Tropical climate, sand beaches, crystal clear blue ocean waters and lots of palm trees. Tuvalu has everything.
Except tourists. It doesn't have many of them. In fact, the curving string of thin reef islands and atolls in the Pacific is the least visited country in the world. It typically welcomes about 2,000 visitors during the average year, but only about 400-500 are actual tourists. The rest are government travelers, or those come for family or commercial business.
There's a good reason for that. It is pretty hard to get there.
The main island, the Funafuti Atoll, has the only airport, a tarred runway with service three times a week from Fiji. Two cargo-passenger ships visit the outer atolls every three to four weeks and connect to Fiji.
Modest, family-owned hotel accommodation can be found on Funafuti and some guesthouse accommodations are available on outer islands. However, there is no tourist economy with guides or organized activities. No cruise ships visit the islands.
Tuvalu has a population of about 12,000 (96 percent Tuvaluans). Natives speak Tuvaluan, which is distantly related to Polynesian languages, and English in business.
