Navigate Noonsite

  • Home
  • Member Benefits
    • Login
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • About Noonsite
    • About Us
    • Contacts
    • Newsletter
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Latest News and Reports
    • Latest News
    • Latest Reports
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Cruising Resources
    • Courtesy Flags
    • Piracy and Security
    • Cruisers Websites
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Countries by Region
  • Explore Tuvalu
    • Profile
      • Facts
      • Security
      • Explore Tuvalu

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • Formalities
      • Clearance
      • Immigration
      • Customs
      • Health
      • Fees
      • Restrictions
      • Local Customs
      • Pets
      • Explore Tuvalu

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • General Info
      • Time Zone
      • Yachting Essentials
      • Opening Hours
      • Money
      • Communications
      • Transport
      • Diplomatic Missions
      • Emergencies
      • Publications
      • Links
      • Explore Tuvalu

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • Update History
      • Update History
      • Date Last Edited
      • Last Edited By
      • Explore Tuvalu

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • Related User Comments
    • Related Reports
    • Related News
    • Regions and Ports
      • Funafuti
      • Outer Atolls (Tuvalu)
      • Explore Tuvalu

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Countries and Ports
  • Find a Business
  • Find News
  • Find a Report
  • Find a Comment
Loginor Register for free to find a world of benefits

The Ultimate Cruisers Planning Tool

Register for free Login 17666 Members
Transiting the Panama Canal - Tolls to double for small craft in 2020: Click here for more Noonsite Product Update for June, Click here for more Convoys between Grenada and Trinidad make passage safer and more fun: Click here for more The Path Between the Seas - Book of the Month Recent Noonsite Website Outages

Explore: Tuvalu

  • Profile
    • Facts
    • Security
  • Formalities
    • Clearance
    • Immigration
    • Customs
    • Health
    • Fees
    • Restrictions
    • Local Customs
    • Pets
  • General Info
    • Time Zone
    • Yachting Essentials
    • Opening Hours
    • Money
    • Communications
    • Transport
    • Diplomatic Missions
    • Emergencies
    • Publications
    • Links
  • Update History
    • Update History
    • Date Last Edited
    • Last Edited By
  • Related User Comments
  • Related Reports
  • Related News
  • Back to Country List
  • Back to Main Ports
Previous Page

Facts

  • Formerly the Ellice Islands, the name Tuvalu means “cluster of eight”, although the group, in fact, consists of nine low-lying coral atolls. Only eight of them were inhabited when the name was chosen, but a small community now lives on previously uninhabited Niurakita, the southernmost island of the archipelago.
  • The islands lie just below the equator and west of the Dateline, their nearest neighbours being Kiribati, 200 miles to the north, and Fiji, 600 miles south. With a total land area of only 11 sq miles (26 sq km), Tuvalu is one of the smallest countries in the world, spread out in half a million square miles of ocean.
  • The small island communities still lead a very traditional lifestyle. See Local Customs With the exception of the main island of Funafuti, yachts rarely visit the islands (on average 12 a year). Although some only have precarious anchorages in the lee of a fringing reef, the lagoon is accessible in at least two islands, at Nukufetau and Nanumea, and there are plans to open passes into some of the other lagoons. See Outer Atolls
  • Whilst in the past it was possible to request permission to visit some of the other islands, this concession has been abused by some yachts and the procedure is now much more complicated with permits no longer be automatically granted.
  • For information on supplies and provisions, see Yachting Essentials.
  • Water is scarce, as the islands rely on rainfall. In the rainy season, rain can be heavy and one can easily collect enough.

Security

Tuvalu lies on the northern edge of the hurricane belt, and occasionally severe cyclones strike the islands, as did cyclone Ofa in February 1990. There is little seasonal change in the climate, although in October to March strong westerly winds and heavy rainfall can occur. The average temperature is 86°F (30°C).

Tuvalu Meteo Service is based in Vaiaku. A personal visit is worthwhile and the staff are very friendly. A daily emailed nautical weather forecast can be arranged.

Tuvalu Weather Forecast

A useful guide to South Pacific weather resources compiled by a Noonsite contributor, Rory Garland.

For links to free global weather information, forecast services and extreme weather information see the Noonsite Weather Page.

Courtesy Flag

YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members.

YachtFlags.com provides high quality courtesy flags that are manufactured in durable Knitted Polyester fabric. Knitted so that the fabric itself does not deteriorate in the constant movement that marine flags are usually exposed to, and polyester so that the flag does not weaken in the strong UV-light usually found in the main sailing areas of the world.

Use the coupon code NOONSITE_5A2B when checking out to get 10% off today.

Buy Now On YachtFlags.com

Main Ports

  • Ports of Entry: Funafuti
  • Other Ports: Outer Atolls (Tuvalu)

Places

Tuvalu
Click here to view Related User Comments

Terms of Use

Cookie Policy

Privacy Policy

Countries

Subprocessors

© Copyright World Cruising Club