Cruisers Converge on Vava’u

Among South Pacific cruisers, the Vava’u island group is the place to be this month. Not only is it the ideal end-of-season staging area for New Zealand-bound cruisers, but it is the site of the annual Regatta Vava’u — one of the most fun-filled cruiser events we’ve ever attended. 

The brainchild of former Bay Area sailors Ben and Lisa Newton, the October 17-21 event includes two semi-serious yacht races; a ‘fancy dress’ pub crawl to virtually every watering hole in Vava’u’s waterside capital, Neifu; a day of silly beach games; an extravagant (Almost) Full Moon Party; an awards ceremony and more. Representatives from a variety of New Zealand businesses will be in attendance all week too.    

After adopting the cruising dream during a shoreside Hawaii vacation — they literally looked out at cruisers in the nearby anchorage and thought, "We could do that" — Ben and Lisa learned to sail, bought a boat and dove head-first into the cruising life. When they got to Tonga, they fell in love with its unspoiled natural beauty and decided to make it their new home. 

Since then, they’ve become great friends to the cruising community, and great ambassadors for the "Friendly Kingdom" of Tonga. The Vava’u Group has always been a preferred staging area of New Zealand-bound cruisers, who wait here for an ideal weather window to make the weeklong crossing to Kiwiland’s north island. 

You may not be able to attend this year’s regatta, but we recommend you consider attending the next time you find yourself heading west across the South Pacific.