Wallis and Futuna Guide

Lake Lalolalo is the most spectacular of the crater lakes on Wallis.

Sights Around Wallis

A rough road up to the tiny ruined chapel atop Mt. Lulu Fakahega (145 meters) brings you to the highest point on the island. Take the road west from Mata-Utu to the main north-south road in the center of the island: The track is on the left about 500 meters north of the crossroads. From the summit the jungle-clad crater is fairly obvious, and you can descend to the taro plantation below along an easy trail. The view from Mt. Lulu Fakahega of Uvéa's rich red soil cloaked in greenery is quite good.

Lake Lalolalo on the far west side of Wallis is spectacular: It's circular, with vertical red walls 30 meters high, which make the pea-green water almost inaccessible. At dusk flying foxes (peka) swoop over Lake Lalolalo from their perches on overhanging trees, and there are blind eels in the lake. Another of the crater lakes, Lake Lanutavake, is less impressive, but you can swim (approach it from the west side). The Americans dumped their war equipment into the lakes just before they left.

The ruins of the 15th century fortified Tongan settlement at Talietumu between Mu'a and Halalo have recently been excavated and restored.

There are no good beaches on the main island of Uvéa, but coralline Faioa Island on the reef southeast of Mu'a has the white sands bordering a turquoise lagoon of which South Seas dreams are made. When the easterlies are blowing hard, this is a protected place to anchor; nearby Gahi Bay is another good protected anchorage for yachts. Yachts also anchor off the wharves at Halalo and Mata-Utu, though it can be choppy if a wind is blowing.