The Outer Islands

Beyond the capital atoll of Funafuti lie Tuvalu's outer islands, a handful of far-flung atolls and reef islands scattered across the ocean that are among the most isolated inhabited places on earth. Reached only by the government supply ship that makes infrequent, days-long voyages between them, these tiny, low-lying islands, with names like Nanumea, Nui and Nukulaelae, are worlds almost wholly untouched by the outside, of pristine turquoise lagoons, deserted palm-fringed beaches, and deeply traditional Polynesian village life centred on the maneapa, fishing and community. For the rare and hardy traveller who reaches them, they offer an extraordinary glimpse of a way of life at the very edge of the world.

What you actually see

• The pristine lagoons - the untouched turquoise atoll lagoons.
• The deserted beaches - the empty palm-fringed shores.
• The traditional villages - the deeply traditional island life.
• The supply-ship voyage - the journey between the far-flung atolls.

When to go

May to October, the drier, cooler season, for the best conditions; the outer islands are reached only by the government supply ship, which sails infrequently on voyages of several days, so reaching them requires patience, flexibility and considerable time, planned carefully around the unpredictable schedule.

Honest expectations

The outer islands are among the most remote and hardest-to-reach inhabited places on earth, accessible only by an infrequent, slow and basic supply ship on voyages of days, with no tourist facilities whatsoever, so reaching them is a genuine expedition for only the most adventurous, patient and self-reliant travellers, and possible only with considerable time and flexibility. For the extraordinary reward of experiencing pristine atolls and deeply traditional Polynesian village life at the very edge of the world, though, almost wholly untouched, the outer islands are singular and unforgettable.

Nearby

The capital atoll of Funafuti is the departure point for the supply ship.