The capital of the last Polynesian kingdom
Nuku'alofa is the capital of Tonga, the only Pacific nation never formally colonised and still a kingdom. On the waterfront stands the white wooden Royal Palace, and the Talamahu Market sells handicrafts, tapa cloth and produce. Sundays are strictly observed, and church services with powerful choirs are open to visitors. Around the island of Tongatapu are the Ha'amonga 'a Maui, a great stone trilithon built around the 13th century, the Mapu'a 'a Vaea blowholes and the terraced royal tombs at Lapaha.