Tuvalu Getting Around

Getting Around

Atoll-hopping on Tuvalu can be frustrating and expensive. Ideally you will have borrowed your uncle's yacht and can move around at will. More likely though you'll be one of the hundreds of visitors a year who make it to Funafuti and no further. There are no other airstrips aside from the international airport on Funafuti so sea travel is your only option. There is one government-run passenger and cargo vessel the Nivaga II that plies the coral reefs between the islands. The sheer distance it needs to travel for one round trip and variables such as weather and spontaneous crew-declared holidays makes it unreliable at best. This vessel also makes the occasional run to Suva in Fiji. Locals making inter-island trips will be your best bet. Decide on a price before the journey. There is one main road in Funafuti in addition to the runway, which is used for recreational purposes when landings are not scheduled. Private cars are a rarity on Tuvalu because of the size of the islands. The only tar roads are on Funafuti and even then there's not much to speak of. Bicycles and small motorcycles are the most common form of transport on most islands and can generally be hired for a small price. In and around the village and airport on Funafuti there are taxis and minibusses.