Mua Travel Guide

Tonga's most important ancient monuments are found here. Here are the sites of early Tongan settlements. Captain James Cook set foot at "Mu'a" after sailing H.M.S. Endeavor into the sheltered waters of the inner lagoon. A plaque marks the landing place. Lapaha in Mu'u was seat of the ancient Tu'i Tonga dynasty, which was believed to have been of divine origin. The tiered burial mounds or langi of ancient royalty were faced with huge stone slabs cut from coraline limestone at nearby reefs. 28 langi are in the Lapaha area. The most impressive South Pacific tomb is undoubtedly Paepae 'o Tele'a bult more than 300 years ago for the 28th Tu'i Tonga. Thew term "Paepae" indicates that the physical body of the king was not buried here. Next to this buriel site is the "Namoala" -- a three tiered pyramid with the stone buriel vault intact on top the " Hehea" mound, which located opposite "Namola" holding still two further vaults.