Used morning, afternoon, evening — never changes."
    },
    {
      "lc": "Fakafetai",
      "tr": "Thank you",
      "note": "Pronounced fah-kah-feh-tay. Essential after every transaction, meal, ride, conversation. Tongan people are generous; acknowledge it."
    },
    {
      "lc": "Kalihi",
      "tr": "Cheers (formal)",
      "note": "Said before kava ceremonies or when raising a glass. Literal: 'strength'. Serious tone required."
    },
    {
      "lc": "'Oku fiefia au",
      "tr": "I am happy",
      "note": "A simple declaration that works as gratitude or agreement. Sets a warm tone with shopkeepers and guides."
    },
    {
      "lc": "Faiako",
      "tr": "Teacher",
      "note": "A term of respect for anyone with knowledge — guides, elders, shopkeepers. Using it opens doors."
    },
    {
      "lc": "'Oku ke kei fiemalie?",
      "tr": "How are you still (continuing)?",
      "note": "The Tongan way of asking 'How are you?' Literal meaning implies ongoing wellbeing. Smile when you say it."
    },
    {
      "lc": "Toka tu'u",
      "tr": "Wait a moment",
      "note": "Pronounced toh-kah too-oo. Buses, ferries, shops operate on island time. Use this phrase and mean it."
    },
    {
      "lc": "'Io, 'io",
      "tr": "Yes, yes",
      "note": "Agreement or encouragement. Rhythm matters — drawn out means genuine, clipped means polite refusal. Listen carefully."
    }
  ],
  "festivals": [
    {
      "num": "01",
      "name": "Heilala Festival",
      "where": "Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu",
      "when": "October",
      "text": "Week-long celebration of the hibiscus flower (Heilala). Parades, kava ceremonies, traditional dances. Marks the end of winter and the moment tourists feel comfortable arriving. Guesthouses fill a month in advance.",
      "regionId": "ton"
    },
    {
      "num": "02",
      "name": "Vava'u Whaling Season Festival",
      "where": "Neiafu, Vava'u",
      "when": "August",
      "text": "Coincides with peak humpback presence. Traditional games, fishing contests, ceremonial dances. The school whaling festival on the first Saturday is both tourist spectacle and genuine cultural event — boat races, tapa-making, coconut climbing.",
      "regionId": "vav"
    },
    {
      "num": "03",
      "name": "Emancipation Day",
      "where": "Nationwide",
      "when": "June",
      "text": "Celebrates Tonga's independence in 1875 (only Polynesian nation never colonized). Parades, political speeches, traditional performances. Not a tourist festival but authentic — locals still care deeply.",
      "regionId": "ton"
    },
    {
      "num": "04",
      "name": "Christmas (Kilikiti)",
      "where": "All islands",
      "when": "December",
      "text": "Tongan version of cricket (Kilikiti), played in villages. Games are matches between families, sometimes lasting three days. Huge feasts follow. Tourists usually not invited but welcome to watch from the boundary.",
      "regionId": "ton"
    },
    {
      "num": "05",
      "name": "Constitutional Remembrance Day",
      "where": "Nuku'alofa",
      "when": "November",
      "text": "Marks the signing of Tonga's constitution in 1875. Royal ceremonies, government parades, speeches. Quiet by comparison to Heilala but deeply meaningful to locals.",
      "regionId": "ton"
    }
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Is it safe to drink the water?",
      "a": "Nuku'alofa's tap water is treated and safe. Outside the capital, boil or use bottled water. Guesthouses usually provide jugs; ask. Ice is made from filtered water at restaurants. Stomach troubles are rare if you follow this rule and eat cooked food in villages."
    },
    {
      "q": "Can I really just show up to a kava ceremony?",
      "a": "Yes, but with respect. Kava circles happen nightly in villages around 6–7pm. Approach quietly, sit on the outer edge, accept what's offered, drink the bitter cup in one go (don't sip), and leave within an hour unless invited to stay. Wear modest clothes. Shoes off. Men sit on one side traditionally, though this is relaxing for tourists."
    },
    {
      "q": "What about the whales — how reliable is July?",
      "a": "July–August is peak, but humpbacks have been arriving as early as May and staying into November. June and September are actually better: still good whale odds, calmer seas, fewer tourists, cheaper boats. Book tours the day before through your guesthouse, not through online agencies — you'll pay less and know your boat."
    },
    {
      "q": "Do I need a car?",
      "a": "In Tongatapu, yes. In Vava'u and Ha'apai, a scooter or walking works fine — towns are small. Rental cars cost TOP $40–60 per day. Scooters are TOP $15–25. No international licence required, but an IDP helps with police stops (rare). Petrol stations are few; fill up in main towns."
    },
    {
      "q": "How do I get between the islands?",
      "a": "Ferries run daily from Nuku'alofa to Vava'u (1.5 hrs) and Ha'apai (45 min). Schedules vary; book through guesthouses or the dock office. Flights are faster (45 min, Nuku'alofa to Neiafu) and only slightly more expensive (TOP $120–160). Boats are cheaper (TOP $35–50) but can be rough."
    },
    {
      "q": "What's the deal with the monarchy?",
      "a": "Tonga has a King, a noble class, and strong tradition. The royal family is respected and criticism is culturally inappropriate. The palace is visible from Nuku'alofa but closed to the public except during state occasions. Tourist visits are rare but possible — ask your guesthouse. Never photograph the King without permission."
    },
    {
      "q": "Will my phone work?",
      "a": "Local carriers (Digicel, bmobile-vodafone) have 4G in towns, spotty coverage elsewhere. Buy a prepaid SIM for TOP $5–10 and load credit at convenience stores. Data is slow compared to developed nations. Count on email but not streaming. Some guesthouses have Wi-Fi; many don't."
    },
    {
      "q": "When is the best time to visit?",
      "a": "May–October is the dry season and the only sensible window. July–August brings humpbacks and tourists. June and September are the sweet spot: good whales, smaller crowds, clear skies. November through April is cyclone risk and oppressive heat. January–February is officially the worst — avoid entirely."
    }
  ]
};