Funafuti Atoll

Overview

Introduction

The capital, Funafuti, is a low-key place. You'll find a cluster of administrative buildings near the air terminal, a church, the local village (a 10-minute walk to the north) and a deepwater wharf (10 minutes north of the village). There's not much to do other than walk around and observe the way the people live. Be aware that some locals use the beautiful lagoon beaches as a toilet. To see a more unspoiled scene, it's possible to hire a boat to Funafala Island at the south end of the lagoon. Divers and snorkelers may want to charter a boat to the Funafuti Conservation Area, a group of uninhabited islets and reefs on the west side of Funafuti Atoll, to see spectacular fish and coral. (Take along some food for a picnic on the islets, but try not to leave anything behind that could pollute the reefs.) The big event of the week on Funafuti is the arrival of the flight from Fiji—it often seems as if half the population has turned out to see who is coming or going.

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