Information, Shops & Services on ‘Eua

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Food and Groceries on ‘Eua

While many consider ‘Eua as relatively underdeveloped, you have plenty of options across the island as long as you’re near a village. ‘Eua has several large grocery stores and fale koloa (small shops).

Convenience Stores and Fale Koloa

Much like the rest of Tonga, ‘Eua has an abundance of convenience stores that are either Chinese or locally owned. Convenience stores tend to be well-stocked with essential dry and tinned food, as well as eggs, locally baked goods and imported fruit. Some of the locally-owned stores will also have a small market stall of local fruit and vegetables outside. Travellers should find adequate supplies for self-catering across ‘Eua’s grocery stores. Note, however, that special diet supplies are not usually available, so bring your own if you need something specific. Most convenience stores accept both cash and card.

For more information on what sort of food to expect in convenience stores, see A Guide to Supermarkets & Food Shopping in Tonga.

Where there isn’t a convenience store nearby, there are fale koloa, small one-room stores usually with a metal mesh over the window. Tell the store clerk what you’d like to buy and pay with cash.

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Liquor Stores

There is one liquor store on ‘Eua located at Talei’s Guesthouse and Restaurant (Angaha), which looks like a small shack. It is stocked with beer, spirits and kava. They accept cash and card.

Restaurants and Dining at Your Accommodation

There are very few restaurants on ‘Eua, but there is the odd guesthouse with a restaurant open to non-guests, as listed in The Complete Travel Guide to ‘Eua. Some accommodations also offer cooked meals for guests for a fee. More details can be found in Where to Stay on ‘Eua: The Best ‘Eua Accommodations.

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Medication, Toiletries and Pharmaceuticals

While we always recommend having all the medication you need with you for your stay in Tonga and ‘Eua (see What Medication to Pack in Your First Aid Kit for Tonga for advice), if there is anything you end up needing, you have very limited options for purchasing medication and healthcare products on ‘Eua.

Medication at Supermarkets and Convenience Stores

A very limited supply of light medications (like painkillers), baby products, feminine hygiene products and toiletries are sold in supermarkets and convenience stores on ‘Eua, as listed in the “Food and Groceries” section above. Note that we did not see any sunscreen or insect repellent in ‘Eua’s grocery stores during our last visit, so be sure to come prepared.

‘Eua Hospital

‘Eua has one hospital, Niu’eiki Hospital, located along the main road in Angaha village. This is the only healthcare service on the island.

For more health and safety advice while visiting ‘Eua, check out Tonga Safety Tips: Is it Safe to Travel to Tonga?

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Fuel Stations on ‘Eua

Need to fuel up? There are limited fuel stations on ‘Eua, which will be useful if you’re hiring a vehicle.

The odd fuel station on ‘Eua can be found along the main road that passes through the central villages, such as Mata’aho, Sapa’ata, Fata’ulua and Mu’a, as well as inland in the village of ‘Ohonua. Fuel stations are usually open from 8 am to 8 pm every day except Sunday.

For more advice on renting a vehicle, check out The Best Car Rentals on ‘Eua.

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Communication Services on ‘Eua

If you want to keep connected online while on ‘Eua, your best option is to purchase a local SIM and data bundle. Otherwise, there are limited accommodations with WiFi access.

Phone Networks

There are two network providers on ‘Eua:

• Digicel – Malau Hall, Angaha (southern end of the sports field)
• UCall (TCC) – Main Road, Pangai.

These stores are typically open from 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. Learn more about the network, prices and coverage in The Best SIM Card in Tonga for Travellers.

Internet and WiFi

Internet and WiFi are certainly limited on ‘Eua, mostly offered by the occasional accommodation. For this reason, we recommend getting a local SIM card and using a data plan as the best way to access the internet. Otherwise, the only other option is to stay at Blue Water Retreat and use the free WiFi available at their restaurant and communal area. Find out more about the accommodation in Where to Stay on ‘Eua.

For more tips on staying connected, check out How to Get Internet & WiFi in Tonga.

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Banks and ATMs on ‘Eua

Although you can exchange currency on ‘Eua, overseas visitors have very few options for withdrawing cash. At the time of writing, there are no ATMs on ‘Eua. We recommend bringing enough cash to ‘Eua for your entire stay on the island, as very few vendors accept card payments.

The BSP Bank on ‘Eua can be found upstairs in the Malau Hall,  Angaha (southern end of the sports field). Opening hours are typically 9 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday. They offer foreign exchange services.

No1 Currency (Western Union) is also located in Malau Hall, Angaha and provides foreign exchange services. They are typically open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday and 8:30 am to 3 pm on Saturday.

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Although some convenience stores are BSP agents where you can withdraw cash, they often run out of cash so we don’t recommend relying on these.

For more about money in Tonga, see What is The Best Way to Pay in Tonga? and The Best Place to Exchange Currency in Tonga.