Faioa is one of the islets in the lagoon of Wallis, and it is named on the board's taxi-boat page from Gahi Bay. The Wallis lagoon holds more than a dozen uninhabited islets, which you reach by taxi boat or by kayak from the Vakala watersports centre. Check with the Tourist Office about protected areas and rules before you go.
Things to do ·
Faioa Island, Wallis: Visiting the Lagoon Islet
Faioa is one of the uninhabited islets in the Wallis lagoon, reached by taxi boat from Gahi Bay. What our records say, what they don't, and the rules.
01
Where Faioa sits in the lagoon
Wallis is encircled by a lagoon and a barrier reef. The reef is 4 to 5 km wide, with about 220 km² of coral. All the lagoon islets lie on the eastern side of the reef, while the passes are on the west and south, and only the Honikulu pass in the south takes large ships.
The lagoon holds more than a dozen uninhabited islets, known as motu. Faioa is one of three islets named on the Gahi taxi-boat page, alongside Fenuafoou and Nukuatea.
02
Getting to Faioa
Visitors reach the motu by taxi boat, or by kayak from the Vakala watersports centre in Liku. For Faioa, the practical starting point is Gahi Bay, which is the only authorised anchorage on Wallis. The restaurant La Paillote, a va'a base and the Chapelle de Gahi are beside the taxi-boat pier.
The Gahi taxi-boat listing says reservation only and a group of up to 15 people, and it lists Faioa as a destination, alone or combined with Fenuafoou and Nukuatea. It also lists prices, but the board's pages are undated, so we do not quote them. Ask the operator for current prices when you book. If you have searched for Faioa islet Wallis or the île de Faioa, this is the route our records support.
03
Rules, permission and protected areas
The board advises checking with the Tourist Office about protected areas and rules before visiting the islets. The records we hold do not state specific rules for Faioa, such as landing limits or fees, and we will not invent any.
Guide advice, which should be confirmed locally, is that chiefs almost always grant permission for islets and heritage sites, and that on Wallis the water-taxi operator usually handles it. Separately, house-front beaches are privately owned, so ask before using one. Some heritage sites carry specific customs, and it is wise to check a site is not privately owned and whether permission is needed.
04
What we do not know about Faioa
Searches for Faioa volcano island ask about its geology, and we have to be honest: the records name Faioa as a destination but give no details of its origin, size, beaches or facilities. Wallis itself is one of three main volcanic tropical islands, and its crater lakes date from mid-Pleistocene volcanic activity, but that does not tell us how Faioa formed.
We also have no source on camping on Faioa. Ask before you plan to stay overnight.
05
The wider lagoon
Faioa is not the only islet worth the boat fare. The named islets on operator pages include Fenuafoou and Nukuatea. Nukuatea was bought by a trader in 1830 for sea-cucumber fishing.
Marine life around Wallis includes hawksbill turtles, spotted eagle rays, sharks, parrotfish, Napoleon fish, anemones, sea fans, corals and dolphins. Coral monitoring since 1999 at six sites shows Wallis reefs are better protected than those of Futuna and Alofi.
06
Planning your day
Take what you need for a day on an uninhabited islet, including water, sun protection and cash, since many places lack card terminals. Check the weather first: Wallis is warm and humid, with rainfall over 3,000 mm a year. Wallis has no snakes or dangerous predators, according to the tourism board. Ultralight flights over the lagoon leave from Hihifo airfield and are best at low tide for the blue tones, if you want to see the islets from above.
Questions people ask.
- How do I get to Faioa?
- By taxi boat from Gahi Bay, the only authorised anchorage on Wallis. The Gahi listing says reservation only and lists Faioa as a destination. You can also reach the islets by kayak from the Vakala watersports centre.
- Is Faioa inhabited?
- The Wallis lagoon holds more than a dozen uninhabited islets, known as motu. Faioa is named among them on the taxi-boat page.
- Do I need permission to visit Faioa?
- Check with the Tourist Office about protected areas and rules. Guide advice, to be confirmed locally, is that chiefs almost always grant permission and the water-taxi operator usually handles it.
- Is Faioa a volcanic island?
- Our records do not describe Faioa's geology. Wallis is volcanic, but we cannot say how Faioa formed, so ask the tourist office or your boat operator.
Stay on the islands with IMPT.
IMPT (impt.io) is the booking platform behind this site: 8 million hotels and apartments across 195 countries, including the Pacific neighbours of Wallis & Futuna. Stays on Wallis and Futuna themselves are arranged by enquiry with each host. Every stay booked through IMPT supports climate action through the IMPT Climate Contribution programme.
Read next.
The invitation starts here
Be part of the
next chapter.
Join the waitlist First access to stays, routes and launch news.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time.