Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
29 Dec 2024
Feedback
3
Email verified
Badges (1)


Find your perfect host
Details
Description
My wife Veronica and I, Mark, own and successfully operate an off-shore private island eco-resort on the island in the Vava'u island group in the Kingdom of Tonga, South Pacific. We happily live on our island with our dog Rocky and our cats Shadow and Nacho. I am a boat designer and sea captain and my wife Veronica has many years of experience in the hospitality industry. We have had our resort for the past 17 years which consists of 8 traditionally built small "Fales" (Tongan word for house or bungalow). At the moment we are a seasonal business that specializes in “whale swim tours” from 15th of July to the 15th of October of each year. During our season, we also offer other activities such as kayaks, snorkeling, SUP's and island hopping tours.
We focus on nature, history, culture and sustainability. We love Tonga and we strive to promote its' beauty and its' unique eco-system of 56 islands within a 20 square mile area. We endeavor to make Vava'u, Tonga and our beautiful off-shore island resort a desired tourist destination for the future.Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Tonga is one of the oldest monarchy in the world and has carried its traditions into present day, for educational cultural experience this destination is tops. Mark has many years of being an experienced sea captain and is very passionate about the maritime cultural achievements of the Tongan people and is happy to share this knowledge and teachings.
Help
The help we need is the following:
Cleaning up our resort property grounds which include picking up fallen coconuts, cutting the grass, racking leaves, racking the beach of natural debris to keep it clean. Deep cleaning of the Fales, dinning area and kitchen are a big part of our off-season work in order to maintain our resort tidy and ready for the upcoming season. General maintenance work on the resort such as painting , varnishing and some “handyman” work is also part of the offseason program.
We ask you to cook and clean after yourself. Such time is not considered part of the working hours program.Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: FluentAccommodation
We offer one of our beautiful fales as the accommodation during your time with us. It has a king size bed that can be split into two single beds if needed and an en-suite bathroom with a shower. We depend on the rainwater we collect during our rainy season so water is our most precious commodity and must be used conscientiously. We are very careful with our water usage. Laundry facility is available in an “eco” style as our washing machine is semi-automatic where the water flow is controlled manually.
What else ...
Please note that we are located 40 minutes offshore to the main town of Neiafu, Vava’u. This is where our airport is located. It is considered an international airport because we have Fiji Airways flying from Nadi, Fiji (NAN) to Vava’u, Tonga (VAV) from March though October. However, during our off-season which is from November to February, you must fly to our capital city of Nuku’alofa located on the main island of Tongatapu (TBU) and then take an inter-island 55 minute flight on our domestic airline called Lulu Tai. There is also a ferry service available called the “KALESI” that takes 12 hour to travel from Nuku’alofa to Vava,u.
Because of the distance from our main town, the majority of the time here will be spent on the island resort. A visit to town is only available when shopping for supplies or on a scheduled weekend where the couple can be taken to town. The time spent in town will be the couple’s responsibility. Sightseeing and local culture can be appreciated during that time.A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two