Tuvalu receives fewer than 3,000 visitors a year – most of them from neighbouring Pacific islands, Australia, and New Zealand. Of the rest, the majority are there for one reason: to visit every country in the world. Some navy guys I met at dinner jokingly asked if I was there to “get my passport stamped.” They weren’t at all surprised when the answer was yes.
I spent just under 48 hours on Funafuti, Tuvalu’s main atoll, and came back with tonsillitis, sunburn from walking the entire island, and some of the most genuinely bizarre travel memories I have from anywhere. Here’s everything I learned.
How to get to Tuvalu
There is one way to get to Tuvalu: fly from Fiji.
Fiji Airways operates 3-4 propeller plane flights per week, departing from Suva (most flights) or Nadi. The journey takes around 2.5 hours. The planes hold around 70 seats, which sounds like plenty until you try to book and realise they fill up fast, especially around public holidays and conferences.
A return ticket will set you back around £650 (ouch). This is not a budget destination in terms of getting there. Once you’re on the island costs are low, but the flights are what they are.
The Fiji Airways experience: Despite being on an ATR propeller plane, Fiji Airways actually feeds you properly with a sandwich, biscuits, fruit, and a drink. For a 2.5 hour regional Pacific flight this was a genuine and pleasant surprise. Don’t skip it thinking you’ll eat on arrival. You won’t. More on that later.
Visa: Many nationalities including UK, US, EU, Australia and New Zealand get a free 30-day visa on arrival. No pre-arrangement needed. You’ll also need to complete an online health declaration 48 hours before arrival. Always check your specific passport requirements.
Pack light. Seriously.
Fiji Airways is strict about baggage on these small planes. Cabin bags have size and weight restrictions, and checked bags don’t always make it if the cargo is full. Particularly on the way out of Tuvalu, where locals check in multiple large suitcases and space runs out.
The best approach: leave your main bag at your hotel in Nadi or Suva. My hotel in Nadi was happy to store my backpack for the two days I was away. Take a small bag with a packing cube of clothes and your electronics. That’s all you need.
Where to stay in Tuvalu
This is where advance planning is non-negotiable. There are around 4–5 hotels and lodges on Funafuti – Filamona, Esfam, L’s Lodge, and Funafuti Lagoon being the main ones. None of them have websites. None of them appear on standard booking platforms. You need to email them directly, and you need to do it at least three months in advance. I’m not joking. They’re small, they sell out, and if there’s a conference in town, or some kind of event, you will find nothing available.
I made this mistake, travelling the weekend of international climate negotiations. Having failed to secure a hotel, I eventually panic-booked an Airbnb two days before the trip and it was, genuinely, pretty good. I highly recommend AMS B&B – it’s close to the airport, has wifi and AC, and they sent someone on a motorbike to collect me from the flight. For a place I booked in desperation, it was perfect.
On wifi: Tuvalu runs on Starlink and it was considerably more reliable than I expected. My Airbnb had solid connectivity – I could have worked from there without issue (they charged me 50AUD for a 7-day access code). Filamona lodge also has wifi. You’ll struggle to find it elsewhere, it isn’t available just wandering around. There’s a SIM card store opposite the airport for mobile data but over the two days I was there, it was never open (though to be fair that was a weekend. Some tourists I spoke to had gotten sims without issue during the week, but don’t bank on having mobile data. There were no Esims working in Tuvalu that I could find.
What to actually do in Tuvalu
Let’s be honest: there isn’t a huge amount. And I mean that as useful information, not a criticism. Tuvalu isn’t a destination you go to for sights or activities. You go because it exists and you want to have been there, seen it, and experienced its remote island life. With that framing, here’s what actually fills the time.
Watch the runway
This is, without irony, the main attraction. Funafuti’s runway is only in use for around two hours every other day. The rest of the time it functions as the island’s town square, a meeting place, playground, road, and social hub all in one. At sunset it comes alive – families having picnics, kids playing football and volleyball, dogs running free, motorbikes cruising. It is genuinely one of the more unusual things I’ve seen anywhere.
There’s a specific and slightly existential dimension to this runway if you’re a traveller. I watched my plane take off from the roadside about 30 metres away. Saw it taxi, lift, and disappear into the Pacific. And then I stood there thinking: that’s it. That’s the only way off this island. For the next two days, there is no other option. What if something went wrong with the next flight? And the one after that? The existential dread of being completely, genuinely, inescapably on a tiny Pacific atoll is real. Embrace it.
Walk the atoll
You can walk the full length of Funafuti in a few hours. It is very hot, the sun is intense, and I got badly sunburned doing this, but still recommend. Wear sunscreen and bring water because there’s no opportunity to buy either en route. You’ll pass the port, some building sites, local houses, and a lot of palm trees. It’s scenic in its own way. I distinctly remember seeing lots of dogs, but they were mainly wandering and not interested in passers-by.
There is a beach, technically, but not where you’d expect it. In the main town area, everywhere you think is an exit to the beach is actually a rocky ledge with a drop into the sea. It’s beautiful, but you can’t really go in it. or near it. Walk an hour further up the atoll and you’ll find something beach-adjacent -mainly rocks and coral rather than the soft white sand marketed in Pacific brochures. This is not Fiji. Manage expectations accordingly.
Many hotels, and even Airbnb hosts, will be able to arrange motorbike rental if you’re prefer to drive up and down the island. But then that reduces the time taken for this central activity from a few hours down to 15 minutes, and where is the fun in that?
There is a protected marine area offshore and I’ve heard snorkelling is possible if you rent a boat with a driver who can take you, but there are no agencies offering this, and the hotels I asked didn’t know anything about it. You might have more luck… UPDATE 2026: Filamona Lodge are offering info on booking boat trips, according to their website.
Just exist here
Some of the best time in Tuvalu is genuinely spent sitting somewhere and watching life go on. The pace is unlike anywhere else. People are friendly and curious about visitors — the community is small enough that a tourist is a notable thing. If you speak to people, they’ll talk to you. Expats working in Tuvalu (development workers, NGO staff, government advisors) tend to congregate at Filamona in the evenings and have genuinely fascinating stories if you sit and listen.
Food and drink
Filamona Lodge is where you eat dinner. Full stop. It’s where all the travellers go, the food is decent, and the crowd is worth meeting. One critical rule: dinner is served from 6pm and is whatever is being served that day, no menu. Also it runs out fast. Be there at 6pm sharp to order. I watched people arrive at 6:15 to be told there was nothing left. They were devastated.
Side note – Filamona sells Tuvalu-branded merch. Obviously you need to buy a shirt that says you’ve been to the least-visited country in the world. For bragging rights.
The main road (Tuvalu Road) has a handful of other options including a shack-like Chinese-run place serving curries and rice, similar to what you find across the Pacific. Think noodles, rice and chicken.
Fiji Gold beer is what’s available. Only Fiji beer. This is, in my opinion, a missed opportunity of some magnitude – Tuvalu craft beer tourism is a completely untapped market. But for now, Fiji Gold it is. There’s no alcohol available on Sundays.
Currency: Australian dollars, cash only. No ATMs. Bring enough AUD in cash to cover your entire stay, plus emergency buffer. Budget around AUD 100–150 per day including accommodation and food..
The rules you need to know
The curfew: Every evening from 6:45pm to 7pm there is a quiet time curfew for worship. You cannot walk around, drive, or be in the streets during this time. Police officers enforce it, they will stop you in the street and make you sit down and wait until it ends. I learned this the hard way trying to walk between the restaurant and my accommodation. Sat on a step for fifteen minutes. Not a disaster, but unexpected. Plan your evening movements around this.
Sundays: Everything closes. Everywhere. All of it. Except churches, and (mercifully) Filamona Lodge restaurant. Do not assume you can buy water, snacks, or anything else on a Sunday. Places may look open but staff will tell you they’re not allowed to sell anything. Stock up on water and supplies the day before. And bring snacks with you from Fiji.
Drones: The entire island sits within airport proximity zones and standard consumer drones will flag the airport and refuse to fly. This is not overridden on days where there are no flights. Genuinely frustrating if drone photography is part of your plan.
Medical: There is one hospital on Funafuti. It is basic. Pack paracetamol, ibuprofen, Imodium, antiseptic cream, and any prescription medication you might need. If you get seriously unwell, you’re waiting for a flight to Fiji. The Ace Medical Clinic near Nadi airport does walk-in tourist appointments for around 65 Fiji dollars – worth knowing as your backup plan.
Practical tips summary
Book accommodation 3+ months in advance. Email directly. If hotels are full, Airbnb is a genuine and good alternative.
Bring cash in AUD. No reliable ATMs for foreign cards. No card payments except at Funafuti Lagoon Hotel.
Pack light. Leave your main bag in Fiji.
Be at Filamona for dinner at 6pm. Not 6:10. Not 6:15. 6pm.
Don’t walk around at 6:45pm. Curfew. You will be sat on a step.
Stock up before Sunday. Nothing is open.
Bring medical supplies. The hospital is there but basic.
Sunscreen. The atoll walk will destroy you without it.
Best time to visit: May to October (dry season). The wet season (November to April) brings cyclone risk and heavier rain.
FAQ: Visiting Tuvalu
How do you get to Tuvalu? Fly from Fiji – either Suva or Nadi – on Fiji Airways. There are 3-4 flights per week, around 2.5 hours, propeller plane. There is no other way.
How much does it cost to get to Tuvalu? Return flights from Fiji cost around £650. Once on the island, costs are low, budget AUD 100-150/day.
How long do you need in Tuvalu? One full day is enough to see everything. With flight schedules being what they are, you’ll likely end up with 48 hours, which is plenty and possibly slightly too long if you’re not someone who enjoys slowing completely down.
Where do you stay in Tuvalu? Email Filamona, Esfam, L’s Lodge, or Funafuti Lagoon directly, at least three months ahead. Airbnb is a legitimate and good backup option though there are only a couple of properties listed. AMS B&B specifically recommended.
Is there wifi in Tuvalu? Yes. surprisingly decent if you can find it. Tuvalu runs on Starlink. Speeds were good at my Airbnb and at Filamona, but you have to pay. There’s also a SIM card shop opposite the airport but only functional on weekdays and not a given.
Is Tuvalu safe? Very. Extremely low crime rate, friendly community, no safety concerns for tourists.
What currency does Tuvalu use? Australian dollars. Cash only for everything.
Also worth reading:
- Pacific airlines ranked – honest guide to flying Oceania →
- Rating internet connectivity across all 14 Pacific countries →
- Is Tuvalu worth visiting? →
- Papua New Guinea tribal festivals →
- Full Nauru guide – walking around an entire country in a day →
- Full Vanuatu guide →
- Full Solomon Islands guide →
- Things to do in Tonga →
- Visiting Samoa – Upolu Island guide →
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