[5] He reported the island to be barren from eruptions, and called it for that reason Amargura (Bitterness in Spanish).

[6] It was subsequently seen by La Pérouse on 27 December 1787, and by HMS Pandora during its hunt for the Bounty mutineers, who named it "Gardner’s Island".

[4]: 4 A major eruption in 1846, starting 11 June, destroyed much of the vegetation of Vavaʻu and spread ash around for at least a year.

[7] In the 1980s the island was leased for 30 years to the Chen family as part of a scheme to sell Tongan passports to wealthy foreigners.

[8][9] In September 2022 scientists mapping marine life noted discolouration in the water near the island and emissions of sulphuric gases.