Have you ever wanted to get away from it all, and travel to somewhere virtually unspoiled by tourism? To visit a place with unspoiled beaches, waving palm trees and no crowds? Nestled in the west-central Pacific Ocean, this island nation has nine islands, including three reef islands and six atolls. Meanwhile, its population is around 11,000 residents, making this one of the smallest countries in the world. In some ways, a visit here is like traveling to the past.
About the Pacific nation of Tuvalu
Unlike most of the Pacific nations, which were settled thousands of years ago, Tuvalu is fairly new. It has been inhabited for around 700 years and the first settlers here were from Tonga and Samoa. For some time it was a British territory but gained independence in 1978. At that stage, it changed its name from Ellice Islands to Tuvalu.
The main island is Funafuti, which hosts more than half the country’s population of around 6,000. In fact, the entire atoll of Funafuti is considered the capital.
The islands have no ATMs and credit or debit card payments are not accepted here and visitors are recommended to bring traveler’s checks or plenty of cash. However, the island nation does have a bank – the National Bank of Tuvalu, that opens from 10 am to 2 pm Mondays through Thursdays and 9 am to 1 pm on Fridays.
Meanwhile, Tuvalu has no banknotes of its own and uses the Australian dollar. However, coins have been issued here since 1976 and it is unusual to come across one in daily shopping.
Climate change and global warming could eventually have their way with Tuvalu, as the highest point in the island nation is on the island of Niulakita, which measures 15 ft (4.6 m). Due to this, the low-lying Pacific nation is under threat from rising sea levels. However, ironically, while Tuvalu is small and flat and perfect but bicycles, local residents tend to prefer scooters and motorcycles to get around.
Meanwhile, as there are no rivers or lakes, the primary freshwater source here is rainwater, carefully conserved for daily use.
Traveling to Tuvalu
The island has a small airport with only one active runway of 5,000 ft (1,524 m) in length. As there is no runway lighting, minimal air navigation equipment and VHF radio, operations are restricted to daylight hours. However, there are three flights a week to the island nation on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Some flights are available from Hawaii to Fiji, but many of the flights connect through Australia. Getting there from Europe involves trains and planes – have a look at the options here on Rome2Rio.
While there aren’t many flights, the unfenced runway becomes lively most afternoons and evenings, as locals play in the wide open space. A number of games are played while the residents socialize and enjoy themselves. Ironically, the airport code is FUN, which is totally appropriate.
Politics of the islands
Initially, when Tuvalu wanted to join the United Nations, it couldn’t afford the entrance fee. However, when Internet domain names were first assigned to each country, the island nation received the sought-after abbreviation of .tv. In 2000, Tuvalu cleverly negotiated a 12-year, $50 million lease of its domain, and again in 2012. The profits gained were used to install electricity on the outer islands, create scholarships for the people, and finally join the United Nations.
Moreover, this tiny island nation has no army and only has a Taiwanese Embassy in place. Moreover, it is one of the world’s least visited, and least populated nations, as well as one of the smallest countries in the world.
Surprisingly, there is Internet available, but visitors will find it to be painfully slow. This makes the country perfect for going “cold turkey” while leaving the smartphone at home.
While it sounds rustic, Tuvalu could be just the place to relax and tune out of the stress of daily life. Spend time getting to know the locals and their cuisine and enjoy the beaches with no tourist crowds. You might find yourself coming back again in the future.