Funafuti Island - Tuvalu - International Islands

Funafuti island is the “capital” city and island of the independent nation of Tuvalu. Funafuti is the most visited part of Tuvalu, but that is not saying much as this is the 3rd least visited country on earth.

It is though a favourite for International Islands and this is for a number of reasons.

Getting to Funafuti Island

You got very few choices when it comes to getting yourself to Funafuti, there’s weeks on a cargo ship, or flight. There are actually 3 flights per week, usually, with 2 from Fiji and one from Kiribati, another island paradise we will deal with another time.

Arriving here is actually one of the treats of coming here, as the runway to the airport also doubles up as a sports ground/road. Technically you are not supposed to bomb it down here on a motorbike, but you can and the police at best will tell you off.

There is one tour group that comes here too! You can check out the Least Visited Countries Tour here.

What is there to do on Funafuti Island?

Not all that much to be honest, but that in essence is what makes this island so great. Shaped like a funny L the whole island, which is actually more perfectly described as atoll and sits snuggle in the middle of the Funafuti lagoon.

This also means that Funafuti is surrounded by islands and atolls that can be visited with relative ease, another highlight of coming here. It’s not quite Palawan Island Hopping, but it certainly does the job.

Aside from that its all about relaxing in the couple of bars, going to the beach, or driving around the island on a scooter, which takes all of 20 minutes.

Another highlight is simply the locals, who are extremely friendly and just how clean the island is. You see some ship wrecks, but next to no litter. This is my mind at least makes it more beautiful and well kept than say Tarawa of Kiribati.

Where to stay in Funafuti?

For such a small island Funafuti technically has a lot of hotels, but most are for the want of a batter word, a bit shit. Whenever I have stayed, or brought a your to Tuvalu I have stayed at the Funafuti Lagoon Hotel. It is pretty simple and about $80 a night, but they rent bikes (a must) and have a bar and restaurant.

Can you buy islands near Funafuti?

Moneyed Tuvaluan’s own islands around Funafuti, one of which I have visited and will probably write about (should I remember the name). Generally speaking though foreigners cannot buy islands in Tuvalu and there are no foreign owned island style resorts in the country.

You can though at least visit them.