Marshall Islands

Overview

The Marshall Islands are a group of atolls and reefs in the Pacific Ocean , about half-way between Hawaii and Australia . The charm of the Marshall Islands lies not in a great number of attractions. This small country, home to fewer than 70,000 people and comprising 1,156 islands and islets, is, however, unique. Don't expect any spectacular sights, but enjoy the pristine beauty of picture-perfect tropical islands, great scuba diving and windsurfing opportunities and the warm hospitality of the people.

The Marshall Islands consist of two island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands, of low coral limestone and sand. Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range.

Sights and landscapes

Watch the sunset from your beachchair in one of the luxurious resorts or make your way to one of the more deserted beaches for a day of almost Robinson Crusoe-like tranquillity. On the far west side of the Majuro -atoll, the quiet beaches of Laura are a fine choice. If you've had enough of sun and sand, head to the capital Majuro for some shopping.

Head to the Longar area on Arno , where young women were once taught the tips and tricks for a happy sexual life in so-called love schools . This is a perfect place for deep-sea fishing too. In Uliga you'll find the Alele Museum and Public Library . Although small, it has some nice artefacts of the nation's culture on display. Note the stick charts, used by the indigenous people to help remember the complex wave patterns between the many atolls.

The Marshall Islands sit atop ancient submerged volcanoes rising from the ocean floor, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia , north of Nauru and Kiribati , east of the Federated States of Micronesia , and south of the disputed U.S. territory of Wake Island , to which it also lays claim. The atolls and islands form two groups: the Ratak (sunrise) and the Ralik (sunset) . The two island chains lie approximately parallel to one another, running northwest to southeast, comprising about 750,000 square miles (1,900,000 km 2 ) of ocean but only about 70 square miles (180 km 2 ) of land mass. Each includes 15 to 18 islands and atolls.

The country consists of a total of 29 atolls and five individual islands situated in about 180,000 square miles (470,000 km 2 ) of the Pacific. The largest atoll with a land area of 6 square miles (16 km 2 ) is Kwajalein. It surrounds a 655-square-mile (1,700 km 2 ) lagoon.

Twenty-four of the atolls and islands are inhabited. The remaining atolls are uninhabited due to poor living conditions, lack of rain, or nuclear contamination. The uninhabited atolls are:

The climate has a relatively dry season from December to April and a wet season from May to November. Many Pacific typhoons begin as tropical storms in the Marshall Islands region and grow stronger as they move west toward the Mariana Islands and the Philippines .

Population has outstripped the supply of fresh water, usually from rainfall. The northern atolls get 50 inches (1,300 mm) of rainfall annually; the southern atolls about twice that. The threat of drought is commonplace throughout the island chains.

Culture and food

There are many types of different fruits that are available in the different seasons. There are also farms that produce vegetable or raise pigs. Most, if not all, the produce are: breadfruit, pandanus, coconut, corn, tomato, sweet potato, cassava, papaya, pumpkin, "nin" (noni), lime, pigs and chicken. In addition to these, there are stands that sell fruit and traditional food along the road from Ajeltake to Laura.

The Marshall Islands was once known as the world's "fishiest" place, meaning that there was an over-abundance of species of fish that dwell in Marshallese waters. However, there is great uncertainty as to whether this is still true due to concern over overfishing and destruction of natural habitat by ships' anchors, harmful chemicals & climate change.

There are several restaurants that serve international food. The Marshall Islands Resort's (MIR) Enra Restaurant, Yummy BBQ, Jitak Take-Out, DAR Restaurant, and Robert Reimers Enterprises' (RRE) Tide Table are among the most well known.

Non-Marshallese owned restaurants include Monica's (Chinese), La Bojie's (Filipino), China Restaurant (Chinese), Special Restaurant (Chinese), Won Hai Shen (Chinese), The Stone House (Japanese), Jay's Restaurant (Indian), Island Star Restaurant (Chinese), Eastern Restaurant, and Aliang Restaurant (Chinese).

Planning your route

Air travel between the islands is provided by Air Marshall Islands . However, the company is fraught with financial and technical problems, and one or both of the two planes in the fleet are often grounded for days, weeks or months at a time.

Transportation by ship is also available. Field trip ships travel throughout the islands, typically to pick up copra and deliver supplies; they usually provide passenger service as well.

On Majuro There is a plethora of taxis available on the main road that travels the length of Majuro Atoll, and anywhere in the Majuro city area will cost no more than seventy-five cents. To get to Laura, on the other end of the island, there is a bus that leaves about once an hour from Robert Reimers Hotel.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors) and Wikipedia article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.