South Sea Islands prepare for the millennium

NUKU'ALOFA (DPA) - Every time when clocks show

zero hours between the years, the first champagne

corks start popping along an imaginary line

stretching from the Kamchatka Peninsula in far

eastern Russia down to New Zealand's Chatham

Islands. The fact that the rest of the world is left to

wish themselves a Happy New Year at a later "date"

is due to the time-zone system and the International

Date Line, which runs approximately along the

course of the 180th longitude through the Pacific

Ocean.

While east of this line at midnight - for example in

Samoa - the last day of 1999 is just dawning and all is

cloaked in twilight, just a few nautical miles to the west

at the same time, the New Year is being celebrated.

Through this geographical coincidence the Tongans and

their king, His Majesty Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, will be the

first of the world's citizens to clink their glasses to the

new millennium.

The program for the "Royal Millennium Month" in Tonga

begins well in advance on November 29 with a large

clean-up in the island archipelago's towns and villages in

which all Tongan adults and children are expected to

take part.

This will be followed by numerous events such as the

launching of the traditional twin-hulled catamaran, the

"Kalia," to pay homage to Tonga's long seafaring

tradition.

Flights to Tonga for the coming New Year have been

booked out for months as many people have chosen the

island group for its location on this important date.

A journey to Tonga is worthwhile not just at New Year,

though. The archipelago is 560 kilometers from north to

south, and occupies a total sea area of 362,000 square

kilometers, over which are spread the three main island

groups of Tongatapu in the south, Ha'apai in the middle

and Vava'u in the north.

The 175 islands - only 35 are inhabited - form the summit

of volcanic undersea mountains. And at a maximum

depth of 10,882 meters, the Tonga Trench is one of the

deepest submarine depressions in the world, and there

are still-active volcanoes which occasionally form new

islands.

Tongatapu is the main island in the South Sea kingdom

and is home to the kingdom's sleepy capital, Nuku'alofa

(meaning "Abode in Love," in Tongan), on its northern

shore and its 81-year-old king, who, while best known for

his great size, was a keen athlete in his day who held

his country's record for pole-vaulting. King Taufa'ahau

Tupou IV heads one of the world's oldest ruling

dynasties, which has been in power for more than a

thousand years.

Tupou IV is also one of the few remaining absolute

monarchs on earth.

Apart from the walled royal palace, a Victorian building

which was brought ready-made from New Zealand in

1867, Nuku'alofa has little to offer in the way of

interesting architecture. However, the Tongan National

Center with its museum and handicraft workshops are

well worth a visit. There they demonstrate to tourists how

the typically Tongan raffia mats are woven and how tapa

cloth is produced from the bark of the paper mulberry

plant and decorated.

At certain times during the festivities the city's open-air

theater will stage Tongan dances. During the kava

ceremony, which centers on the consumption of a mild

stimulant made from the root of the pepper plant, the

guest is also presented with a meal cooked in an earth

oven called an "umu."

The Tongans are particularly proud of the Ha'amonga

Maui trilithon situated at the other end of the Sacred

Island, as Tongatapu is known. It is a massive

three-section coral monument built out of coral stone into

a vast archway and probably served as an observatory

some 800 years ago.

Houma, on the south-west coast, has a spectacular

display of nature. The swell of water forces itself through

subterranean tunnels to arrive screaming and whistling at

the surface, and often rising to heights of up to 30 meters

in the air.

If seclusion is sought, far away from the hectic modern,

then a visit to Ha'apai Island Station is a must. On the

lonely white, sandy because of this the smallest of

paradise islands, peace and relaxation is guaranteed. Off

Tofua Island a piece of history was written on April 28,

1789, when Captain William Bligh and 18 crew members

were cast down in a rowing boat by the mutineers of "The

Bounty" under Fletcher Christian.

The 30-minute flight to the Vava'u Group is breathtaking:

from the plane there is a magnificent view of densely

wooded, hilly isles with rugged steep cliffs surrounded by

luminescent lagoons scattered in the emerald waters.

The main island is blessed with one of the most beautiful

natural harbors in the Pacific, the Port of Refuge, which

has become a popular spot for yachting enthusiasts from

all over the world.

With its old, idyllic wooden buildings, the main town,

Neiafu, harks back to long-forgotten days. Copra (dried

coconut meat) is no longer a viable product and these

days vanilla has taken its place as the most lucrative

export. Its sweet smell is characteristic of the Vava'u

Group.

The fjord-like creeks near Mount Talau (133 meters above

sea level) afford spectacular views, while a dizzying climb

100 meters to top of the cliffs at Utula'aina Point overlook

the wild, foaming ocean. An adventurous boat trip to the

island labyrinth provides a look at bizarre caves housing

countless swallow nests and an opportunity for strong

swimmers to explore a grotto. Whales can also be seen

here on a good day, on their way to the South Pacific.