Troporobo

I’d like to offer a quick additional insight. Tonga, like many south Pacific destinations, is a developing country with many local tourism operators still learning the ropes of international marketing. Many will deliver a great experience but have an amateur internet presence, or even none at all. Email and even phone calls may work better than websites. The slick websites are often run by overseas operators, though to be fair, some may be palangis (non-Polynesians) who’ve dedicated their lives and investments to the place. I know it’s difficult to judge from afar, and a risk, but sometimes the more local the presence the more authentic the experience. As always, your mileage may.

I have not been to Tonga for the whales yet, so I can’t recommend an operator. Here are some useful links. I’ve been sending inquiries to the the operators directly, rather than packaged tour operators, to ask for rates and availability for next year. The first link lists all of the licensed operators. https://tongapocketguide.com/the-guide-to-whale-swimming-in-tonga/ https://tongapocketguide.com/10-best-whale-swim-tours-in-vavau/ https://tongatourism.travel/swim-with-whales/

Davide, that’s always the big question for any destination, right? I’m planning a week to be safe, but I’ve heard three days is also OK. During the season there are lots of whales, and weather should be mild, but you never know when planning a year in advance. For me the extra few days is not an huge addition compared to the total cost and time of the trip. Regular hotels are around USD 150-200, there are a couple more expensive options, and some cheap homestays. Boat trips are around USD 250 a day. Daily costs on the ground are reasonable. Most operators want to sell a package for multiple days accommodation and swimming which run a bit more expensive but it’s possible to put it together yourself. Costs in Tongatapu and Vava’u are a bit more, in ‘Eua a bit less. As for getting there, depending on your route, it may be necessary to overnight in Tongatapu before a domestic flight to Vava’u or ‘Eua and those are typically not cheap. It’s better to get a direct flight from Fiji or Auckland.

I’m planning a visit to Tonga for next season so have been researching also. I have the advantage of working with a colleague from there who has a relative in the humpback swimming business, and I’ve been to Tongatapu and Vava’u before. In addition to the excellent info in the website that Chris posted I can add a couple of things. First, everyone wants to go to Vava’u. It is certainly the most scenic part of the country with the best tourism infrastructure and most activities when you’re not swimming. It is also the most crowded during whale season. The rules restrict the numbers of boats and swimmers near the whales, and there are complaints about needing to wait your turn. That can happen anywhere of course, but is more likely in the more popular spots. That also means you need to book well in advance. It’s already tight for 2026. Second, it’s worth considering ‘Eua as an alternative. It’s less busy, but still good for swimming with whales. But there’s also less to do out of the water. Finally, tourism infrastructure and accommodation is basic compared to Fiji or French Polynesia. Domestic flights are less than reliable so it’s good to allow for flexibility in the itinerary. Tonga is an authentic South Pacific experience that operates on island time. Personally I love it there but it’s not for 5 star resorts. Adjust expectations accordingly!

The ruling has been issued. I am impressed and a little surprised that the ICJ ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. Big congrats to the island countries that did so much to get this result! I really enjoyed the photos and videos of some people I’ve worked with over the years making their statements there. I’m less optimistic that the countries causing the most damage will do much in response, but it’s a positive step nonetheless.

Nicely done, Ben! Thanks for sharing

It seems that we’ve confirmed one thing - the LM3 is not consistent!

OK, perhaps I can redeem myself from the last silly post and report real test results . . . I used an Olympus OM-D E-M1 mk II with a freshly charged Olympus battery and a brand new FL-LM3 flash set on 1/64 manual and shooting the lowest resolution JPEG files available. I set the shutter to sequential low which is 10 frames per second, then started shooting. I got 180 frames without a single blackout before the flash stopped firing and showed the red lighting bolt symbol to indicate it was recharging the capacitor. I was able to achieve the same result three times in a row after pausing a minute between each test.. So I don't think the FL-LM3 presents a binding constraint on real-world recycle times. I can think of some possible reasons why UW recycle times could be poor. First is the fact that the FL-LM3 is notoriously unreliable. I'm on my third one, after one died on a trip and I replaced it and also decided to carry a spare. Second could be the main camera battery, though I kind of doubt it since it fills the flash capacitor before it will fire. Third could be poor contacts somewhere in the flash circuit. And finally, it could be not the flash at all but the SD card buffer presenting a constraint due to slow or faulty memory cards, poor contacts, and/or large file sizes. Finally, to be clear, I am not suggesting that a dedicated flash trigger is not a good solution. I am sure they do many things better than a mini flash. I've now spent more than 50% of the cost of a Turtle on three fragile Olympus units, so I am not claiming that the mini flash is optimal.

OK, I know this is off topic, silly, and definitely the result of autocorrect and not deliberate, but I can’t get past the thought of somehow associating whale sharks with the famous American burger chain restaurants!

I also use the same camera and onboard flash and like Chris have no issues with recycle time for the LM3 flash, especially for macro when strobe power is low, even shooting TTL. However I do notice the recycle time for my Inon Z240 and S2000 strobes when on full power. Are you sure the recycle issue is your onboard flash and not your strobes?

Thanks for the review and especially the sample images. You got some great results with this light. I’ve always been curious about ring lights, so might have to give this a try.

These are all approximate and subject to seasonal variation but here’s a rough guide. December to early March is the cooler season, around high 20s ambient and around 24-26 in the water, with best visibility. April to June gets much warmer, mid 30s ambient and +/- 28 in the water, OK visibility. July to November is the wet season, often rainy with less visibility and the chance of a trip-ruining big tropical storm. Your mileage may vary.

Thanks for the tip Tim. I just tried it on an over/under image and it worked a treat on both halves!

FWIW, and I’m no expert, apparently fast charging is much more likely to damage batteries due to the heat generated. Ever since I read some comparisons of battery life using different charge cycles, I only use the “soft” cycle, which does take twice as long, but the batteries stay noticeably cooler than on the normal cycle. My chargers are Maha (Powerex) “intelligent” models.

I’ve dived at El Nido. It’s OK for the Philippines (meaning pretty good compared to elsewhere) but not exceptional. It’s a beautiful area with some wonderful resorts so if you’re going there for a holiday or with non-divers it’s worthwhile. But if making a dedicated trip I’m not sure it’s worth the extra logistics compared to Anilao or Puerto Galera. However, if you can get onto a liveaboard to Tubbataha (the boats go out of Puerto Princessa) then it’s absolutely worth the detour.