Kiribati vs. Tuvalu

Hello all!

First time poster, long time reader. I know the sections regarding Kiribati and Tuvalu are not the most active but I know a couple of you have been to either/both places and was looking for some help.

I've got roughly a month to spend working as an assistant in a medical office setting on either island and was wondering which place you would suggest -

My main interests are (In no particular order)-

• The chance to snorkel/dive (Either would be fine. I'm not a certified diver but have gone diving before. I don't plan on doing this sort of activity everyday either).

• A chance to see and experience a relatively untouched culture. I do realize that with globalization pretty much all societies have changed. I'm looking more at the indigenous houses/construction, and older ways of life.

In Kiribati I would be based in Tarawa. In Tuvalu I'd be in Funafuti. I understand that neither of these places resemble a paradise of any sort. Both have lagoons that are picturesque but not necessarily clean (Especially Tarawa). I need to go to the outer islands in order to get a true feel of the places.

That brings me to my ask - which place is it easier to reach the outer islands? From my research it seems that Kiribati has a local plane service with fairly reasonable prices. Whereas Tuvalu has no inter-island flights and irregular boat service.

Also regarding accommodation I'm not looking for any luxuries or modern conveniences/entertainment. The only thing I would prefer is a clean room with a fan.

The workload will be roughly the same in both places. I'm just trying to decide which place will provide a more interesting experience.

Any other suggestions/things you think I should know - feel free to mention.

Thanks for any help in advance, I'll be checking this thread a couple times daily and will reply appropriately.

Edited by: JStrongArm

Not been to Tuvalu. Try and get the book "Where the hell is Tuvalu", written by a volunteer 'Peoples Lawyer'. Great read.

Spent 5 days on Tarawa over Easter in 2011.
Tarawa South is a long way from an 'untouched culture' and is possibly one of the most densely populated places on the planet. Traditional villages on Tarawa north are only a bus ride plus an hours walk away.
The ocean around Tarawa South (particularly the lagoon side) is also polluted to the point where swimming is unadvisable.

That was the down side.
We stayed at Marys Motel which was entirely adequate.
The upside is that the experience we had on Tarawa was simply amasing. Not to be missed.
There are also boats to areas of Tarawa North that are easy to access.
They can also use your assistance, I am sure.

Cheers,
Peter

Thanks for the reply Peter!

I'll definitely check out the book you mentioned. I'm currently reading Sex Lives of Cannibals which is about Kiribati and has a somewhat similar theme I believe.

I've heard good things about Marys Motel on a hotel review site. Good to hear it here as well, I'll probably stay there if Tarawa ends up being where I go.

Just waiting for some more replies to see if anyone has any further suggestion/recommendation.

Been to both.

Kiribati preserves FAR more of the traditional way of life, even in North Tarawa.
You can even see some traditional houses on South Tarawa.

Tuvalu is much more "modern", with the only traditional houses remaining on far-flung outer islands, but even there, there are fewer than in Kiribati.

Tuvalu is better for snorkelling though.
The motus on the far side of Funafuti lagoon are very good for both swimming and coral, while in Kiribati, South Tarawa is way too polluted, and I found the seas off North Tarawa far too shallow.

And indeed, "outer islands" are far easier to reach in Kiribati, with flights and more boats to them.

Incidentally, you could find far more traditional (and diverse) way of life, and far better snorkelling, in PNG, Vanuatu or the Solomons than in either of these 2 atoll nations.

I was out of town so just got back.

Thanks for your reply Laszlo. I think I'm going to settle on Kiribati and start gathering more information. The fact that I can get to the outer islands easier + inability/difficulty in getting access to money or banks if needed (Read this on numerous sites) in Tuvalu does it for me. Although after reading Laszlo's post regarding the snorkeling in Tuvalu I would love to make it out there someday.

Just wondering - how readily accessible and costly is bottled water/soft drinks? Random question I know but I'd prefer those than to deal with boiling water - which is effective but not fool proof and takes time.

With regards to the other places mentioned I looked into the Solomons and Vanuatu (PNG as well briefly but it's too big and I couldn't decide where I would want to be based out of). I found a great deal to Vanuatu and may be able to add that in as a stop on my itinerary.

PS: I still have a while before I leave and may have more questions. I'll also post a trip report up upon return to help out others.

Soft drinks are very easy to get in Tarawa but might be harder in the remote outer islands which rely on shop supplies being delivered by ships.
But the council guesthouses you probably stay at will almost certainly provide drinking/boiled water if necessary.

Thanks again for the reply Laszlo! Good to know, I was just worried when I read some things about the quality of water.

One last question -

What would you suggest gifting to people that I may be working with - something for their family/kids/etc?

I've asked the person I'm going to work with a couple times, however they never reply that question. I hope it doesn't come off as rude to ask them if they want anything. And I hope they don't feel inclined to pay me back.

Money!
Many people in Kiribati are really short of that. ;-)

Thanks for the suggestion once again.

I'll definitely give out some to those that I get close to and feel are in need. Probably the best thing to give, rather than anything from here. Allows them to purchase whatever they really need, rather than what some foreigner (Myself) thinks they do.

Exactly.
And of course, it should only be given to those who deserve it, not handed out randomly.