North Tarawa
Kiribati · Gilbert Islands · 2 m
Description
North Tarawa is the other half of the same atoll and the opposite of the capital. The road ends at Tanaea and the rest is reached by boat across tidal flats or on foot at low water, so the northern islets keep villages without cars, without mains power and with maneaba meeting houses still in daily use. Buariki sits at the far end. The lagoon beaches are empty, the reef is intact, and a handful of guesthouses take the few visitors who make the crossing from South Tarawa. Land crabs outnumber people on the last islets, and the only way north from Buariki is the reef itself.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 4 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: May – October
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Buariki and the traditional villages
- Boat crossing from Tanaea over the tidal flats
- Empty lagoon beaches of the northern islets
- Maneaba meeting houses still in daily use
- Snorkelling the North Tarawa lagoon reefs
- Abatao and Tabiteuea islets
- Guesthouses on the outer islets
- Frigatebirds and terns over the flats
- Islets without cars or mains power
Getting there
- Nearest airports:
- TRW
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry