Crime levels in Tonga are moderate. There has been a recent rise in house break-ins and property the

Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent or Consulate of Tonga for the most up to date information.
Tongan border control regulations require tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent that your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent to Australia. tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent It is possible that if you attempt to travel with less than six months validity, the airline will not allow you to board. In the unlikely event that the airline tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent overlooks this requirement you may be fined on arrival. Your passport may be impounded by Tongan border control officers until such time as the fine is paid. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent while overseas.
We advise you to exercise tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent normal safety precautions in Tonga. Exercise common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia. Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.
Crime levels in Tonga are moderate. There has been a recent rise in house break-ins and property theft attributed to the economic tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent downturn. There have also been some incidences of violent assault associated with robbery and a number of armed robberies of commercial premises. Security risks increase after dark.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Both Westpac and ANZ are represented in Tonga. ATMs will accept tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent a variety of Australian cards, but you should ask your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas. While ATMs are easily accessible on the main island of Tongatapu, the more remote island groups have limited services. Australian tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent dollars can be cashed at local banks. tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent You should check with your accommodation provider tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent prior to travel and check which payment method is acceptable.
Make two photocopies of valuable documents such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
Driving in Tonga can be hazardous, particularly at night, tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent due to poor visibility, the quality of roads and the significant volume of pedestrian and animal traffic. The speed limit in most locations is 50kph. For further advice, see our bulletin tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent on Overseas tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent Road Safety .
The largest inter-island ferry MV Otuanga ofa, was commissioned in December 2010. This ferry meets internationally recognised safety standards and is surveyed from time to time to maintain tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent this standard. Other smaller locally operated passenger ferries also sail between the island tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent groups. The Ministry of Transport has recently named some of these ferries as not complying with a number of safety requirements. Operators have been given a fixed time in which they must comply or risk losing their operating licence. In the interim, the number of passengers approved for carriage on these vessels tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent has been reduced by 50 per cent. The ferries concerned travel between Tongatapu and Ha apai, Tongatapu and Vav au, and Tongatapu and Eua. Care should be taken in checking safety equipment and passenger numbers before tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent embarking on inter-island ferries.
The safety standards tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent Australians might expect of small boat operators for tour purposes are not always met. Sufficient life jackets for boats, rafts and kayaks are not always provided. You are advised to check the operators' credentials and safety equipment beforehand and ensure your travel insurance policy covers your planned tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent activities.
It is a legal requirement tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent when riding motor scooters hired in Tonga that helmets be worn. Helmets may not be provided when hiring scooters. It may also be necessary to obtain a temporary Tongan tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent driver s licence in order to hire a scooter or car. Contact the Ministry of Transport (tel. 28415 or www.transport.gov.to tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent ) for more information. When hiring motor scooters be sure to check your travel insurance to see if you are covered for this activity.
Swimming: Care should be taken when swimming on beaches with outlying coral reefs. Strong rips can occur at breaks in the reef and pose a significant risk to swimmers tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent and surfers. Tourists have drowned in the past. Advice should be sought from locals on danger spots before going swimming.
When you are in Tonga, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Random breath testing for alcohol has been introduced in Tonga with a blood/alcohol limit of .03. If your test reading is between .03 and .05 there is an on the spot fine of TOP200 and for readings of greater than .05 you will be charged and will have to appear in court. If the offence occurs outside normal business hours it is likely tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent that you will be held in police cells overnight until a charge can be laid.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism, child pornography, and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism and child pornography laws. These laws provide severe penalties for up to 25 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in child sexual exploitation while outside of Australia.
tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent There are strict standards of dress and behaviour in Tonga and you should take care not to offend. Women in particular should dress modestly and wear clothing that covers the shoulders and knees. Bikinis can be worn on island resorts, however swimwear should be more modest if swimming tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent on the public beaches on the main islands. Topless bathing is not accepted. Men are not permitted tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent to go shirtless in public areas, unless tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent on island resorts.
tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent Tonga is officially a Christian country with a high level of religious observance tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent and a very conservative culture. Sabbath observance laws strictly limit Sunday activities, including business transactions, most restaurants, cafes and bars, and sporting events. Participation in activities, such as general exercise, running, swimming and snorkelling are regarded as inappropriate on Sundays, unless on island resorts.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
Hospital and medical facilities in Tonga are very limited and evacuation may be required even in cases of minor illness or accident. Medical evacuation, at considerable expense, would normally be to Australia or New Zealand.
If you intend to go scuba diving, you should be aware that there are no decompression chambers in Tonga. Serious cases of decompression sickness are evacuated to the nearest treatment centre in Townsville, Queensland. Registered dive companies carry basic treatment equipment to meet PADI standards.
Outbreaks of the mosquito-borne illness dengue fever occur, particularly during the wet season. It is strongly recommended you take precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes, including using insect repellent, wearing long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing and ensuring your accommodation is mosquito proof. Seek medical advice if you have a fever. For further information see the World Health Organization's factsheet on dengue fever .
Water-borne, food-borne, and other infectious diseases tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent (including tuberculosis and filariasis) are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. There have been several reported occurrences of typhoid in villages outside of Nuku alofa. Practicing good personal hygiene should help avoid contracting this and other gastro-intestinal diseases. You are advised to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw or undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website . For more information see our travel bulletin on avian influenza .
If you are travelling to Tonga, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online tahoe luxury ski accommodations for rent or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate . The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether