25 Tips for Your Family Vacation to Wallis & Futuna with Kids

Wallis and Futuna might be one of the world's least-visited destinations, but booking early becomes absolutely crucial during peak season. Accommodation options are already limited on these remote islands, and family rooms are even scarcer.

The busiest periods are December, when Christmas and New Year festivities draw locals together in celebration.

July through August represents another peak period during the middle of the dry season, when the weather is more favourable and there are many local events bringing communities together. According to locals, these months see the highest demand for the few available accommodations.

To avoid disappointment, we recommend securing your family accommodation at least three months in advance during these periods. Check out The Best Time to Visit Wallis & Futuna: Best Months to Visit for our advice on when to visit!

For families who might be used to resort holidays in the South Pacific, note that Wallis and Futuna is a little different. There are only three accommodations that offer swimming pools, and crucially, they do not have safety fences around them.

We recommend discussing pool safety with your family before arrival and considering bringing flotation devices for added peace of mind.

Swimming in Wallis and Futuna's lagoons and sheltered bays, however, is arguably more interesting than a swimming pool experience, but it's still vital to keep water safety in mind when out in the elements.

For more safety tips, head to Wallis & Futuna Safety Tips: Is it Safe to Travel to Wallis & Futuna?

With not much discount on child fares for flying from Wallis to Futuna, flying the tribe to the territory's other island is a major expense.

Considering you can arrive in Wallis, it's best to stick to the main island if you’re on a tight budget and/or on limited time (5-7 days). Don't worry, Wallis has many islets within its lagoon that you can travel to by boat for that "outer island" experience.

There’s plenty to keep you occupied; just check out our Wallis & Futuna Itinerary: 5 Days and Wallis & Futuna Itinerary: 7 Days.

When you're travelling with little ones, finding safe swimming spots becomes your top priority, and this is especially crucial in Futuna.

Futuna's reef drops straight into the Pacific Ocean, which means there's no protection from strong currents.

Wallis is a different story altogether. The barrier reefs create a lovely protected lagoon that's much gentler for families with children.

We personally recommend doing your homework before you dive in (literally). Check out our comprehensive guide 10 Best Swimming Beaches in Wallis & Futuna where we've mapped out all the safest spots for families.

It’s important to assign roles between parents or between the whole family before jetting off to Wallis and Futuna.

Who is going to be in charge of the food? Who is going to choose the activities? Who is going to book the activities? Who is going to handle the airport check-in while the other watches the kids?

Communicate these roles early so you avoid hick-ups in Wallis and Futuna, giving more time for everyone to enjoy themselves. Plus, assigning small roles to the children is a great way to teach responsibility.

While your kids are bound to learn a lot about Wallis and Futuna from cultural tours, get them excited for their trip away by educating them on Wallis and Futuna before you go!

Use a map and show them where you're all visiting, and pull out some trivia from our 10 Fun Facts About Wallis & Futuna.

Teaching your children basic French before visiting Wallis and Futuna opens up incredible opportunities for genuine cultural exchange with local kids.

We've found that children are natural language learners, and even simple phrases like "bonjour" (hello) and "comment tu t'appelles?" (what's your name?) can spark instant friendships at the beach.

What makes this destination truly magical for families is watching your children connect with local kids who effortlessly switch between French, Wallisian and Futunan throughout their day.

The beauty is that children communicate through gestures, laughter and play even when words fail, creating bonds that transcend language barriers.

For comprehensive language preparation before your trip, check out our Language Guide, which covers essential phrases in all three languages your children will encounter on the islands.

There’s always a bit of downtime when travelling, especially at the airport if you’ve been savvy enough to check in on time (or during the likely necessary stopover in New Caledonia or Fiji).

Games are an essential boredom-buster while getting the whole family bonding, so pack some travel-size games, like Uno and Connect 4 Grab & Go. They’ll also come in handy when you’re enjoying some downtime at your accommodation after a day full of adventures.

You may also want to pack a few snacks, but just note that once they are opened, you probably won’t be able to pass them through Quarantine once you land, so don’t go too overboard.

Moving on to some activity tips for Wallis and Futuna, of course, you’ll want to plan some family fun together. A holiday to Wallis and Futuna is the perfect opportunity to bond and reconnect.

Head to an uninhabited motu (islet) for the day for some sensational snorkelling and sandcastle building, visit historical Tongan forts that will blow the children's minds and much more. Plan your adventures using our whopping 20 Best Things to Do in Wallis & Futuna with Kids!

Bonus Tip: Always ask if there’s a family discount on tours; they usually work out a bit cheaper than paying for adult and child tickets separately.

On the flip side, packing your itinerary to the brim with sights and activities is probably just going to exhaust everyone.

Allow a free day or two in your holiday to relax and enjoy more of the simple pleasures; a day at the beach is plenty (and kids love hermit crab hunting)!

Ok, Wallis and Futuna isn’t Fiji. It's not even New Caledonia.

Kids’ clubs and babysitting services are nonexistent, so you will have to spend some time with your kids.

All in all, Wallis and Futuna is definitely a destination best spent together as a family.

With a tropical climate and rain being a possibility no matter what time of the year you visit, it's a good idea to have one or two rainy-day backups. There are some fantastic museums, cafés and much more.

Head to 5 Things to Do in Wallis & Futuna on a Rainy Day for ideas!

Wallis and Futuna are both perfect islands for a family road trip; you’re never stuck in the car for too long until you come across an amazing blue hole or beach to explore.

On the downside, vehicle rental companies have a limited supply of baby or booster seats. If you need one, make sure to request one early, ideally upon booking!

Get more vehicle rental tips, including the best type of car to rent, in our guide, What You Need to Hire a Car in Wallis & Futuna.

If you'd rather jump into holiday mode than buy baby food or snacks for the family from the supermarket upon arrival, then bring a few snacks for the first couple of days in Wallis and Futuna.

You can bring food to Wallis and Futuna as long as it's commercially prepared and packaged, and you avoid fresh fruit and vegetables – see Arriving in Wallis & Futuna: Airport Customs, Quarantine & Arrival Process.

On the subject, if there's a particular brand of baby food that you want to stick to in order to avoid any stomach upsets, it's best to bring it with you. Otherwise, French and New Zealand brands are available in local supermarkets. Learn more about self-catering in A Guide to Supermarkets & Food Shopping in Wallis & Futuna.

That’s right, kids’ menus are rarely available in Wallis and Futuna, so you sometimes have to get quite creative with what younger kids can eat.

Look out for entrée menus, but specify clearly that it is for your child and that you would like all the food served at the same time (no matter how much it kills the French-style ways). Where entrées don't exist, the restaurant is likely to serve "Wallisian portions" which are ideal for sharing.

For more tips about children’s menus and the cost, head to The Complete Family Travel Guide to Wallis & Futuna.

Continuing with food, one of the delights of visiting Wallis and Futuna is discovering that even the simplest pleasures feel wonderfully exotic. The local shops are absolutely brimming with authentic French bonbons, biscuits and treats that you'd typically need to hop on a plane to Paris to enjoy.

Stock up on these European goodies before heading out on family adventures. There's something magical about munching on proper French chocolates while exploring Lake Lalolalo or spreading out a baguette picnic on a secluded motu (islet).

The kids will be thrilled with the colourful array of sweets that are completely different from what they'd find back home. From classic French gummy bears to buttery madeleines, these treats make excellent bribes for cooperative sightseeing behaviour.

Pro tip: grab some cheese, fresh bread and local fruit to create the perfect island picnic spread. Nothing beats a proper French feast with a Pacific backdrop.

One of the most rewarding aspects of visiting Wallis and Futuna with your family is experiencing the rich cultural traditions firsthand. However, it's essential to prepare your children for appropriate behaviour during cultural ceremonies and events.

We've found that many tourists don't realise they can't move around freely or take photos during certain sacred moments. This is particularly important if you're visiting during Territory Day or National Day celebrations in July, or attending a church service.

Before attending any cultural event, take a moment to explain to your children that staying quiet and remaining in their seats shows respect for local traditions. According to locals, this consideration is deeply appreciated and helps create a more meaningful experience for everyone involved.

For detailed guidance on local etiquette, check out our Wallisian and Futunan Etiquette: Wallis & Futuna Customs & Traditions guide, and discover more about cultural celebrations in 10 Biggest Events & Festivals in Wallis & Futuna.

Making sure that everyone in the family is drinking water regularly is absolutely essential to their health while in Wallis and Futuna’s tropical climate. While tap water is made safe to drink on Wallis, this is not the case on Futuna.

Bottled water is readily available to buy in Wallis and Futuna. Otherwise, boiling water is another way to go.

So that there’s no stress over the issue, we recommend getting the family a few Lifestraw water bottles that remove 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria as you suck through its filtration straw. Plus, a reusable option is much kinder on the planet you’re leaving your kids.

Find out more about water safety in Is the Water Safe to Drink in Wallis & Futuna?

Although we have a full packing list in What to Pack for Wallis & Futuna, those with infants will need to consider a couple of holiday extras.

As mentioned, a core part of your Wallis and Futuna family holiday is spending some time in the water, so waterproof nappies/diapers are a must for the packing list! Normal nappies/diapers are normally readily available in supermarkets, if you’re not bringing your own.

Additionally, a baby carrier is the way to go, as most attractions are not stroller-friendly in Wallis and Futuna.

You probably already know that Wallis and Futuna is a fantastic destination for snorkelling, especially for kids within the safe and sheltered lagoon of Wallis. However, snorkelling masks and fins, especially for kids, are not always available.

In short, bring snorkelling gear for the whole family to truly make the most of the amazing underwater landscapes and the wildlife that resides in them!

See The Best Snorkelling in Wallis & Futuna: Top 10 Places to Snorkel for all the best snorkelling hotspots and quick tips for safe snorkelling.

For an extra piece of protection while spending so much time in the water, we highly recommend that you get rashies (rash vest/swimming T-shirt) for younger ones that are more prone to sunburn, especially as sunscreen otherwise needs to be applied much more often when swimming (and no kid likes being pulled out of the water every couple of hours for a sunscreen slap-on).

We like Sharkskin for their rapid-dry rashies which have SPF 50+ protection, come in fully recyclable packaging and are saltwater, chlorine and UV-resistant so can be used for many more holidays to come.

We also recommend packing some reef shoes to protect little feet when standing on rocks or bits of coral. Speedo Kids and Toddlers Water Shoes are a great choice for little ones.

Perhaps the biggest health concern in Wallis and Futuna is the sun. While it makes for an awesome holiday by the beach, the UV levels are high and are especially harmful to unprotected sensitive skin.

Make sure you are quite strict on sun protection with child-friendly (and reef-safe) sunscreen, cover exposed skin where you can, use sunhats, stay in the shade when UV levels are at their highest (around midday) and drink plenty of water.

See The Best Sunscreens for Wallis & Futuna + Sun Protection Tips for more advice.

When buying your travel insurance, look for insurance that covers children too. Most travel insurance companies have policies to cover kids for free if travelling with an adult so always inquire.

Better yet, check out our Exclusive Deal with Global Rescue to gain one of the world's most comprehensive travel protection memberships that covers the whole family. Not only do they offer insurance policy add-ons, but they actually do the repatriation and medical consultation work themselves.

Note that not all medications are easy to find in Wallis and Futuna.

Pack all the essential medication and toiletries you might need, including the original box of the prescribed medication (with notes and the name on the prescription).

We have a whole list of things to pack in your travel first aid kit, just in case there are some accidents or illnesses, in What Medication to Pack in Your First Aid Kit for Wallis & Futuna.

Finally, while this is a little piece of shameless self-promotion, make sure you do your research!

A good place to start is right here on Wallis & Futuna Pocket Guide where we not only have The Complete Family Travel Guide to Wallis & Futuna but even complete lists of experiences in the 20 Best Things to Do in Wallis & Futuna with Kids.