Avatele Pass (Passe Avatele)

Fakaua Reef (Ilot Fakaua)

Hihifo Pass (Passe du Nord)

Lake Lalolalo (Freshwater/Technical)

Uvea Lagoon Coral Gardens

Wallis Outer Wall

Wallisian food blends Polynesian staples with French influence. The signature dish is kailola, meat or fish slow-cooked in coconut with taro and yam, while fresh reef fish, lobster and giant clam appear on village tables. French bread, pastries and wine are available in Mata-Utu, and tropical fruit - mango, papaya, pineapple - is abundant. Meals are communal and relaxed, often shared after a day on the water.

Hotel Lomipeau

Hotel Albatros

Guesthouse Mozweigh

Fiafia Lodge

Le Lagoon Bungalows

Wallis, known locally as Uvea, is the northern heart of the Wallis and Futuna territory and the most accessible place to dive in this remote French Pacific collectivity. A massive barrier reef encloses one of the largest and most pristine lagoons in Polynesia, sheltering calm coral gardens, turtle-grazed bommies and the three navigable passes that connect the lagoon to the open ocean. The shallow lagoon coral gardens are perfect for relaxed exploration and macro photography, while the passes - Avatele on the west and Hihifo on the north-east - funnel strong tidal currents that bring grey reef sharks, eagle rays, dogtooth tuna and swirling barracuda. Beyond the barrier reef the seaward wall drops vertically into the deep blue, draped in sea fans, black coral and soft corals, and patrolled by silvertip sharks and schooling pelagics. The island also hides Lake Lalolalo, a perfectly circular freshwater crater lake that has attracted technical divers drawn to its sheer limestone walls and submerged forest. With no commercial dive centres, diving here is a self-supported or expedition affair, but the reward is reef systems in a state of remarkable, near-pristine health. Visibility routinely exceeds 40 metres, and the warm, clear water makes Wallis a true frontier for intrepid divers.

Wallis (Uvea) - Lagoon & Outer Reef

Fly into Hihifo Airport (WLS) on Wallis from Noumea or Nadi with Aircalin, then base in Mata-Utu. The lagoon sites are reached by private vessel or local boat from Mata-Utu or Hihifo; the passes and outer wall require a boat capable of handling open-ocean swell. There are no dive centres, so all gear and a compressor must be self-provided or arranged with an expedition.

Where to Stay in Wallis (Uvea) - Lagoon & Outer Reef

Accommodation Overview

Recommended Areas

Mata-Utu

Hihifo

Vaitupu

Featured Hotels & Resorts

Hotel Lomipeau

Hotel Albatros

Guesthouse Mozweigh

Fiafia Lodge

Le Lagoon Bungalows