Iโve mentioned many times that Tuvalu is my favourite country, although when I talk about Tuvalu iโm really saying Funafuti, as itโs the only place iโve been.
My trip to Nauru this year (2020) led me to writing my Pacific Socialism blog. The general consensus being that with the state providing so much for the citizens, and 90 percent of the workforce being employed by the state it was a kinda bastion of socialism. Funafuti on the other hand seems to have gone a whole other direction.
Last year Funafuti was a bit of a barren wasteland when it came to restaurants, bars and hotels, but a year seems to be a long time in Tuvalu….
Iโll start with my friend Marriane, a native Tuvaluan that last year returned to Funafuti with the idea of promoting tourism and starting a real coffee shop. Her main restaurant Avarau Cafe is the only place on the island serving good local food (or in fact any local food), as well as decent coffee. Sheโs also expanded to a gift shop, and is now building a hotel fit with a bar (Funafuti needs mire bars). Although itโs not ready yet the whole project is extremely exciting. She also arranges islahd hopping trips and BBQโs, which although not exactly reinventing the wheel offers great culinary avd fun options for when you visit Funafuti.
And this is not the only new thing in Funafuti, thereโs new restaurants, hotels, and even a beachside bar on the far side of the island (not the side with the rubbish dump).
Tuvalu might (still) be the 3rd least visited country on earth, but thereโs still a huge buzz about the place, and itโs only a matter of time for people to truly start discovering it.
Street Food Guy says visit Funafuti….