Tuvalu is one of the smallest nations in the
world when it comes to population and size as it’s only about 15
square miles and has a population of around 12,000 people.
Tuvalu is a group of nine islands that can be found in the South
Pacific Ocean with the colorful Funafuti being its capital. The
nation used to be known as the Ellice Islands. It became a
British colony in 1975 and gained independence just three years
later. Tuvalu is well known by internet users; as
the domain extension of .tv has brought about $50 million into
the islands. It’s an ideal site for exploring undisturbed coral
reefs, snorkeling, swimming, diving, fishing, and sailing.
The islands were first settled by Polynesians
from Samoa and Tonga about 3,000 years ago. Europeans discovered
it in 1568, but didn’t start settling anything there until the
late 1700s. The British made it a protectorate in 1892 and the
Ellice Islands were combined with the Gilbert Islands in 1916 as
a colony. Thousands of Allied forces were stationed there during
World War II.
If you’ve always dreamed of spending time on a
deserted island, then the Funafuti Marine Conservation Area is
the ideal place for you as it consists of five islets on the
western coast of Funafuti. They’re all protected and
uninhabited, but a great place to visit as they feature
beautiful white sand, dense forests, lagoons, reefs, palm trees,
seabird colonies, and green turtles. You’ll also get to see many
different kinds of brightly coloured reef fish. The marine
conservation area covers about 20 square miles and also offers
hiking, snorkelling, bird-watching, and picnicking.
Over on Nanumea, you’ll come across a fresh-water pond and
large church. When wandering the island you may also come across
a wrecked cargo ship and plane wrecks from the war. You can
reach Nanumea by government supply ships.
Nukulaelae is a coral island with a rich history
as well as a lot of singing and dancing. It also has an ancient
archaeological site that dates back before Christianity. The
weather’s quite warm and humid all year around, both day and
night. However, Tuvalu does get its fair share of rain
throughout the year, especially between December and March.
You can get into Tuvalu by plane at the
international airport on Funafuti. There aren’t a lot of flights
and most of them come from Fiji. Of course, you can also reach
the nation by sea. Many people like to travel over from Fiji by
booking a berth on the government-owned cargo ships as they make
the four-day journey back and forth a few times a year.
You might have a hard time trying to rent a car
in Funafuti, as there aren’t many of them around at all.
However, there are some minibuses and taxis and you should be
able to renting scooters and bicycles. It’s pretty easy to
explore the smaller islands on foot. Island to island travel
will need to be done by sea.
The official languages in Tuvalu are Tuvaluan,
English, Samoan, and Kiribati and the Australian Dollar is used
as the national currency. Most people speak English on Funafuti,
but you might have a bit of a problem finding locals that speak
it on the smaller islands.
There’s a state-owned hotel on Funafuti where
you can stay and the nightlife is pretty active for such a small
island. The hotel is about 50 yards from the airport, has a
restaurant, bar, and dance floor and overlooks a lagoon. You
should also be able to find several guesthouses there. Local
dishes as well as international fare can be found and there’s
quite a good supply of fresh seafood.
Tuvalu allows you to soak in the local way of
life while taking in the amazing scenery and marine life. If you
want to get away from city life for a while and live like a
native, this is the place to be.
