Kiribati is made up of a group of islands in the Pacific
Ocean that sits near the equator in Micronesia. It’s an ideal
location for more adventurous and nature-loving travellers as
it’s not considered to be a resort area. It has a population of
just over 100,000 with the capital being Tarawa, which is where
the majority of people live. Tarawa saw a lot of fighting in
World War II and there are quite a few shipwrecks there that
attract scuba divers.
However, most visitors head over to Kiritimati, which is
known as Christmas Island. There are three main island groups in
Kiribati, which are the Line Islands, Phoenix Islands, and
Gilbert Islands. The Line Islands are located in the easternmost
time zone in the world.
The Phoenix Islands have a protected area which is the
largest protected marine area in the world as it’s home to
numerous pristine and undisturbed eco-systems. It has a wide
variety of bird species and the beautiful coral reefs have been
undisturbed for decades. The major island here is Kanton, which
has a wharf and airstrip. However, it’s quite isolated and
doesn’t see much in the way of visitors other than the
occasional yacht or charter boat.
It’s believed Kiribati was settled for about 2000 years
before Europeans found it. It then became a British colony and
was called the Gilbert Islands. The country gained independence
from Britain in 1979. Kiribati is pronounced as Kiri-bass, which
in the local tongue, translates into Gilberts.
The temperature is quite warm all year round due to its
location, but you’ll find it’s pretty humid and you might feel
like you’re walking around in an inescapable sauna bath, so be
prepared. It can get a bit rainy between December and March, and
at other times of the year, it is extremely dry with no rain at
all for weeks.
It’s a bit difficult and expensive to get direct flights to
Kiribati and you might want to go to Fiji first and head over
from there. If going to Fiji, be sure to go to the airport in
Nadi, not Suva. Once you’ve reached Kiribati, you can travel
from island to island by small airplane and boat. You can
usually explore the islands by hiring a driver or rent a
motorcycles or scooter.
You shouldn’t have a problem talking with local people as the
official languages are English and Kiribati. Most people in
Tarawa speak English, but you might find that the further you
get away from here, the more people will speak their native
language.
The major source of food comes from the sea and rice is also
popular in the restaurants. The local sashimi comes right out of
the ocean onto your plate and is a favourite with most people.
You can get western food at some of the hotels and there are
several Chinese restaurants around. One of the most popular
local drinks is made out of the sap from coconut trees. It’s
usually fermented into alcoholic sour toddy. There are a couple
of bars in Tarawa where you can always grab a cold beer and
there’s also a nightclub. Be aware alcohol isn’t sold on some of
the Gilbert Islands.
The variety of hotels and accommodations depend on which area
you’re in. South Tarawa has a couple of hotels with restaurants
and there are some guesthouses too. There aren’t many though, so
it’s a good idea to book in advance. North Tarawa has more
guesthouses and traditional hotels. Most other islands have a
guesthouse of some sort. Kiritimati has the most accommodations
as it gets the majority of visitors and these include fishermen
lodging. You won’t find a lot of bank machines, so you may want
to change money at the airport as most shops don’t take credit
cards.
Kiribati might not be a place to take the kids for a beach
holiday, but it’s a spot to explore some of the world’s most
untouched areas. The landscapes and scenery are amazing and it’s
an ideal location to see how people can live happily without the
being too influenced by the modern age.
About Kiribati