As part of the 2023-24 Least Visited Countries Tour Young Pioneer Tours had to pick where to spend both Christmas and New Year. Previoulsy our New Years had been spent jumping into a pool fully clothed in Nauru, but what for 2023?
To read about a Nauru New Year click here.
In the end we opted for Christmas in Kiribati and Nauru, while spending New Year 2023/24 in our favourite country in the world, Tuvalu.
What the Tuvalu?
We won’t go too Tuvalu crazy as we already have a guide to it, but we will say it is not only the 3rd least visited country in the world, but frankly stunning.
From a new year point of view though it should be noted that it is also rather Christian, which it would turn out would affect our drinking jollies later on. But where there is a will….
New Year in Tuvalu
Did we mention Tuvalu is Christian? Well this is to such a degree that 18.45-19.00 is a time no one can be on the road as it is prayer time.
With New Years falling on a Sunday night we felt that New Years Day being Monday morning would mean that we would be ok. Initiually this was the case with the “club” supposed to open at midnight, or rather Monday.
And then a 00.00 – 01.00 hour of prayer was added.
Drinks at the Funafuti Lagoon Hotel
Stating the Funafuti Lagoon Hotel gave us a few more perks than regular people got. One of these was the bar, which stayed open until 10 pm.
We utilized this to a great deal, stocking up and seeing in midnight here with the rest of the YPT group. And despite there being other places, this was for all intents the only game in town.
Overall though it was very good.
Matagigiai Bar in Tuvalu
Notoriously the only liquor store and bar in Funafuti, I have previously not only been here, but am also on their wall of shame.
Well at 1 am this place just went bananas with it being a full on bar, club and indeed social nexus. I shall later give Matagigiai Bar Funafuti its own article but the night was epic and I think I pretty much talked to every person on said island.
And to get home I hitched a ride………..
Overall New Year in Tuvalu might not have had fireworks, but it shall remain etched in my brain.
Click the link for the YPT Least Visited Countries Tour.
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