Pacific, the only sounds the lapping of the waves and the sigh of palm fronds in the gentle breeze.

On our excursions in the Vava'u islands in the Kingdom of Tonga we blend the lure of the classic South Pacific paradise with the opportunity to experience a rich and traditional Polynesian culture. The Tonga trips are our most culturally-oriented tours; while we camp on deserted south seas islands, visits to island villages for supplies give us the occasion to see how Tongan villagers live and work. Entering an outer island village is to step back in time. Here the people live much as they have done for centuries, thriving on the bounty of land and sea. A local Tongan guide accompanies us on the tour. Our Tongan guides have opened many doors for us in the various outlying villages, including impromptu invitations to an 'umu feast and kava ceremony, Tongan drumming lessons, and a chance to see schoolchildren practicing a traditional war dance.

Highlights of this trip include a visit to an underground cave where a pool of fresh clear water provides a refreshing swim in the midday heat; paddling past scores of Flying Fox hanging in the jungle forest overhead; picking your own papaya on a hike through a tropical plantation. Sometimes calm seas allow us to visit one of the rarely visited outermost islands where the coral reefs are exceptional. As you might imagine, snorkelling the warm, crystal blue waters of Tonga is a major focus of this trip. And some folks just prefer to hang a hammock between a couple of palm trees and let the cares of the world drift away in the warm breezes of the South Pacific.

We'll begin our tour with a day of orientation accompanied by our local Tongan guide, learning about the Tongan language and customs, geology, marine life, birds and mammals, as well as becoming aware of tropical hazards. After we paddle away to the islands, our guide will introduce us to the easy-going Tongan lifestyle, involving us in native

methods of food preparation and fishing techniques and accompanying us on visits to island villages.

The Vava'u islands, mostly uninhabited, occupy an area approximately 21 kilometres by 25 kilometres. The surrounding waters are protected from the rolling waves of the South Pacific by a semi-circular coral reef. Our paddling distances are short, leaving us plenty of time to visit sea caves, fish, snorkel the warm crystalline waters, and comb the coral sand beaches for unique tropical shells. Or just relax under gently swaying palms, bathed by warm Pacific breezes and gaze up at the brilliant stars of the southern hemisphere.

During the eight-day paddling portion of the trip we camp out each night, exploring the Vava'u islands in fibreglass kayaks. Before and after the tour we stay at a hotel in Neiafu, Vava'u's capital city. Neiafu offers a wide variety of activities, including dive or snorkeling charters to nearby shipwrecks and caves, shopping for Tongan artwork, weaving and handicrafts, and haunting local markets for tropical delicacies.