Kiritimati
Kiribati · Line Islands · 3 m
Description
Kiritimati, still widely called “Christmas Island”, is the largest coral atoll on earth by land area and holds almost half the land of Kiribati in one place. Anglers come for the flats. Hard sand shallows run for kilometres in clear water and hold bonefish, giant trevally and triggerfish, which has made the island one of the best known saltwater fly fishing destinations anywhere. It is also a Pacific seabird sanctuary with eighteen species including the endemic Christmas Island warbler, and the villages carry the names London, Banana, Poland and Tabwakea. Nothing on the island rises more than a few metres, and the lagoon system behind the flats is a maze of shallow salt ponds.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 5 to 10 days (optimal 7 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: May – October
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Bonefish on the hard sand flats
- Giant trevally and triggerfish on the reef edge
- The largest coral atoll on earth by land area
- Fly fishing lodges and their guides
- Eighteen seabird species including the Christmas Island warbler
- Cook Islet and the closed bird reserves
- Empty beaches of the northern shore
- Cruise calls at English Harbour Port
- Green turtles and reef sharks in the lagoon
- Half the land area of Kiribati in one atoll
- The villages of London, Banana, Poland and Tabwakea
Getting there
- Airports:
- CXI
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry