As of Jun 19, 2026, 8:54 PM, happening now. Earth Exhibit tracks the live conditions and flags it the moment it is on.
On the south coast of Tongatapu near the village of Houma, the ocean has bored hundreds of channels through a shelf of coralline limestone.
When swell rolls in, the surf is forced up through these vents and explodes into the sky as tall white jets — individual plumes reaching 18 to 30 meters on a good day.
The Tongan name, Mapu'a 'a Vaea, means 'the Chief's Whistles,' for the eerie whistling and booming the vents make as air and water rush through them.
The effect runs for about five kilometers of shoreline, so on a high-swell day you can stand before what looks like a field of geysers all firing at once, spray drifting in the wind and rainbows hanging in the mist.
It is at its most dramatic at high tide when the ocean is up and the swell is strong, the whole coast hissing and thundering in rhythm with the sets.
Where to see it
A taste of where to see it. The full map, exact coordinates and the best timing for each spot live in the app.
| Viewing spots |
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| Mapu'a 'a Vaea Blowholes Viewing Area, Houma |
This is the short version
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