寧靜海灘度假飯店(Serenity Beaches Resort)

Simply sensational! The best place to unplug anywhere on the planet. Great people, such peace, such beauty, such simplicity. Great food, idyllic scenery. An experience I will never forget. Thank you Patti for what you have created here!

“Off the Grid” was the sole brief from my fast burning-out wife when we made a last-minute choice to book a flight anywhere with ‘guaranteed good weather and away from utterly everything’. Perhaps I took the brief a little too literally when I came across the Serenity Beaches Resort on Uoleva Island, a tiny almost uninhabited atoll in the Ha'apai Group of Islands from the Kingdom of Tonga. Two days later and we were on our way. Let me start by saying Serenity Beaches is not a resort, it’s really a retreat. It is not easy to travel to but persistence pays and so four cars, two flights, an overnight and a boat later we were greeted on the sands by the age defying owner Patti and her partner, Semi. Patti has spent 16 years building, (and rebuilding post tsunamis!), a very special place in a very special part of the world. It’s where you go when you want to return right back to basics, enjoy the isolation, question why we do what we do and re-connect with each other. We stayed for 3 nights and were the only guests. The accommodation is basic, private, under the canopy to keep cool and 10 seconds walk into the ocean. They are open to the elements, but have cold running water, outdoor showers and a toilet. Expect to sleep with nature and play guess the animal noise from under the security of your mosquito net, (hermit crabs, geckos, flying foxes, roosters, spiders and pigs may well visit), but truly this just adds to the experience! The island has white soft sand the whole way round, surrounded by stunning coral and amazing fish life. We just missed the whale season, but we snorkeled for hours around the reefs and saw literally hundreds of different species. We walked around the whole island (about 3 hours) in total isolation, not difficult when there are actually only 4 inhabitants on Uoleva! We kayaked, read books, napped, drank wine under shooting stars and eventually forgot we owned mobile phones. Patti and Semi are the most wonderful hosts and the meals they produce in their basic kitchen is honestly some of the best food you will eat anywhere. If you love seafood especially you are in for a treat. Don’t expect a menu, do expect to ask for more it’s that good! Like I said, getting there is not plain sailing so here is some useful stuff: If you are lucky there is one, maybe two flights from the mainland to Ha'apai a day, weather depending and subject to if they can actually be bothered. Lulutai airlines don’t have a website, they have a Facebook page which posts the flight schedule the day before so you can’t easily plan it. They don’t answer messages either. The best option is to call them on +676 26 488, then ask them to send you their bank details so you can pre-pay or they will just cancel your flight! We actually had our return cancelled as they didn’t have enough passengers to justify sending a plane and had to wait four hours for another one. Once you do land in Ha'apai, Patti will arrange for a local to collect you

This resort is amazing!! A short boat trip from haapai to an island away from cars shops and people. We were welcomed ashore by Patti, Sammie and staff as the boat anchored for us to start our 6 days of bliss. The canopy trees provide shade and a cool breeze kisses our skin. Our accommodation was superb with everything we needed, out door bathroom open to the stars, mosquito net was tucked in each evening, fresh filtered rain water plentiful, a step to the ocean, a delightful hammock to sway in and sleep, read or just be mindful. Fabulous library of interesting books in the dining room. Breakfast lunch and dinner were exceptional, healthy and delicious made with love by Sammie. Our plates were piled high and seconds available. There is SUP, kayaks, snorkeling or for the brave, swimming with whales. Patti is a massage therapist and does an excellent job of relaxing the muscles in her special fale close to the sea. Yoga is available again Patti is the teacher. Many years of Patti’s extraordinary journey to this remote island in heaven have been given to guests to enjoy her skills and life’s lessons. Thank you for every minute of our time in your care.

My teenage son and i just spent 4 nights on this beautiful peace of paradise Patti and Sami have created. It was a lovely experience. We came right at the start of the season, so only one other family was there for the first 3 nights and then we had the whole place to ourselves for the last night. If you want to disconnect and live a simple life on a tropical island, this is the place for you. If you want air con and high speed wifi and motorised watersports and bars to visit/places to shop, this is not that place. We snorkled, kayaked and walked around the whole island (4 hours with swiimg stops), read books, played games and talk alot with Patti and Sami. Patti is a unique and inspiring woman, with such a beautiful heart, and so well read! next time we will go for longer :)

I absolutely love Serenity Beaches Resort, it's such a beautiful, peaceful and relaxing destination. There is no road, no traffic, no crowds. Just beautiful views and the sound of waves. The rooms are unique, private and comfortable, just a few meters from the beach. The food is healthy and fresh. The team there is very friendly. Patti, the owner and manager is incredible. So hard working, genuine, and full of great stories. I cannot wait to go back.

Just perfect. Patti and Sammy were amazing hosts. Most amazing beaches I have seen in my life. Accomodation was perfect. Right on the beach but also tucked away in the bushes for privacy. They made lovely vegan food for us as well. We went in November so there were no whales but I wouldn’t change a thing. It felt like we were the only ones on the island. Can’t wait to come back with friends

Loved our stay - the beautiful remote location, the wonderful staff, the delicious food - all exceptional. Our fale was very comfortable and bathroom basic as expected but entirely perfect. Patti, Sami and staff made our stay memorable. The Whale swimming was just incredible, a once in a lifetime experience. Very very special.

This was our second escape to the perfectly named Serenity. We were afraid we might be disappointed--only because our first visit had been so amazing. Silly us! The experience was just as wonderful as we remembered. Patti, Semi and all the staff went above and beyond to make us feel like a welcome addition to the family. Mate and the kitchen crew even set up a romantic table for two out on the beach under the stars to help us mark our 25th anniversary. The highlight of course is the whale watching/swimming. Special thanks to our guide Jack who kept us safe and found us some friendly giants who were curious enough to play with us. It is an experience we will never forget. On other days, snorkeling the reefs on both sides of the island was a real treat. So many different kinds of coral and beautiful fish just off-shore. Serenity is the perfect place to unwind and get away from it all. Yes, it takes a bit more effort to get there, but it is so worth it. We are already plotting our return!

This is a special place. It is in a spectacularly beautiful and unspoiled and private location. The staff are so warm and welcoming, and the cooking is excellent (and will leave you asking for more). We went there in whale season and we cannot recommend it highly enough for swimming with humpbacks. Owner Patti arranged whale-swim trips every day that we were there (except Sundays which is a day of rest by Tongan law), and we had wonderful guides on every trip (Finau, Erez and Jack). We had such incredible, unforgettable and moving encounters with the whales, for example we spent about an hour with a mother that was relaxed and still throughout and a calf that swam away from its mother from time to time to take a closer look at the strange humans bobbing about and got as close as a few metres away from us. We loved the fact that Uoleva feels so uncrowded. You don't have dozens of boats out on the water competing for whales, so it is easy to get lots of quality time with the whales (assuming they don't mind humans hanging out nearby - it's all up to them!), and one does not get the sense that swimming with them is harmful or disruptive as it is done in such a respectful, even reverential, way under the watch of guides whose love for the whales is so evident. Serenity may not be a luxury resort - there is no electricity in the rooms and the Wi-fi is not always consistent, and hot showers are dispensed from bags. But it is clean and very comfortable, the food is absolutely top-notch, and the people there are great and make you feel like family and thoroughly at home. Not to mention the joy of having resident pigs roaming about including Julie who is happy to be stroked. Serenity was simply a paradise and we were very sad to leave - we fully intend to return with family and friends.