Tuvalu Travel Guide

Tuvalu Travel Guide

By Carly Hedlund

Picture Credit: Funafuti Mangroves, 2023 (Image) https://www.timelesstuvalu.com/touritem/mangrove-planting/

Table of Contents History

Religion

How Students get There

Languages

Climate

Politics

Diet

Conflicts

What to Bring

Social gigs

What to NOT Bring

Additional Information

Vaccines

Resources

History • Discovered in the 16th century but was only placed on European charts in the 1820s.

• Was referred to as the "Lagoon Islands" by Western navigators in the 19th century.

• Under British control until 1974 with the name "Ellice Islands".

• Gained independence in 1978.

Picture credit: Tuvalu Island, 2023 https://facts.net/world/countries/35-facts-about-tuvalu/

How Students Get There Drive to Grand Rapids Airport.

Take a flight from GRR to Los Angeles LAX Airport.

Take flight from LAX to Nadi, Fiji.

Taxi/drive from Nadi to Suva, Fiji.

Flight from Suva to Funafuti, Tuvalu.

Climate • Tuvalu has a tropical climate.

• Wet season from November to April, dry season from May to October.

• Temperatures range from 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F) all year.

• Tuvalu is one of many countries effected by climate

change and rising sea levels.

• Expected to be uninhabitable within 30 years and 95% underwater by 2100.

Picture Credit: Tuvaluan's enjoying time spent in the ocean Timeless Tuvalu – Welcome to the official tourism site for island nation of Tuvalu.

Diet • Tuvalu rely on fishing, agriculture, and imported goods for food.

• National dish is pulaka (swamp taro).

• Staple dishes include: • Rice (imported)

• Coconut • Banana • Fish • Taro Picture Credit: Tuvalu Pulaka

What to Bring • Breathable clothing • Passport • Tourist visa (also available upon arrival) • Athletic shoes • Sandals • Swimming suit • Sunscreen

What NOT to Bring • Thick clothing • Illegal drugs • Weapons

• Valuables

Picture Credit: Tuvaluan children welcoming Oceania leaders Pacific Islands Forum: Tuvalu children welcome leaders with a climate plea | Global development | The Guardian

Vaccines • There are no required vaccines for tourists in Tuvalu.

• The CDC and WHO recommend having these vaccines: • Covid-19 • Hepatitis A and B • Typhoid • Routine vaccines (ex. Measles, Chickenpox, Influenza)

Picture credit: Tuvaluans after receiving 4,800 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine Tuvalu receives 4,800 doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility

Religion • 95% Christian • 86% belong to Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu • 3% Brethren Church • 3% Seventh-day Adventist Church • 8% other • 3% Atheist/Agnostic • 2% Baha'i

Picture credit: Tuvalu's Seventh-Day Adventist Church ESDA | Tuvalu

Languages • Official languages: • Tuvaluan • English (not spoken daily) • Minority languages: • Samoan • Kiribati Language (native Kiribati language) • Gilbertese (Kiribati official language)

Picture Credit: Opening ceremony for the Vaitupu Hope Garden Vaitupu Hope Garden Opening Ceremony 20-11-2015 - Embassy of the Republic of China(Taiwan), Funafuti, Tuvalu

Politics • Gained independence from the UK in 1978.

• Tuvalu has a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy.

• Head of state is King Charles III, who is represented by Governor General Tofiga Vaevalu Falani.

• Prime minister Kausea Natano is head of government.

• Tuvalu is non-partisan country (meaning they have no

political parties).

Picture Credit: Tuvalu Foreign Minister delivering speech in water, 2021 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/08/tuvalu-minister-gives-cop26-speechknee-deep-in-the-ocean-to-highlight-rising-sea-levels.html

Conflicts?

• Tuvalu has never been involved in any foreign conflicts.

• Tuvalu does not have a military force.

• During World War II, the U.S. stationed several thousand troops in Tuvalu, but Tuvaluans never got involved in the war.

• Tuvalu's only "conflict" will be their fight against rising sea levels.

Picture Credit: World War II bomb found in the ocean near Tuvalu World War II bombs found in waters around small Pacific Island country Tuvalu - NZ Herald

Social Gigs • Tuvaluans enjoy music and traditional dance.

• The most popular traditional dance is called fakanau for men, oga for women.

• Feasts are enjoyed regularly.

• Traditional weaving and intricate wood-carving is an enjoyed art form.

• Sports Tuvaluans enjoy are • Soccer (most popular) • Te ano (traditional sport derived from wrestling) • Volleyball Picture credit: Princess of Wales Kate Middleton learning traditional Tuvaluan dance Tuvalu traditional clothing | Duchess of cambridge, Kate middleton photos, Queen kate

• Kilikiti (similar to cricket)

Additional Information • Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country based on land size, and second smallest based on population.

• Tuvalu is known for their friendly citizens and low crime rate.

• Tuvalu was the least visited country in the world, with only 3,700 people visiting in 2019 (World Population Review 2019).

• Main form of transportation is bicycles.

• Tuvalu has a limited healthcare system (so try not to get hurt).

• There is only a limited amount of time to visit Tuvalu, so tourists should plan to visit within the next 20 years.

Picture credit: Tuvaluan dancers Tuvalu | CDC

References • Bucci, Cherri. “35 Facts about Tuvalu.” Facts.Net, 8 Sept. 2023, facts.net/world/countries/35-facts-about-tuvalu/.

• Chepkemoi, Joyce. “What Languages Are Spoken in Tuvalu?” WorldAtlas, 10 Aug. 2017, www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-intuvalu.html.

• Jones, Jasmine. “Tuvalu and Rising Sea Levels.” Inventory of Conflict and Environment (ICE), Template, May 2007, mandalaprojects.com/ice/icecases/tuvalu.htm#:~:text=Currently%2C%20there%20is%20internal%20conflict,indirect%20outcome%20of%20global%20warming.

• “Least Visited Countries 2023.” Least Visited Countries 2023, worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/least-visited-countries.

• “Travel Vaccines and Advice for Tuvalu.” Passport Health, www.passporthealthusa.com/destination-advice/tuvalu/.

• “Tuvalu - United States Department of State.” U.S. Department of State, 15 May 2023, www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religiousfreedom/tuvalu/#:~:text=According%20to%20Boston%20University%27s%20World,are%20members%20of%20the%20EKT. • “Tuvalu System of Government Information.” PacLII, 2001, www.paclii.org/tv/government.html.

• “Tuvalu.” A Year Cooking the World, 10 Jan. 2021, ayearcookingtheworld.com/2016/08/12/tuvalu/#:~:text=The%20main%20staples%20of%20Tuvaluan,taro%20leaf%20in%20coconut%20cream).

• “Tuvalu.” Countries and Their Cultures, www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Tuvalu.html.

• “Tuvalu.” U.S. Department of State, travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Tuvalu.html.

• “Tuvalu: Government.” >> globalEDGE: Your Source for Global Business Knowledge, globaledge.msu.edu/countries/tuvalu/government.

• “Tuvaluan Food: 10 Must-Try Traditional Dishes of Tuvalu.” Travel Food Atlas, 25 May 2023, travelfoodatlas.com/tuvaluan-food.