Tuvalu Travel Guide

Citizens of Schengen Area countries do not need a visa. Everyone else is eligible for a one-month visa on arrival. This is free for citizens of: American Samoa, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Gibraltar, Grenada, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Korea, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vanuatu and Zambia. For everybody else, the visa costs A$100.

The currency of Tuvalu is the Australian dollar (ISO code: AUD), and the currency symbol is $. Tuvalu has also issued its own coins which are different from the Australian coins and can only be used on Tuvalu. The most common one is the Tuvalu 50-cent coin. The Tuvaluan dollar has a fixed A$1:T$1 rate. However, even within Tuvalu, the Australian dollar is mostly used.

Getting around Tuvalu is simple but requires a relaxed, flexible mindset. Most movement happens on Funafuti, where the main islet, Fongafale, is long and narrow, making it easy to explore by motorbike, bicycle, or on foot. Scooters and bikes are widely rented by guesthouses, and the single main road runs the length of the islet, passing villages, shops, and the airport runway. Traffic is light, and distances are short, so getting around feels easy and informal.

Tuvalu has two official languages: Tuvaluan and English. Tuvaluan, a Polynesian language closely related to Samoan and Tokelauan, is spoken in everyday life across all the islands. Each island has its own slight variations in accent and vocabulary, but the language is mutually understandable everywhere. English is used in government, education, and formal communication, though it’s less common in casual conversation, especially on the outer islands.

A siren signals when to leave the runway for an approaching plane. Violent crime is rare, and usually involves alcohol and family disputes. In fact, Tuvalu is believed to be a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world. In 2025, there were only two inmates in the nation's only prison.

Tap water quality is inconsistent at best; it's often collected from rooftops. Don't drink it without boiling or treating.

Tuvalu uses the Australia/New Zealand electrical plug with 240 volts and 50 Hz. Local numbers in Tuvalu have 5 digits, with the first 2 representing the islands as follows: There is available a GSM network in 900 MHz, provided by Tuvalu Telecom, with ID: 553-01.

Tuvalu uses the Australia/New Zealand electrical plug with 240 volts and 50 Hz. Local numbers in Tuvalu have 5 digits, with the first 2 representing the islands as follows: There is available a GSM network in 900 MHz, provided by Tuvalu Telecom, with ID: 553-01.