Tuvalu
Tuvalu is a tiny Pacific island nation of nine coral atolls and reef islands, home to about 11,000 people. Known for its clear lagoon waters, coconut palms, and traditional Polynesian culture, Tuvalu faces urgent threats from sea-level rise and climate change. The country maintains a close-knit community life, subsistence fishing and copra production, and a strong cultural identity expressed through dance, song, and customary practices. As one of the world’s smallest and most remote nations, Tuvalu plays a prominent role in global climate advocacy.
If you’re here from my post “How to visit every country in the Pacific,” welcome! This is going to be a little more of an in-depth guide on my trip to the country of Tuvalu.
How to get to Tuvalu
Tuvalu is one of the world’s least-visited countries, so getting here is not easy. There are about 3-4 flights per week, and they only fly from Fiji. The only airline that flies to Tuvalu is Fiji Airways. This was part of the “Fiji Airways loop” I mentioned in my other post, so we technically flew from Samoa and had a layover in Fiji before reaching Tuvalu.
Where to stay in Tuvalu
There aren’t many options for hotels in Tuvalu, and most of them are booked out half a year in advance for aid workers and construction workers for the airport runway. We were fortunate to book at the Funafuti Lagoon Hotel (not an affiliate link, just sharing to help), which is fifty meters from the airport. It’s nothing to brag about, but it’s clean and in a good location. There’s also a motorbike rental spot right across the street.
How to get around Tuvalu
Besides walking, we rented a motorbike directly across the street from our hotel. It’s just a house with a sign and a lot of motorcycles out front so you might have to wait until someone walks by. It was $10 USD for the day, including gas.
Staying connected in Tuvalu
My friends and I all used the Airalo Oceania Esim for our trip through the Pacific, but unfortunately it didn’t work for Tuvalu. There wasn’t wi-fi at the airport when we arrived either, so we had to ask around to find our hotel and just ended up using the hotel wi-fi during our time in Tuvalu.
SEARCH | Alternatively, check out Airalo.com for more esim options.
Currency in Tuvalu
Tuvalu uses the Australian dollar, but make sure you bring enough cash for your trip! ATMs don’t work (at least when I went) and credit cards are not accepted.
What to do in Tuvalu
There isn’t a whole lot to do in Tuvalu since you can ride a motorbike from one end of the island to the other in twenty minutes, Beaches are also difficult to get to, surprisingly, considering how small and narrow the island is. I also recommend visiting the airport runway at sunset for a taste of local life — you’ll see the locals hanging out and playing football on the actual airport runway. Where else in the world can you do that?!
Budget
FLIGHTS: $651 USD
The whole Fiji Airways flight loop (Vanuatu - Tonga - Samoa - Tuvalu - Fiji - Solomon Islands) cost $2072 USD, but to just break it down, round trip from Fiji to Funafuti, Tuvalu and back to Fiji cost $651 USD.
HOTEL: $45 USD
MOTORBIKE RENTAL: $10 USD
FOOD & DRINKS: $10 USD
TOTAL SPENT FOR TUVALU: $716 USD
