A thin ring of land in a vast lagoon
Funafuti is the capital atoll of Tuvalu, one of the least-visited countries in the world. A narrow ribbon of land curves around a vast lagoon, and the airstrip doubles as a public space where people play sport and gather in the cool of the evening. The Funafuti Conservation Area, on the western side of the lagoon, protects islets, reefs and seabird colonies and can be reached by boat for snorkelling. Life is slow and community-focused, centred on the maneaba meeting house.