Ha'atafu Beach

Ha'atafu Beach is a beach and reef reserve on the west side of Tongatapu, Tonga, covering 0.71 km² and recorded as declared in 1979. It is listed among Tonga's reserves^[1].

The reserve protects a reef where marine life is recovering^[2].

The reserve is a beach and reef site and is known for its marine rather than its land vegetation.

Tongatapu is a fairly flat island formed from coral limestone^[3]. At Ha'atafu a reef lies off the beach, and the lagoon inside it is deepest at high tide.

Nuku'alofa, on the same island, has a tropical climate with a mean daily maximum of 27.3 °C, minimum of 20.9 °C and about 1,721 mm of rain a year^[3].

The beach lies at the edge of Ha'atafu village on Tongatapu's west coast, an island whose settlement goes back roughly 3,000 years^[4].

Ha'atafu Beach is one of the reserves declared in 1979 under Tonga's 1976 Parks and Reserves Act. It is one of six reserves recorded for the country^[1].

The beach offers snorkelling at high tide and is also a surf spot^[2].

The beach is reached by an access road off Hihifo Road, at the southern end of Ha'atafu village. It is about 24 km from Nuku'alofa^[2].

As a marine reserve, the reef's marine life is recovering. The reef was damaged by a tsunami, and some regrowth has since occurred^[2].