Wallis and Futuna: Culture, lagoons and island nature

Wallis and Futuna brings together several travel interests: religious and historic sites, coastal and island destinations, and experiences on and around the lagoon. On Futuna, you can set aside a day for historic and cultural sites; on Wallis, crater lakes and water sports can be among your priorities. The following places and activities can help you organize your trip around the themes that interest you before looking for hotels for your stay.

Religious heritage and history

Wallis and Futuna has around one hundred places of worship with a history and architecture described as unusual. These include the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption on Wallis and the Basilica at Poï on Futuna. The examples are spread across both islands and offer a sense of the destination’s religious diversity. On Futuna, Anakele is the burial place of King Fakavelikele and is regarded as the cradle of the present-day Tui’Agaifo dynasty. If you are interested in the island’s history, you can also visit the Uvea Museum Association: it invites visitors to view a collection about World War II, the US Army, and their impact on Wallis and its residents. Religious buildings, dynastic history and a collection on wartime history thus offer different themes to explore.

Beaches and crater lakes

Alofitai Beach on Alofi has fine, powder-white sand and is shaded by spreading Tilo trees. Nearby attractions include the island’s first freshwater well and the Sacred Heart chapel. This lets you consider the coastal landscape and named sites in the beach’s surroundings as separate points of interest. Wallis has three crater lakes: Lake Lanutavake, Lake Lano and Lake Lalolalo. The landscape interests therefore differ between the shaded beach on Alofi and the three named crater lakes on Wallis.

Workshops, the lagoon and water sports

At the Aka'aka market, you can learn to make traditional handicrafts alongside craftspeople from Wallis and Futuna. The Women’s Territorial Council of Wallis and Futuna also offers various creative workshops. If you want to schedule a workshop, check the current timetable locally.

A lagoon excursion run by the Nukuteatea Association takes you out in a traditional outrigger canoe. Participants prepare a meal together with local residents in a traditional Umu oven, then explore the northern beaches and islets. Check whether the excursion is available before your trip. On the islets around Wallis, activities also include snorkeling in the lagoon, visits to the coral reef and overnight camping; check local access rules before visiting.

For water activities, the Vakala water sports center on the lagoon at Liku offers windsurfing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, catamarans, sailing dinghies and individual lessons. Vakala also operates a water taxi service that you can use to explore Wallis’s beaches, lagoon and islets. Check current departure times before planning a trip. This gives you the option of weighing water sports and a boat trip as different ways to enjoy a stay on the lagoon.

Hiking on Futuna

The climb to Futuna’s highest peak is challenging and requires hiking experience. The reward is a panorama across land and sea. If you include a hike in your travel plans, take this requirement into account when choosing your activities.

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