The Ultimate Guide to Cycling in Wallis & Futuna

Wallis (Uvea) offers several fantastic options for bicycle rental, with accommodation providers leading the charge in making bikes accessible to visitors.

Accommodation-Based Bike Rentals

The best bicycle rental options on Wallis come through the island's guesthouses, each offering their own unique approach to getting you on two wheels.

Motu Location Bike Rentals

Motu Location keeps things simple with two bikes available for daily hire. While they don't provide helmets (so you'll want to bring your own or ride carefully), they do offer excellent local advice.

We love their recommended route heading north from the guesthouse; the flat roads and beautiful scenery along the coast make for absolutely brilliant cycling. It's one of those rides where you'll find yourself stopping constantly just to take in the views.

Learn more and book your stay on the Motu Location site.

Lausikula Guesthouse Free Bicycle Service

Lausikula Chambre d'Hotes (or Lausikula Guesthouse) takes a guest-friendly approach with three bicycles available as a completely free service or "libre service" for their guests. This is part of their included facilities and services, making it an excellent value-add to your stay.

Learn more about Lausikula's fantastic inclusions on their website.

FugaUvea Rentals & Accommodation

FugaUvea Rentals & Accommodation operates as both a car rental company and accommodation provider, offering pushbikes for daily hire with some nice perks included.

What sets them apart is that helmets and locks come included with your rental, plus they offer free delivery to your accommodation.

The real sweet spot here is if you're staying at their homestay accommodation, where guests get bikes completely free.

Book your bike rental and/or your accommodation at the FugaUvea website.

Bicycle hire is much more limited on Futuna. While the coastal road is mostly flat (the only uphill stretch is between Poï and Vele), there's only one accommodation offering bike rentals.

Because of this limited selection, we recommend contacting the accommodation beforehand to make sure they actually have bikes available. You'll be surprised how quickly the sea breeze corrodes bikes on the island!

Accommodation-Based Bike Rentals

Like Wallis, Futuna's bike rentals are found at accommodations rather than dedicated rental shops.

Akuila Hotel Free Bicycle Service

This hotel, which feels more like a guesthouse, is the closest accommodation to the airport. You could easily combine your airport transfer with bike rental if you prefer this alternative way to get around the island.

The best part? Bicycle hire is completely free of charge.

Learn more and book your stay on the Akuila Hotel site.

Bringing your own bike to Wallis, at least, is definitely doable, though getting your own bike to Futuna presents more of a challenge.

Bringing Your Bike on International Flights

Your best bet for bringing a bike to Wallis is with Aircalin from New Caledonia or Nadi.

Although not explicitly included in their baggage policy, we recommend packing your bike properly in a bike box or bike bag (bike boxes are usually available for purchase at airports). You will also need to make a few adjustments:

• The pedals dismounted or ski lifts to the interior,
• The tires slightly deflated,
• The handlebar parallel to the frame.
• The whole of the projecting parts protected by a strong packaging.

Seal the box securely, label it with your name and phone number, and pack any accessories in a separate bag within the bike box.

According to the Aircalin website: "The small cartridges of non-inflammable gas (containing carbon dioxide or any other gas belonging to division 2.2 of the IATA regulations without subsidiary risk) to inflate tyres, are authorised up to 4 per person on the condition that the water capacity of each cartridge does not exceed 50 ml. In the case of carbon dioxide, a gas cartridge with a water capacity of 50 ml is equivalent to a cartridge of 28 g."

Can You Bring a Bike to Futuna?

Bringing a bike to Futuna is possible but less reliable. You'll likely pay cargo fees, and your bike will only be loaded if there's available space (it's not treated as priority).

You'll find more details about flights to Futuna in our Domestic Flights in Wallis and Futuna: Your Guide to Interisland Flights.

For more comprehensive information about getting to Wallis and Futuna, check out our Getting Here: How to Get to Wallis and Futuna guide.

Wallis and Futuna are excellent islands to cycle around, as most of the roads are flat (apart from some cross-island roads on Wallis and the road between Poï and Vele on Futuna).

The roads are in good condition for cycling on both islands, with the exception of the west coast roads on Wallis (including the road to Lake Lalolalo, so expect to get off and push if you're going there). Futuna has a few more potholes, but it's actually better for cyclists because it slows the traffic down.

How Long Does it Take to Cycle Around Wallis?

At a relaxed pace of 12 kph (7 mph), it takes roughly 3 hrs and 10 minutes to cycle from Tula on the east coast to Poloa on the west coast. The full ride is about 54 km (33.6 mi) following the main coastal road, with plenty of scenic stop opportunities along the way. For a more relaxed experience, consider splitting the journey into two or three days, staying in villages or accommodation along the way.

Cycle Touring Times and Distances on Wallis

(Kilometres / Miles / Minutes)

• Mata'Utu to Gahi Bay: 7 km / 4 mi / 25 mins
• Mata'Utu to Talietumu Tongan Fort: 11.3 km / 7 mi / 40 mins
• Mata'Utu to Hihifo Airport: 6.6 km / 4.1 mi / 23 mins
• Mata'Utu to Cathedral of Mata'Utu: 0.5 km / 0.3 mi / 2 mins
• Mata'Utu to Vailala (Koko Bay): 9.2 km / 5.7 mi / 33 mins

Please note: Times are estimates based on a relaxed cycling speed and local terrain, which can include steep hills and high humidity.

Cycle Touring Times on Futuna

(Kilometres / Miles / Minutes)

• Leava to Pointe Vele: 11.4 km / 7.1 mi / 40 mins
• Leava to Toloke (Somalama and Afiafi Hotels): 6.8 km / 4.2 mi / 24 mins
• Leava to Pierre Chanel Basilica (Poï): 13.1 km / 8.1 mi / 46 mins
• Leava to Utu Magalua (Pyramid Point): 14 km / 9 mi / 49 mins
• Leava to Taoa Village (south coast): 5.2 km / 3.2 mi / 18 mins
• Leava to Nuku Village (west coast): 1.1 km / 0.7 mi / 4 mins

To see how this compares to driving, take a look at the Wallis and Futuna Travel Times & Distances: How Long Does it Take to Travel Around Wallis and Futuna?